Whale-ista - 8-24-2014 at 09:12 AM
Found out yesterday that non-California residents can bring up to five cases of wine back across the border from Mexico.
Guess whose sister is visiting from Arizona this week...and who's going back to wine country? Will go midweek to avoid the crossing crowds...I hope.
But who knows? On last week's trip, we crossed at Otay Mesa Tuesday afternoon about 2:30 PM. Took about 15 minutes. A new lane opened just as I got in
line and I was able to jump over before the traffic built up.
I had a friend with me so I didn't use my SENTRI card, but we seemed to move faster than SENTRI Lanes, which appeared to have only one or two booths
open.
My friend Is an architect, and in addition to wine tasting we visited my property in San Miguel to begin brainstorming over what I could build there.
She was very excited about the prospect of working on a project in Baja, and she was inspired by many of the places we visited in the valley. Seeing
The combinations of modern and traditional designs at the various wineries and restaurants was very interesting during our 3 day visit.
She lived in Paris for five years, where she studied architecture before returning to San Diego, and her appreciation and knowledge of wines was also
a great contribution to the visit. We met a young couple at the Baron Belche tasting room. They were visiting from France, and she asked them about
their experiences.
They were in the middle of visits to various Latin American countries to select wines to import for a new business they were starting in Paris and
Bordeaux. The plan is to offer only imported wines to their French customers. Interesting concept.
We were all very impressed with the wines at Baron Belche. Their wine cellars were a cool, comfortable place to spend a hot afternoon.
As for crossing: I had hoped getting my SENTRI renewed would give me some peace of mind about crossing the border, especially as I look at a
construction project. But estimating border wait time is still such a random, unpredictable thing...
But for this week's trip, coming back with a case or more of good wines will make it worthwhile.
Research
bajaguy - 8-24-2014 at 09:35 AM
I would do some more research
The limits will depend on the individual inspector, and the car registration and driver's license must both be from a non-California state.
Customs "enforces" state regulations regarding quantity (1 liter is a California regulation) and the Customs web site only mentions "a quantity for
personal consumption"......again depending on the individual inspector.
I have personal knowledge of (non-California) one individual having one case taken by CBP and another individual getting a pass on three cases.
Additionally, if CBP feels like it you will end up paying duty on anything they deem "excessive"
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/212/~/requireme...
bajagrouper - 8-24-2014 at 09:48 AM
I was visiting a friend this last Wednesday who owns a winery in the valle and I exited Mexico through Tecate about 2 PM and there were 3 cars in
front of me, best crossing ever......
[Edited on 8-24-2014 by bajagrouper]
Whale-ista - 8-24-2014 at 09:50 AM
Thank you for reminder regarding vehicle registration.
For those interested in the regulations, Acc to
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/190/~/bringing-alcohol-(including-homemade-wine)-to-the-u.s.-for-personal-use
(tho as you say, individual officers at border may/may not know regs or enforce them consistently)
"Generally, one liter of alcohol per person may be entered into the U.S. duty-free by travelers who are 21 or older, although travelers coming from
the U.S. Virgin Islands or other Caribbean countries are entitled to more. Additional quantities may be entered, although they will be subject to
duty and Federal excise taxes, which will be assessed and collected at the port of entry.
Alcoholic beverages purchased in duty-free shops are subject to duty and federal excise tax when accompanying you into the United States. Note:
Federal excise tax rates are for informational purposes only as actual tax or fee may vary according to a person's circumstances.
It is not legal for travelers under the age of 21 to import alcohol - even as a gift.
Most States restrictions on the amount of alcohol that can be brought into that State apply only to residents of that State. Usually people transiting
a state are not subject to those restrictions, but sometimes regulations change, and if this is a matter of utmost importance to you, you can check
with the state Alcohol Beverage Control Board where you will be arriving to find out what their policies are.
***"There is no federal limit on the amount of alcohol a traveler may import into the U.S. for personal use, however, large quantities might raise the
suspicion that the importation is for commercial purposes, and a CBP officer could require the importer to obtain an Alcohol and Tabacco Tax and Trade
Bureau (TTB) import license (which is required for all commercial importations) before releasing it. A general rule of thumb is that 1 case of
alcohol is a personal use quantity - although travelers are still subject to state restrictions which may allow less."***
How much wine etc. can you bring back? Depends...
Whale-ista - 8-24-2014 at 09:55 AM
And more here: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/212/related/1/s...
(Looks like a good idea to bring a military or "government" friend along for backup. )
Please be aware that State ABC laws govern how much alcohol a person may import into their state without a license and those laws are enforced by CBP.
You must check with the state ABC board where your shipment will enter the country to determine their limits.
There is no federal limit on the amount of alcohol someone may import into the U.S. for personal use, however, large quantities might raise the
suspicion that the importation is for commercial purposes, and a CBP Officer could require you to obtain an Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
(TTB) import license before releasing it.
If you intend to have a large quantity shipped to you for personal use, we suggest you contact the entry branch of the port where your shipment will
be entering the country to discuss your situation in advance.
Duty rates on alcoholic beverages are based on the percent of alcohol per liter in the product - not on units of packaging such as per bottle/case.
Duty on wine and beer is generally low, $1-2 per liter, while fortified wines and spirits are considerably higher. Duty rates can be obtained in
Chapter 22 "Beverages, Spirits and Vinegar," in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
Federal IRS Excise tax is also collected.
If you intend to bring in a wine collection as part of your household/personal effects, you will be subject to these same regulations.
*Military and Government Personnel are exempt from duty on alcohol and cigarettes, but not IRS tax.
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