US Customs questions

[Mychael Sporrano]

Thanks everyone for the info. I was notified that Kinloch Anderson shipped my order today, so I'll report back in the next few weeks what happens with that. Still waiting on word from the other UK order.

Due to the fact that anything with a declared value over $150 is liable to be tagged, I suspect Customs will be involved. Since we have a local office here in Pittsburgh, I also suspect that I will have to go there to take possession of my items.

Where duties are concerned, I do know that wool of the type used in kilts and jackets is subject to a 12% tax. Leather such as that used in belts is something like 7% if I recall correctly, while leather shoes use another code entirely. While a wool jacket and a wool kilt are each taxed identically, each have different numbers.

If anyone has ever pored over the tables US Customs compiles for this purpose, you know how absolutely convoluted and headache inducing such a task is. In my case, the bulk of the order is wool; thus, I have a good idea of my possible damages.

The Customs agent with whom I spoke was no-nonsense, like some hard boiled detective from out of a film noir. If it didn't involve my hard earned dollars, I might have found the situation more humorous.

Mychael

[bubba]

Federal employees are humorless and devoid of common sense. It's a requirement for employment.

[Kilted_John]

Bubba, how right you are... Customs agents usually are the unemployable... Especially the crossing guards... Just last month, a friend of mine and I picked up an engine for his car in Surrey, BC. On our way back, we were essentially interrogated by this woman who thought we were bringing the engine across to sell, even though we were planning to put it into a car that is exempt from emissions testing, and were definitely NOT importing it for sale purposes. The guys inside the building were a bit more sane than she was... Oh well.
-J

[CelticRogue]

I ordered my Sherimuir kilt jacket from Tartan Web for a great price. Great price until it arrived here in the Us vis UPS and a whopping $100.00 import tax due before UPS would release the package to me.

[Northern Celt]

Maybe I've been lucky, but lately Customs agents have been great to deal with....maybe it's because we are traveling together, two geezers with snowboards Whatever, we had a wonderful customs lady in Seattle check our bags on our last return from Japan....as usual we saved ALL receipts from our travels and make sure we declare EVERYTHING....I was expecting to pay some duty, but she got out a huge book and started looking up everything we had purchased, and the percentage duty it qualified for. She was writing like crazy and flipping thru the pages, and then she got a big grin on her face and said "You don't owe anything!". I think she really enjoyed being able to surprize us, as much as we were happy not to owe anything.

[Mychael Sporrano]

The parcel from Kinloch Anderson containing my kilt suit and accessories arrived today. DHL dropped it off with nary a tax assessed (!). The other package containing my formal outfit purportedly shipped today from Nicholson Highland Wear and should be here late next week. Hopefully, it will also pass easily through the gates and be delivered without a whimper from Customs.

As for the kilt, it is my first traditional kilt, and it is quite handsome! I am waiting for my wife to come home before I take out the basting that confines the pleats so we can first see it in its full blown glory together. besides, what good would a twirl be with no audience?!

Speaking of the wife, she has a waistcoat and shawl in the box and I am looking forward to seeing her reaction. I couldn't talk her into a kilted skirt or woman's coatee.

Mychael

[GMan]

Mychael,

Congratulations on the arrival of the kilt suit! And not even having to pay the ever famous taxes, that makes it even better!

[Kiltedmusiclover]

Be sure and post a photo of your new Kilt!

[Mychael Sporrano]

Thanks for your interest, Nelson. I would LOVE to post some pics of the outfit, as well as a few of my other kilts. I feel out of things here having no gallery entries like the majority of folks who post on xmarks. The problem is that when I was doing the buying I had a decision to make: kilt or camera, kilt or camera, kilt or.... Actually, it only took one go 'round of "kilt-or-camera", and camera obviously lost.

While we do not yet have a digital camera, I can take some old fashioned pix and warm up the scanner. The thing is that we are plain lousy getting anything developed around here. The wife came home a few weeks ago with fresh pics, and they were from the Xmas before last. I swear that this is a true story.

Mychael

[bikercelt1]

That's nothing Mychael, we just picked up some pictures from the developer and finally got to see my daughter's middle-school graduation. She's 22 now!

Jamie