Cigar Limits....Cuban Citizen to US

[UnionCityCubano]

This is a unique question. Does anyone know if the normal limits are the same for a Cuban National traveling to US for vacation. Is it 800 Dollars, 100 sticks or is it less? Thank you in advance for your help with this matter. Have a uncle visiting from Havana December and wanted to make sure. 
 

[Derboesekoenig]

25 minutes ago, UnionCityCubano said:

This is a unique question. Does anyone know if the normal limits are the same for a Cuban National traveling to US for vacation. Is it 800 Dollars, 100 sticks or is it less? Thank you in advance for your help with this matter. Have a uncle visiting from Havana December and wanted to make sure. 
 

"limits"

I've only been twice, but brought back $4k or $5k worth each time. I didn't even stop walking going through US customs. Cuba customs were the same each time as well. They call you down to the terminal with customs and check your factura and boom, done.

[UnionCityCubano]

1 minute ago, Derboesekoenig said:

"limits"

I've only been twice, but brought back $4k or $5k worth each time. I didn't even stop walking going through US customs. Cuba customs were the same each time as well. They call you down to the terminal with customs and check your factura and boom, done.

I just want to make sure the rules are not different for Cubans travels from Cuba to US. 

[Monterey]

Yeah, walking with 4k to 5k thru US customs is a really bad idea.  They are really starting to crack down recently.  Atlanta seems to be enforcing some new 200 limit.  A friend had 275 cigars, and they took 75, let him take tax free 100, and then charged him 42 cents for the other 100.  They could legally take anything over 100.  Miami seems to be set on 50 being the max.   I used to bring a lot back, but those days are over.  Anything over 8 boxes is a risk.

[La_Tigre]

The two of us were told 200 combined. We were pulled into secondary and were put on a list for future entry. It is all subjective to the person on the cuban side and us side. Roll the dice or follow the rules at your own risk. All situational.

I am somewhat certain the form is the same for both. 

[UnionCityCubano]

2 hours ago, La_Tigre said:

The two of us were told 200 combined. We were pulled into secondary and were put on a list for future entry. It is all subjective to the person on the cuban side and us side. Roll the dice or follow the rules at your own risk. All situational.

I am somewhat certain the form is the same for both. 

I just don’t know the rules for a none us citizen bringing in CC to the US that’s what I was trying to get clarification with. 

[Derboesekoenig]

7 hours ago, Monterey said:

Yeah, walking with 4k to 5k thru US customs is a really bad idea.  They are really starting to crack down recently.  Atlanta seems to be enforcing some new 200 limit.  A friend had 275 cigars, and they took 75, let him take tax free 100, and then charged him 42 cents for the other 100.  They could legally take anything over 100.  Miami seems to be set on 50 being the max.   I used to bring a lot back, but those days are over.  Anything over 8 boxes is a risk.

Well i've only gone twice but I always go through Atlanta and they've never questioned or batted an eye. 

[mtapia3]

I was told by an old grumpy customs agent in Houston that the limit is 50 cigars. Luckily I only had 2 boxes in my carry on. Every single person on my flight from Havana got stopped and had their belongings inspection. The agent that inspected my stuff seemed to know nothing about cigars, but what pissed me off was that she cut open my sealed boxes and fumbled through my cigars. They did this to everyone who had cigars. I noticed they were also carefully inspecting rum bottles and coffee bags.

To answer the original question, I'm pretty sure the same rules apply to everyone entering the country regardless of nationality. Rules are rules. 

[jerrybrowne]

13 minutes ago, mtapia3 said:

I was told by an old grumpy customs agent in Houston that the limit is 50 cigars. Luckily I only had 2 boxes in my carry on. Every single person on my flight from Havana got stopped and had their belongings inspection. The agent that inspected my stuff seemed to know nothing about cigars, but what pissed me off was that she cut open my sealed boxes and fumbled through my cigars. They did this to everyone who had cigars. I noticed they were also carefully inspecting rum bottles and coffee bags.

To answer the original question, I'm pretty sure the same rules apply to everyone entering the country regardless of nationality. Rules are rules. 

When was this?  I'm surprised they checked everyone although the Newark NJ customs agents have become much more curious about what you bring back than they have been in the past.

[mtapia3]

5 hours ago, jerrybrowne said:

When was this?  I'm surprised they checked everyone although the Newark NJ customs agents have become much more curious about what you bring back than they have been in the past.

3 weeks ago. 

[UnionCityCubano]

On 11/28/2019 at 2:30 AM, mtapia3 said:

I was told by an old grumpy customs agent in Houston that the limit is 50 cigars. Luckily I only had 2 boxes in my carry on. Every single person on my flight from Havana got stopped and had their belongings inspection. The agent that inspected my stuff seemed to know nothing about cigars, but what pissed me off was that she cut open my sealed boxes and fumbled through my cigars. They did this to everyone who had cigars. I noticed they were also carefully inspecting rum bottles and coffee bags.

To answer the original question, I'm pretty sure the same rules apply to everyone entering the country regardless of nationality. Rules are rules. 

Hope right. Thank you

[JY0]

Customs grabbed $3,000 worth of cigars in Miami on my last trip.

[UnionCityCubano]

7 hours ago, JY0 said:

Customs grabbed $3,000 worth of cigars in Miami on my last trip.

What did they say?

[JY0]

On 11/30/2019 at 4:00 AM, UnionCityCubano said:

What did they say?

Very little. They let me keep 100 cigars and took the rest.

