EU Customs questions

[FxrAndy]

A few situations

a, I live in the EU, I go on holiday to the states buy a new daytona and bring it back on my wrist, on this i would have to pay import tax, happy

b, I live in the EU, I go on holiday to the states, i fly out with a gen double red on my wrist that has been in my family since 1969 (i wish) and i fly back with the same watch, i cant provide a receipt for the watch at the airport and the papers are in the safe what happens if you have a dick of a customs officer.

c, I live in the states and i fly to the EU for a GTG with a box of vintage rollys, i have no intention of selling any and i can prove ownership for them all and i am only stopping in the EU for 2 days, I am assuming here that i should go through the red channel and declare what i am carrying, but am i liable to pay import tax for something that i am not going to sell and will be leaving the EU 2 days later.

What are the rules, what proof of owner ship or age would be required?

[Francisco]

The main rule is: do not fly to Paris when coming back to Europe. if so, you will pay nothing.

regards,

Francisco

[FxrAndy]

I have a friend who has just past her customs exams i think i will pose the question to her

[panerai153]

Andy,

I think the problem is,the customs laws vary from country to country as well as the degree of enforcement. I believe traveling to the EU with a Daytona on your wrist is safe. I know quite a few guys who bought Rolex watches in the Caribbean. Also in Hong Kong. This was years ago. What they did was mail the box and paperwork back to their address in the USA and wore the watch on their arm. I have never seen a US customs inspector ask about the watch you are wearing.

Wearing the Double Red in and out of the country should also not be a problem, however if you did have some paperwork to substantiate that it was yours and had been for years, It probably wouldn't hurt to have a copy of something that proves it's yours.

Traveling with the suitcase full of watches, that is the one that only a customs expert could answer. If they are Rolex, bringing them into the USA is a risk, as Rolex USA has some very specific criteria about bringing in Rolex watches.

[theflyingdutchman]

Nobody at customes entering into the EU cares about your watch! 35 international travels in 2 years and not 1 question!

[opti]

correct, no one gives a [censored] whats on your wrist

[Cats]

I don't agree.

Customs do care what you got on your wrist.

When your rep looks like a 1:1 copie you maybe get into trouble even more because they think it's a GEN.

In Holland you are allowed to carry 3 reps with you when you enter the country.

I think i saw a post on being very careful entering Italy with a rep around your wrist.

I'm interested in the Italian situation since i will be leaving on a holiday in the first 2 weeks of May.

Carpe Diem

Cats

[opti]

last year this time, I went through 11 western euro countries, no one cared

[FxrAndy]

In Germany there is a program called "Mein Revier" about customs officers and polices ect and i have seen them remove a weight peoples jewelry, question about laptops and watches and make a judgment on the condition of the items and charge import tax, now i also travel frequently and i have never been questioned about what i have on my wrist but we have seen in another post that this happens in France and Germany at least, so i would like to know the actual rules in case it does happen.

I did get stopped on the motorway coming out of Switzerland by french customs on a motor bike and lead to a control point, there they asked if i had more then 10000€ in cash on me, well i can tell you when i had picked my self up from the floor laughing he let me go.

[gran]

When your rep looks like a 1:1 copie you maybe get into trouble even more because they think it's a GEN.

Carpe Diem

Cats

I do not think so. Watch on the wrist should be safe by itself, in and out any country.

Never had any problems with this myself. Never one question about the watch. I have traveled to 21 countries and about 50 airline travels within Europe.

[narikaa]

These scenarios are not new or unique

And taking out of the equation the counterfeit element and speaking solely about gens:

a. Yes exactly correct being a good l'ill christian you declare it, show receipts, and dutifully pay the nice man the inbound country's dues. Yes as others have said if you prefer to smuggle it detection odds are in your favour (though not wholly unanimously)

b./ c. Procedures vary slightly but most countries adopt the same process: You go to your resident country's customs pre travel & prove that the host country's duty was paid on your valuables - they give you documentation certifying this (to ease the process on your return). You present this on arrival at your destination country who further gives documentation for the transit of the item(s) which you must show - with the relevant goods on departure to avoid taxation.

Dont forget the revenors have been at it - and polishing their act - for centuries and hardly any circumstance is new to them or not provided for in their procedures.

The above of course is what you are supposed to do, whether or not you decide to adhere 100% to that route is of course up 2 U

.

Edited April 18, 2010 by narikaa