🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <362@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> mjkobb@media-lab.media.mit.edu (Michael J Kobb) writes:
>In article <30351@cornell.UUCP> pap@cs.cornell.edu (Paul Pritchard) writes:
>>I'm flying NY (alright, Newark) to London soon, and will be taking
>>my Mac (SE/30 HD40) with me. It seems to me the best plan is to
...
>Check with someone about customs, though!

Customs is a funny business.  You can get into an awkward spot because if
you look like an average middle-class US/European citizen, you generally
won't be subjected to any real scrutiny (hand inspections, detailed
questioning, etc.) as you travel around Europe ... HOWEVER, sometimes you
will get singled out for some reason or another.

Europeans, who pay up to twice for Macs what Americans do, are more than
willing to believe that people in America will try to smuggle them to
their friends there.  It's your job to convince customs officials that the
Mac you're carrying is YOUR Mac, it's USED, and you DON'T want to sell it.
Theoretically you can be required to post a bond, in each country you visit,
for the amount of duty that would be imposed on the item were you to sell it
there.  This is the only sure-fire mechanism for avoiding customs hassles
completely.

If you want to post bonds (do this well in advance of your travel), contact
the appropriate consulate(s) and get the required forms.  (Don't forget your
visa if you're going to France, either...)

On the other hand, if you don't bring anything that doesn't look a little
used, and if you have some sort of indication that this is a personal item
you would have no reason to sell overseas, or that you're a reputable person
and understand why you shouldn't sell it (fines + jail, perhaps), you should
have no problems traveling through Europe with computers, cameras, jewelry,
whatnot.

This does NOT apply, by the way, to less-developed countries.  If you're
bringing any significant amount of electronic equipment or other valuables
into, say, Jamaica, it's worth your while to post a bond for the duty.  It's
a lot less frustrating than haggling with local customs officials, who
are rightfully suspicious of anyone carrying in more than a camera and a
pocket calculator.

	-joseph	
	-jnh@ecemwl.ncsu.edu
	-joseph@ece007.ncsu.edu