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S. America Travel and Customs Question

post #1 of 7
11/10/09 at 9:22pm
Thread Starter 
My girlfriend went back to the homeland (Colombia) and wants to buy me some stuff - rum and coffee - to bring back She says the stuff sells on the street for much. much cheaper than in the airport.

I've not done much international travel, but how does it work?

Does she have to buy whatever she wants to get me in the airport? Or, if she's discrete - a bottle of booze and a pound of coffee - can she just buy it on the street and bing it back in her bag? None of her relatives no (only one has ever left the country).

Due to the nature of the return trip - a young woman flying from Colombia to the US with two checked bags and a carry-on - I'm fairly certain she'll be searched.

The answers I get from you guys are usually 1000Xbetter than any google, so I figured I'd throw it out there.
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post #2 of 7
11/10/09 at 10:18pm
PM sent
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post #3 of 7
11/11/09 at 1:45am
If she insulates the rum into her luggage, and locks the luggage, AND has the guys who completely overcharge at the airport wrap the luggage, she can check the items in without any issues. It's how I got 3 bottles of Absinth out of Israel.
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post #4 of 7
11/11/09 at 1:52am
You can bring a litre of alcohol, per person as long as it is sealed. It does not matter whether it is bought on the street or in the airport. No idea about the coffee. Hope it helps.
Matt
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post #5 of 7
11/12/09 at 4:07pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all the help, guys! I knew SF would come through.
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post #6 of 7
11/12/09 at 4:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ayemattyyy View Post
You can bring a litre of alcohol, per person as long as it is sealed. It does not matter whether it is bought on the street or in the airport. No idea about the coffee. Hope it helps.
Matt

Don't forget though that alcohol bought outside of the airport security zone will have to be in checked bags. If she has a connecting flight within the US alcohol bought inside security at her departure point will have to be transferred to her checked baggage before connecting - she will not be allowed to re-clear security in the US carrying liquids. Make sure she declares everything she is bringing back to Customs. It's not worth the fines/years of hassle on upcoming trips.

You can bring one liter duty free back to the US. There is no federal limit on the amount of alcohol a traveler may import into the U.S. for personal use. Flying back from the Caribbean this spring my wife and I brought back about 8 liters of alcohol. We declared it all and were not charged any duty. YMMV
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post #7 of 7
11/13/09 at 12:36am
she shouldn't have any problem with a kilo of coffee and a bottle of booze in her checked bags. she should declare it coming into the States. pm me if you have specific questions - I fly to colombia 2-3 times a year
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