Buying a macbook pro in usa & bring back to ireland

[trikky]

I don't see anywhere in my post that I said "I endorse and encourage people to make false claims".

You stated you don't support or recommend software piracy, but you didn't make such a comment about filing a false declaration - you followed that up with "It can be done it's just a risk to take, worse comes to worse they find out you didn't claim it and you saw oh I forgot or it was a gift." Since you don't discourage or state you don't support it in a statement where you disendorsed another illegal act, it's clear you do endorse smuggling.

Nor would I ever say to my fallen brothers and sisters to trust any foreign person about an IED.

Makes you wonder how many of them were lied to..

Obviously you've never fought for your country so you're just throwing premature examples out their attempting to make a point, but you look dumb.

Firstly, I spent 5 years with the Australian military. Secondly, it's not a premature example at all. I simply asked if it would be okay for someone to lie to government officials, even when lives were at stake.

I'll make this clear: If you don't want to claim an item from customs then don't. People do it all the time, doesn't make it right, doesn't make it wrong (depending on your morals & ethics).

Making a false declaration is a Federal offence in pretty much every country. So, as a (presumably current) employee of the Federal Government, is committing a Federal offence right or wrong...or does that depend on your morals and ethics? What about making a false statement to a government official (to avoid going off on a tangent, let's just keep it to Customs or Immigration officers) Right or wrong?

There was even a lady who brought a iPad to a guy in Fiji on a trip who probably didn't claim it. You can always "gift" the item and avoid taxation on it when traveling abroad. The government doesn't know where you go when you arrive or if someone felt generous enough to hand you something.

Hmm...speaking of looking dumb (your words, not mine): This is probably the worst advise you could give someone other than "don't declare it". In most jurisdictions, gifts exclusions have dollar limits, and expensive electronics are usually suspicious 'gifts'. As for the lady in Fiji - you're making an unfair assumption. She probably did declare it, since most people do.

Do this at your own free will and risk and best of luck with any option you choose.

Heh...easy to say when you're not the one who gets in trouble, I guess.

May the force be with you - and keep your head low and your limbs inside...that's why I wear a leg brace these days.

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**As a suggestion if you're planning to buy in the States, make sure you take it with you unboxed. That's how you get caught if they did check.

Oh, only those with their computers in the box get taxed? As I outlined before - do you think it's some secret that you can smuggle an item into the country if you don't have the box? You don't think Customs officials may have got close to figuring that one out yet?

I would submit that not having the box would open you up to even greater scrutiny. On the other side of the coin, since it's not uncommon for some countries (the US is one of them) to inspect laptops and flash drives - sometimes for days or weeks - for pirated movies/software/music or pornography, so in some cases making it obvious it's a newly purchased computer could aid in avoiding this inconvenience.

Consumer electronics, clothes and jewellery are probably the most common items smuggled with the ol' "I had it before I left..." trick. I think the folks at the airport have probably bright enough to be on that one by now.

 

[miles01110]

It's always funny how many "customs inspectors and import tax experts" come out of the woodwork in these kinds of threads. The OP should have a pretty good idea of the possible consequences as well as what they can do to minimize the chances of the customs inspectors noticing the brand-new machine. Get over yourselves and stop crying about "breaking the law." Everyone's done it at some point.

 

[William.Mantle]

You stated you don't support or recommend software piracy, but you didn't make such a comment about filing a false declaration - you followed that up with "It can be done it's just a risk to take, worse comes to worse they find out you didn't claim it and you saw oh I forgot or it was a gift." Since you don't discourage or state you don't support it in a statement where you disendorsed another illegal act, it's clear you do endorse smuggling.


Makes you wonder how many of them were lied to..


Firstly, I spent 5 years with the Australian military. Secondly, it's not a premature example at all. I simply asked if it would be okay for someone to lie to government officials, even when lives were at stake.


Making a false declaration is a Federal offence in pretty much every country. So, as a (presumably current) employee of the Federal Government, is committing a Federal offence right or wrong...or does that depend on your morals and ethics? What about making a false statement to a government official (to avoid going off on a tangent, let's just keep it to Customs or Immigration officers) Right or wrong?