[UnionCityCubano]

1 minute ago, JY0 said:

Very little. They let me keep 100 cigars and took the rest.

Dang.

[Derboesekoenig]

Miami is known for that, which is why I use Atlanta.

[cbenham73]

Does anyone have experience coming through Fort Lauderdale?

[Derboesekoenig]

1 minute ago, cbenham73 said:

Does anyone have experience coming through Fort Lauderdale?

I don't have experience coming from Cuba, but just by my experiences coming from other airports (international and domestic) either flying into or out of FLL, it was a MUCH more positive experience than Miami.

[cbenham73]

5 minutes ago, Derboesekoenig said:

I don't have experience coming from Cuba, but just by my experiences coming from other airports (international and domestic) either flying into or out of FLL, it was a MUCH more positive experience than Miami.

Thanks

[Baccy]

I'd be super pissed if I were you guys and I would likely get thrown in the can?. What right did they have to seize 3k worth of cigars JYO? Or to cut your seals mtapia? The only reason I could see them taking the cigars is unless you were unwilling to pay the duty on those if they were over the limit??? That's alot of money to lose, wow! As far as the cutting of seals, man that would have really irked me. It's a factory sealed box and it says the quantity on the box. She had no right to do that imo... what an arsehole! She was probably like "oh I just need to count these individually" OMG!

[Derboesekoenig]

10 hours ago, Baccy said:

I'd be super pissed if I were you guys and I would likely get thrown in the can?. What right did they have to seize 3k worth of cigars JYO? Or to cut your seals mtapia? The only reason I could see them taking the cigars is unless you were unwilling to pay the duty on those if they were over the limit??? That's alot of money to lose, wow! As far as the cutting of seals, man that would have really irked me. It's a factory sealed box and it says the quantity on the box. She had no right to do that imo... what an arsehole! She was probably like "oh I just need to count these individually" OMG!

I feel like there is more to that story. I wouldn't just let them go like that without having a conversation with the supervisor and getting a full explanation or more than that.

"Factory sealed" is a joke. You can peel back the stickers no problem and put them back. Never understand the glamor of buying "sealed" boxes. Don't trust those people. But yes, they have every right to open them to verify actually

[Baccy]

1 hour ago, Derboesekoenig said:

I feel like there is more to that story. I wouldn't just let them go like that without having a conversation with the supervisor and getting a full explanation or more than that.

"Factory sealed" is a joke. You can peel back the stickers no problem and put them back. Never understand the glamor of buying "sealed" boxes. Don't trust those people. But yes, they have every right to open them to verify actually

Well if they are going to open all my boxes and fondle every cigar, possibly damaging them then I wouldn't even bring any back. They may have a right but that doesn't mean they should do it....

As far as the sealed boxes go, if they're purchased from a legit shop in Cuba then they are going to be legit wether they are sealed or not. Of course, when purchasing online I would agree that sealed boxes are not the way to go...

[bpm32]

On 11/27/2019 at 1:07 PM, Monterey said:

Yeah, walking with 4k to 5k thru US customs is a really bad idea.  They are really starting to crack down recently.  Atlanta seems to be enforcing some new 200 limit.  A friend had 275 cigars, and they took 75, let him take tax free 100, and then charged him 42 cents for the other 100.  They could legally take anything over 100.  Miami seems to be set on 50 being the max.   I used to bring a lot back, but those days are over.  Anything over 8 boxes is a risk.

Yeah, filling out paperwork is a pain in the ass for Customs guys, so the recent crackdown certainly does seem like orders from up top. To be fair, most non-cigar smokers would assume a guy with $4000 worth of cigars is a flipper, instead of the truth, which is mental illness.?

[JY0]

I barely avoided being arrested. I was pissed and argumentative...skating on a thin line. I asked for a supervisor and they refused. I asked to record their names and badge numbers... not a chance. The worst part was I am pretty sure they are supposed to provide you with seizure documents and they refused. When I pushed them on this the officer I was dealing with threatened to take the 100 cigars he was 'letting' me bring in. It seemed to me that they just wanted my cigars but no way to verify that.

I made the mistake of declaring them so I could pay the tax. Unfortunately I am sure I am on a list now for extra attention next time. I'm going back in the spring but I won't bring more than 100 cigars in to see what happens.

At the end this guy had the audacity to ask how I'd rate my experience with Customs that day. I just looked at him and said: I you F'ing kidding me? 

It was a brutal experience and I'm still not completely over it. I'm pissed at myself for declaring. I think if I didn't I would have sailed through with my haul.

[garagedragon]

29 minutes ago, JY0 said:

I barely avoided being arrested. I was pissed and argumentative...skating on a thin line. I asked for a supervisor and they refused. I asked to record their names and badge numbers... not a chance. The worst part was I am pretty sure they are supposed to provide you with seizure documents and they refused. When I pushed them on this the officer I was dealing with threatened to take the 100 cigars he was 'letting' me bring in. It seemed to me that they just wanted my cigars but no way to verify that.

I made the mistake of declaring them so I could pay the tax. Unfortunately I am sure I am on a list now for extra attention next time. I'm going back in the spring but I won't bring more than 100 cigars in to see what happens.

At the end this guy had the audacity to ask how I'd rate my experience with Customs that day. I just looked at him and said: I you F'ing kidding me? 

It was a brutal experience and I'm still not completely over it. I'm pissed at myself for declaring. I think if I didn't I would have sailed through with my haul.

I've had some close calls at US Customs, but nothing like your experience. Can I ask where this happened?