BAHAMAS CUSTOMS
Visitors arriving in The Bahamas may bring in the following items free of customs duty and stamp tax: apparel, toilet articles and similar personal effects; one qt of alcoholic beverage; one qt of wine; 1 lb of tobacco or 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars (adults only); and other articles up to the value of $100. US CUSTOMS
Each US resident (including a minor) may take home duty-free purchases up to US$600 in retail value if he has been outside the US more than 48hrs and has not taken the exemption in 30 days. The exemption may include up to two litres (67.6oz) of liquor per person 21 or older, provided one litre is manufactured in The Bahamas or another CBI (Caribbean Basin Initiative) country; 200 cigarettes; and 100 cigars (Cuban cigars not allowed) per person 19 or older. A single household family traveling together may pool exemptions, ie, a family of four may take home US$2,400 worth of goods.
Articles up to US$1,000 value accompanying the traveler, in excess of the US$600 duty-free allowance, are assessed at a flat rate of four per cent. For example, a family of four would prepare a joint declaration for goods purchased, say, for US$4,500. Each family member would be eligible for a US$600 exemption, for a total of US$2,400. The remaining US$2,100 would be assessed at a duty rate of four per cent. Thus, total duty for the purchases from this trip would be US$84. You may not apply the flat rate more than once every 30 days.
If the returning US resident is not entitled to the US$600 duty exemption due to the 30-day or 48-hr minimum limitations, he may still import, duty free, US$200 worth of personal or household items. This exemption may not be pooled.
If the returning resident exceeds the $200 exemption, duty at four per cent will be applied on all purchases, and they lose the exemption.
Articles purchase in US duty-free shops and brought back into the US may not be included in the exemption and are dutiable.
One person, on one day, may receive a shipment of goods purchased in The Bahamas and sent to an address in the US so long as the value does not exceed US$200. The shipment will be passed free of duty by US Customs, unless there is reason to believe the shipment is one of several lots of a single order. Supporting documents are required. US Customs ~ Travel ~ Pleasure Vacation Travel |
CANADA CUSTOMS
A resident of Canada may take advantage of one of the three categories of duty-free exemptions. If the claimant has been out of Canada for 24 hrs, he or she may make a verbal declaration to claim a CDN$50 duty-free allowance any number of times per year, which would not include alcohol or tobacco. If the claimant has been out of the country for 48 hrs any number of times per year, a written declaration must be made; he or she may claim a CDN$200 allowance, which could include up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200g (7oz) of loose tobacco and 200 tobacco sticks, and 1.14 lires (40oz) of liquor or 1.5 litres (52oz) of wine or wine coolers or 24x355ml (12oz) containers of beer.
Anone who has been out of Canada seven days or more, any number of times per year, may make a written delcaration and claim the CDN$750 exemption including the amounts of alcohol and tobacco indicated for the CDN$200 allowance.
In general, the goods brought in under personal exemption must be for personal or household use, as souvenirs of the trip or as gifts for friends or relatives. Goods brought in for commercial use or on behalf of another person, do not qualify and will be subject to full duties. Goods declared in a child's name must be for his or her use only.
For the importation of tobacco, the claimant must be 16 or older. In the case of liquor, wine or beer, the person must have attained the age prescribed by the provincial or territorial authority at the point of entry.
Goods acquired in The Bahamas or elsewhere outside continental North America may be shipped or mailed separately if declared at the first port of entry. UK CUSTOMS
UK residents may take back from The Bahamas the following items free of duty and tax (after a visit of more than 24hrs): 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco. Alcohol and alcoholic beverage allowance: two litres still table wine and one litre spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 per cent alcohol by volume, or two litres fortified or sparkling wine or other liqueurs. These allowances are not for persons under 17.
The allowance for perfume is 60ml, toilet water 250ml and L200 sterling worth of other goods including gifts and souvenirs.
If goods are worth more than the limit of L200, duty must be paid on the full value, not just on the value above L200. Individuals traveling as a family or group may not pool allowances towards an item worth more than the limit. |
