My take on the lifting of international restrictions of Cuban cigars for US residents.

[Jimmy_jack]

1 minute ago, Fugu said:

I fear, they are not going to debate with you on that. The "personal consumption" is simply defined by the authorities. And that personal allowance is exactly those 100 cigars in the US (or e.g. just 50 in Europe atm). You may be lucky and get away with more but that's then just luck. Exceeding limits and you are facing the risk of confiscation. If they are really nasty, you may be unlucky and they don't just confiscate the exceeding amount but instead the whole lot. They ARE entitled to do that as a penalty, in particular if not declared in advance!

But as @BarryNY sais, that's what is written, but often officers give some leeway, don't stick to the rules strictly, in particular when there is some new regulation or what seems to be a gray area. But there is a certain risk for sure when exceeding the current limit. In the end Cuban cigars will now not be treated in any way different to NCs, same rules apply.

What if you delcare 100, your wife delcares 100, and your adult kids that are with you each delcare 100 sticks.

[Fugu]

Fine then, where is the problem? You won't have to prove who actually is a cigar smoker.

You grasped it exactly - that's the big pro of a clearly defined personal allowance.

[BarryNY]

5 minutes ago, Hutch said:

Barry...that certainly looks to contradict the customs employee i smoke with. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. I'm sure that folks returning will relay their experience here.

Hutch - I'm hoping for that too....

[PigFish]

... why am I liking even more the idea of pushing a mouse button and getting as many as I want dropped to my PO Box!

By the way, why don't to stop by customs on your way out and ask?

-Piggy

[Lotusguy]

What if you delcare 100, your wife delcares 100, and your adult kids that are with you each delcare 100 sticks.

Then you are certainly exceeding the $800 dollar limit, which is per family, not per person.

[canadianbeaver]

On 2016-10-19 at 6:20 PM, Lotusguy said:

Then you are certainly exceeding the $800 dollar limit, which is per family, not per person.

Flying into Canada it would be $800 per person if you stayed longer than 48 hours.

 

[Pixa]

I fear, they are not going to debate with you on that. The "personal consumption" is simply defined by the authorities. And that personal allowance is exactly those 100 cigars in the US (or e.g. just 50 in Europe atm). You may be lucky and get away with more but that's then just luck. Exceeding limits and you are facing the risk of confiscation. If they are really nasty, you may be unlucky and they don't just confiscate the exceeding amount but instead the whole lot. They ARE entitled to do that as a penalty, in particular if not declared in advance!

But as @BarryNY sais, that's what is written, but often officers give some leeway, don't stick to the rules strictly, in particular when there is some new regulation or what seems to be a gray area. But there is a certain risk for sure when exceeding the current limit. In the end Cuban cigars will now not be treated in any way different to NCs, same rules apply.

Your confusing duty free limits with regard to personal consumption in Europe. There is other limits for personal consumption which is more to do with between country's inside the EU. Last time I looked it was at the 400 mark for personal consumption. Before they questioned it, even though technically there is no limit.

[Fugu]

1 hour ago, Pixa said:

Your confusing duty free limits with regard to personal consumption in Europe.

What's confusing you?

1 hour ago, Pixa said:

There is other limits for personal consumption which is more to do with between country's inside the EU.

Nope, all the same for tobacco - 50 Sticks, irrespective of within Common market or from third country.

[Pixa]

Just now, Fugu said:

What's confusing you?

Nope, all the same for tobacco - 50 Sticks, irrespective of within Common market or from third country.

Nothing confusing me Fugo. here you go

Tobacco allowance (from outside EU)

You can bring in one from the following:

• 200 cigarettes
• 100 cigarillos
• 50 cigars
• 250g tobacco

You can split this allowance - so you could bring in 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars (both half of your allowance).

 

From Inside EU

Although there are no limits to the alcohol and tobacco you can bring in fromEU countries, you’re more likely to be asked questions if you have more than the amounts below.

Type of goods	Amount
Cigarettes	800
Cigars	200
Cigarillos	400
Tobacco	1kg
Beer	110 litres
Wine	90 litres
Spirits	10 litres
Fortified wine (eg sherry, port)	20 litres

 

 

One is duty free allowance other is guidlines for personal consumption (looks like they reduced it too 200 for cigars) 

On another note EU countries dont care how much you import if paying the duty as the charges are same as a retailer importing for sale so makes no diffrence so there is not actually a limit for personal consumption from outside EU. 

Let me know if you want any of this explained more for you.

https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods/arrivals-from-outside-the-eu

[Fugu]

Is UK still EU ? ... I think has never really been...haha.

On a serious note - and I am too lazy to look up, so someone may correct me - but the above stated is holding for most EU-member states.

[Pixa]

48 minutes ago, Fugu said:

Is UK still EU ? ... I think has never really been...haha.

On a serious note - and I am too lazy to look up, so someone may correct me - but the above stated is holding for most EU-member states.

You serious. Your that ignorant. Its like me using choosing to use mexican information as its part of americas. when talking about USA. I think you will find you are even more wrong regarding limits from other EU countries as most don't have limits from inside the common market. But hay what do I know I am only someone who lives in the common market and travels regularly between member states and knows they are different countries with different laws. 

You have been corrected but you chose to make a snide remark at me instead. Then when shown proof of your mistake, another snide remark. Are you too lazy to back up your baseless claims that you thought gave you the right to act like that? Or too ignorant? 

[Ryan]

Guys, keep the conversation civil. Please.

[Fugu]

Has been an ironic comment in the direction of Brexit - perhaps more an inside joke among some members.

