Question regarding bought lenses from the US

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this question but here it goes.

I have a friend who's in the States right now and I asked her if she can buy me a lens over there since it's much cheaper compared here in France. I've asked her to buy me a 70-200 2.8 IS. Over there it's 1599 USD around 1123 Euros. Over here it costs 1689 Euros and in some stores nearly 2000+ euros.

Now, should I be worried about import tax or customs at all when she enters France? Some details, she's American but a resident here in France.

Thanks for the future responses.

A month ago I had the same dillema.
I'm from belgium and I was in NY.

I was also looking for the 70-200, but I found a good ebay-seller from england that was only 200 euro's more expensive, but I had no problems with import and I had warranty.

So I decided to wait and buy it on ebay .

Might depend on how the package is marked. If it is marked "gift" value $100. I believe you will pay no import fees.

So you mean she should declare the item as he travels? She'll be bringing it with her back here in France.

I'm really not sure what to say to her lol. She's also kinda worried about customs or tax she should pay if ever she gets in trouble.

why not declare it as personal effects?

If France is like USA, you declare your purchases and are assessed import duties which are over a certain total value which are allowed as your exempted imports. Certain items are taxed at different rates, and what you declare is then taxed as applies to the purchased items over value. If you do not declare, and/or if you underdeclare but are the subject to spot checking your luggage contents which then finds the undeclared goods, you can be assessed duties and fines.

gasrocks wrote in post #8357025
Might depend on how the package is marked. If it is marked "gift" value $100. I believe you will pay no import fees.

That would depend on where you are importing it to, as countries differ (here in the UK, it's anything over £17 that's liable. A LONG way below $100). Also, gift or purchase makes no difference for import duty (might be a difference in VAT though, I'm not sure) and deliberately undervaluing an item can land those involved in trouble and big fees / possible confiscation. A random selection of packages are checked at the border, including opening some, but a simple run through the X-ray machine would clearly show it as a big lens - clearly worth more than $100. A big enough selection is checked to make it quite likely that they will at least X-ray it.

johnj2803 wrote in post #8357203
why not declare it as personal effects?

I presume that this is the more likely scenario, assuming they are bringing it back with them. Again, claiming 'nothing to declare' and getting caught can be expensive. Will they have a matching camera outfit with them? If not, even the rawest of raw customs agents isn't going to fall for the line that it is personal property that they took away with them, when they don't have a camera to bolt it on. If they have the packaging / manual / warranty with them you are again likely to be caught out.

In general, I have no problems with my camera gear at customs. As I have two (old) bodies, and several lenses plus accessories in the case, they are generally happy to accept that it is personal gear that I took with me. I have been asked to prove that it is all gear that I left home with, and I am bringing nothing new into the country, though. Easily done as I had a copy of my insurance details with me, listing all the main gear and serial numbers (something UK customs advised me to do when taking a large amount of gear abroad and bringing it back).


In short, trying to avoid import duties by making false claims is seen in the same light as income tax evasion. The government takes a dim view of people trying to avoid paying what is due and can come down heavily on those caught.

I have no experience of the levels of duty in France, or the limits of what is allowed before duty is assessed. So you would need to check on that yourself.

However, I assume the French authorities take false declarations as seriously as the UK.

sandpiper wrote in post #8357403
However, I assume the French authorities take false declarations as seriously as the UK.

I just read about a woman who is about 45, who was arrested for possession of marijuana hidden in the headliner and other locations of the car in which she was a passenger, 25 years ago. She explained her boyfriend was responsible. Three countries were involved in the prosecution, one of them France. Two of the countries eventually dropped the arrest warrants, France still has one outstanding on her, causing her to be 'captive' in her home country and unable to visit her elderly parents in Spain.

I once had to go into a border office in the east of France and fill out paperwork for about 20 minutes, simply because I was a US citizen without a visa to visit France (at the time they required them of US citizens). After filling out the paperwork, I was told to get back into my car and drive back into Germany...they could have simply denied me entry and told me turn the car around and go back to Germany, without needing the bureaucratic BS of the 20 minutes of paperwork, but I was dealing with the bureaucratic French!

No doubt the bureaucrats will exact the ten pounds of flesh from a 'smuggler'!

sandpiper wrote in post #8357403
However, I assume the French authorities take false declarations as seriously as the UK.

I doubt your friend would be followed to your house. Now if she went to France without a body, it would be suspicious...