Declare my camera equipment to Japan and US Customs

[ShutterFever]

I am not sure if I must declare my $24,000 worth of camera equipment to Japan and US Customs, so they will not charge me tax $$$ if I dont produce any proof that I bought my camera equipment in US before I travel to Japan?

I need info from you about this. I plan to go to Japan on Sept 16 to 30th. Thanks!

[DanC922]

This might be of some help.

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/essential/customs.html

However, it looks like you can't take more than 200,000 yen (around $1700) of stuff and have it remain duty/tax free. That doesn't make much sense though. Even typical luggage could very easily be valued over $1700 .???

[Dorado]

What about shipping it?

[Croasdail]

I have never had an issue....

and per the link...

"Clothes, toiletry articles, and other personal effects that are for personal use, as well as professional equipment that will be used during your stay in Japan, are all free of duties and/or taxes, if they are considered quantitatively appropriate and are not for sale."

It should not be an issue.... but you do have all that stuff insured... right?

[ryant35]

From what I understand you must declare something you buy out of the country and bring back home.

So you will pay tax & duty if you buy $24,000 worth of equipment in Japan.

[Wilt]

If you wish to play it safe, you can bring an itemized list (with serial numbers) in an declare the goods at the Customs office before you fly. Then getting it all back into the USA duty free at the end of the trip is without question.
Having such a list as you enter another country is a good idea, too, so that if there is any question of you 'smuggling' goods into their country for sale in their country, you have a list that the same goods entering are also exiting their country. Since you have $24000 in equipment, that is a very good reason to have that list declared back at home!

For an average tourist with a few thousand in photographic equipment, the above is a needless action. But as someone who HAS travelled into and out of countries with tens or hundreds of thousands in industrial goods, I know first hand that having an invoice showing customs value and declaring this for temporary entry and exist of the goods can be quite necessary for certain countries!!! If you do not have such an invoice, and have high value goods with you, you can well be asked to post money with Customs at the arriving country, simply to enter the country, and then you would have to wait to get your refund after proof of exit of those goods from the country!

[ShutterFever]

WOW! This is interesting.

I will declare my equipment at US custom in San Diego soon.

Thank you for your feedback.

P.S.

Yes, of course I already have full insured on my stuff.