Never mind - please don't take this all too serious, Pixa. No reason to get het up about it, but sorry if you personally felt insulted by that, certainly wasn't meant that way!

[Hurltim]

As far as I can tell, the $800 dollar limit is a "tax free" limit. Anything over 800 bucks you have to pay a 4% tax/fee. Like I said before, chump change. How many state sales taxes are 4% or under? 

I think your limit will more likely be your budget. 4 boxes of Epi #2's should get you close to the tax free limit. 4 Boxes of espys puts you at about $2400. 

I think @PigFish has the best plan: Stop and ask on the way out. A "collector" is not a reseller. BTW and I can sell a woman in white gloves a ketchup popsicle. I am not sweating it.

[luv2fly]

22 minutes ago, Hurltim said:

ketchup popsicle

Yum!!!!

[Hurltim]

Hahahaha!!!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[Philc2001]

On 10/16/2016 at 11:25 AM, MahDooRow said:

I am mazed how many times people in the US say these exact words ^.  99% of the time this opinion that CCs are "inferior" is based on nothing more than word of mouth, not personal experience.  

Actually, Trent, from my experience the quality of the rolls of CCs tends to be much less consistent than most other non CCs. I've never had a plugged, tight or underfilled Oliva or Fuente or Padron or Torano, etc. But I've had plenty of plugged and unsmokable CCs in my lifetime. I suspect that is what most people who make such comparisons are referring to, although I think it has improved over the past 10 years. Some of it may also be amount of aging of CC tobacco before rolling, compared to the aging of many non CCs.

But cigar smoking is an acquired taste, similar to spirits, so it comes down to tobacco strains, soil, climate, blending, etc.  Just as some prefer Speyside single malts, some prefer Gin, some like Tequila, etc. you will have those who are firmly in the CC camp and some firmly in the non-CC camp. What I expect though, is people who don't even smoke, and many who have never smoked anything but non-CCs will want to try smoking CCs just out of novelty because now they can. 

[Ryan]

On 10/19/2016 at 11:20 PM, Lotusguy said:

Then you are certainly exceeding the $800 dollar limit, which is per family, not per person.

$800 limit per family sounds odd. I'm certainly not saying that you're not right, because I don't know. But who decides what a "family" is? There would be a number of issues with this, the obvious being that it discriminates against married people. Husband and wife are "a family" thus would be allowed $800 duty free, boyfriend/girlfriend are not legally family thus allowed $1,600 duty free. 

[Bohn007]

53 minutes ago, Ryan said:

$800 limit per family sounds odd. I'm certainly not saying that you're not right, because I don't know. But who decides what a "family" is? There would be a number of issues with this, the obvious being that it discriminates against married people. Husband and wife are "a family" thus would be allowed $800 duty free, boyfriend/girlfriend are not legally family thus allowed $1,600 duty free. 

So just remember to bring your girlfriend and not your wife..... LoL

[Lotusguy]

$800 limit per family sounds odd. I'm certainly not saying that you're not right, because I don't know. But who decides what a "family" is? There would be a number of issues with this, the obvious being that it discriminates against married people. Husband and wife are "a family" thus would be allowed $800 duty free, boyfriend/girlfriend are not legally family thus allowed $1,600 duty free. 

I stand corrected - the exemption for permanent US residents is $800 per person. It's the form that you can fill out as one family (defined per attached but the description actually continues). You then multiply $800 by the number of family members.

[Fugu]

56 minutes ago, Ryan said:

$800 limit per family sounds odd. I'm certainly not saying that you're not right, because I don't know. But who decides what a "family" is?

I perceived that as Lotus was kidding here. Would certainly mean a discrimination and not easy to execute in practice. E.g. for how long are accompanying kids "your" family? Until they have their own family, or when they reach full age, live under your roof? Grandma and grandpa travelling with you - also part of the family? Brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties....? Would be tricky, to say the least.

Edit:

2 minutes ago, Lotusguy said:

You then multiply $800 by the number of family members.

Yep, that's making sense, then!

[BarryNY]

1 hour ago, Ryan said:

$800 limit per family sounds odd. I'm certainly not saying that you're not right, because I don't know. But who decides what a "family" is? There would be a number of issues with this, the obvious being that it discriminates against married people. Husband and wife are "a family" thus would be allowed $800 duty free, boyfriend/girlfriend are not legally family thus allowed $1,600 duty free. 

Here is the USA customs declaration form wording...

Each arriving traveler or responsible family member must provide the following information (only ONE written declaration per family is required). The term “family” is defined as “members of a family residing in the same household who are related by blood, marriage, domestic relationship, or adoption.”

[Ryan]

9 minutes ago, BarryNY said:

Here is the USA customs declaration form wording...

Each arriving traveler or responsible family member must provide the following information (only ONE written declaration per family is required). The term “family” is defined as “members of a family residing in the same household who are related by blood, marriage, domestic relationship, or adoption.”

Fair enough. Seems unfair though that a family, as described, would have the same duty-free allowance as an individual. Is it possible that the rule is just to save paperwork, so that 7 year-olds don't have to fill one out, for example, and that more than one form would be allowed if a family wanted to.

 

Edit. Just saw the other responses above, makes sense now. It's for families to save paperwork.

[BarryNY]

• For returning U.S. residents:  To be considered members of a family and to group exemptions from customs duty and internal revenue tax, the travelers must have lived together in one household at their last permanent residence and intend to live together in one household in the U.S. Regulations allow U.S. residents to combine the personal duty exemptions of each family member. For example, a family of five members returning directly from France would be entitled to a combined personal duty exemption of $4,000 ($800 x 5 individuals = $4,000).