Carrying Through: Customs Tips For Caribbean Travelers
Carrying Through: Customs Tips For Caribbean Travelers By Jennifer Smith
With so many great souvenirs found throughout the islands, it'sno wonder Caribbean travelers are often curious about passingthrough customs. The question many travelers ask is how tobring these purchased items back into their home country. Witha little knowledge, and the right paperwork, passing throughcustoms can be easier than you think.
Each Caribbean island is different, so you'll find plenty ofvariations in the laws you'll find throughout the region. Eachisland will also have its own popular native goods as well.Knowing which items are permitted to be brought out of thecountry and which are not will protect you from additional feesor lost goods.
Leaving Town
When leaving home to enter the Caribbean, some travelers chooseto document their prior possessions, particularly big-ticketitems like laptops, registering them with a Certificate ofRegistration or similar form available through your homecustoms office. Make a note of serial numbers and otherpermanent markings on such forms to keep customs agents frombeing concerned about your personal items.
If you are in need of prescription medication, bring yourdoctor's prescription with you while you travel. This will helpensure an easy stop through customs and can also help if youaccidentally lose your medication during your trip. However,remember that the many so-called “recreational” drugs areusually illegal throughout the Caribbean as well, and travelingwith them is not permitted.
Return Trip
Going through customs on the way home can be equally taxing, soyou may want to remember to bring important items, such asreceipts. Whenever you receive receipts for souvenir purchases,keep them. They can be especially helpful when passing throughcustoms.
Native goods may include perishables, such as cigars, liquor,and coffee. Hot sauces are also popular on some islands, andthe quantity of these goods you may bring home is usuallylimited by your home country. However, goods are mostly limitedby a monetary amount, after which point they may be taxed. So ifyou're looking to pick up duty-free goods, be especially carefulof the upper limits allowed back into the country.
When returning home, U.S. citizens should plan to bring alongno more than $800(USD) in merchandise from most Caribbeancountries. American vacationers returning to the mainland fromthe U.S. Virgin Islands may bring in twice the amount of goods.Remember, you can often mail souvenirs and other items home, oryou may even mail your own personal items that you won't needimmediately when you return, which can help you save space forpacking.
So if you're looking for sure-fire ways to pass easily throughcustoms, know the rules before you go. Don't forget to bringand keep any paperwork that will account for your belongingsduring your journey. With these rules in mind, passing throughcustoms from the Caribbean should be a breeze.
About the Author: Jennifer Smith writes forhttp://Aruba-Guide.info, http://CaymanIslands-Guide.info, andother Segisys travel Web sites. © 2005, Interactive InternetWebsites, Inc. Article may only be reprinted if it is notmodified in any way, and if all links remain live. For moretips: http://caribbean-guide.info/traveler_basics/customs.jsp
With so many great souvenirs found throughout the islands, it'sno wonder Caribbean travelers are often curious about passingthrough customs. The question many travelers ask is how tobring these purchased items back into their home country. Witha little knowledge, and the right paperwork, passing throughcustoms can be easier than you think.
Each Caribbean island is different, so you'll find plenty ofvariations in the laws you'll find throughout the region. Eachisland will also have its own popular native goods as well.Knowing which items are permitted to be brought out of thecountry and which are not will protect you from additional feesor lost goods.
Leaving Town
When leaving home to enter the Caribbean, some travelers chooseto document their prior possessions, particularly big-ticketitems like laptops, registering them with a Certificate ofRegistration or similar form available through your homecustoms office. Make a note of serial numbers and otherpermanent markings on such forms to keep customs agents frombeing concerned about your personal items.
If you are in need of prescription medication, bring yourdoctor's prescription with you while you travel. This will helpensure an easy stop through customs and can also help if youaccidentally lose your medication during your trip. However,remember that the many so-called “recreational” drugs areusually illegal throughout the Caribbean as well, and travelingwith them is not permitted.
Return Trip
Going through customs on the way home can be equally taxing, soyou may want to remember to bring important items, such asreceipts. Whenever you receive receipts for souvenir purchases,keep them. They can be especially helpful when passing throughcustoms.
Native goods may include perishables, such as cigars, liquor,and coffee. Hot sauces are also popular on some islands, andthe quantity of these goods you may bring home is usuallylimited by your home country. However, goods are mostly limitedby a monetary amount, after which point they may be taxed. So ifyou're looking to pick up duty-free goods, be especially carefulof the upper limits allowed back into the country.
When returning home, U.S. citizens should plan to bring alongno more than $800(USD) in merchandise from most Caribbeancountries. American vacationers returning to the mainland fromthe U.S. Virgin Islands may bring in twice the amount of goods.Remember, you can often mail souvenirs and other items home, oryou may even mail your own personal items that you won't needimmediately when you return, which can help you save space forpacking.
So if you're looking for sure-fire ways to pass easily throughcustoms, know the rules before you go. Don't forget to bringand keep any paperwork that will account for your belongingsduring your journey. With these rules in mind, passing throughcustoms from the Caribbean should be a breeze.
About the Author: Jennifer Smith writes forhttp://Aruba-Guide.info, http://CaymanIslands-Guide.info, andother Segisys travel Web sites. © 2005, Interactive InternetWebsites, Inc. Article may only be reprinted if it is notmodified in any way, and if all links remain live. For moretips: http://caribbean-guide.info/traveler_basics/customs.jsp
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