Hmm...speaking of looking dumb (your words, not mine): This is probably the worst advise you could give someone other than "don't declare it". In most jurisdictions, gifts exclusions have dollar limits, and expensive electronics are usually suspicious 'gifts'. As for the lady in Fiji - you're making an unfair assumption. She probably did declare it, since most people do.


Heh...easy to say when you're not the one who gets in trouble, I guess.

May the force be with you - and keep your head low and your limbs inside...that's why I wear a leg brace these days.

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Oh, only those with their computers in the box get taxed? As I outlined before - do you think it's some secret that you can smuggle an item into the country if you don't have the box? You don't think Customs officials may have got close to figuring that one out yet?

I would submit that not having the box would open you up to even greater scrutiny. On the other side of the coin, since it's not uncommon for some countries (the US is one of them) to inspect laptops and flash drives - sometimes for days or weeks - for pirated movies/software/music or pornography, so in some cases making it obvious it's a newly purchased computer could aid in avoiding this inconvenience.

Consumer electronics, clothes and jewellery are probably the most common items smuggled with the ol' "I had it before I left..." trick. I think the folks at the airport have probably bright enough to be on that one by now.

Wow... Please calm down

Why do you even care so much to spend all this time writing such a long, boring reply?

 

[trikky]

Wow... Please calm down

Why do you even care so much to spend all this time writing such a long, boring reply?

If it's so boring, why did you read it?

Oh...by the way...it's actually two separate replies to two separate posts, but the forum parsed them together. But you knew that already, didn't you?

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It's always funny how many "customs inspectors and import tax experts" come out of the woodwork in these kinds of threads. The OP should have a pretty good idea of the possible consequences as well as what they can do to minimize the chances of the customs inspectors noticing the brand-new machine. Get over yourselves and stop crying about "breaking the law." Everyone's done it at some point.

You're right in every point. It's up to the OP if he wants to run the risk of substantial penalties. I'm also amazed at the 'experts' who counsel the OP to break the law just to save a few bucks. "You can do it, no worries..." they say. Easy to do when these experts aren't the one who's going to get in a pile of poo if/when the OP gets caught.

 

[jrfive0]

it always amazes me how many clowns troll on forums....buy the macbook and a laptop bag, throw away the box and bring it back with you...its yours, you paid for it, its nobody's business where and when you bought it....and those hourly employees in the bright blue tsa shirts have better things to do then do an "investigation" as to where you bought the damn thing...newsflash: THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WEAPONS AND BOMBS....not you beating some BS tax on a single laptop...you shouldn't even come on here and ask silly questions like this that get 3 pages of ridiculous responses....original OP is a troll too as far as i'm concerned....jeez

 

[trikky]

Hey,

I will be going to Chicago and New York for 2weeks in the summer and was wondering should I wait and buy a Macbook Pro over there??

How much would I save and how would I go about claiming tax back??

How much tax back would I be able to claim back since I am coming home to Ireland??

Hope you's can help me!!

Thanks

Good luck with your new purchase. If you're going to follow the advice of some of the people here and attempt to smuggle the computer back home without declaring it, you should definitely make it worthwhile.

I'm sure there are some pretty good torrent trackers or other sources out there where you can get a bunch of pirated software to really load your new Mac. After all, if you're going to break one law with your new purchase, you may as well break another, right?

 

[jrfive0]

Ah...I love the people who have clearly never been through or seen a thorough Customs inspection.

Why don't you point him to places to download pirated Apple software while you're at it?

sure: google i s o h u n t, all the free apple software your heart can desire !

 

[trikky]

it always amazes me how many clowns troll on forums....buy the macbook and a laptop bag, throw away the box and bring it back with you...its yours, you paid for it, its nobody's business where and when you bought it....and those hourly employees in the bright blue tsa shirts have better things to do then do an "investigation" as to where you bought the damn thing...newsflash: THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WEAPONS AND BOMBS....not you beating some BS tax on a single laptop...you shouldn't even come on here and ask silly questions like this that get 3 pages of ridiculous responses....original OP is a troll too as far as i'm concerned....jeez

Oh...just so you know...those

hourly employees in the bright blue tsa shirts

aren't the ones people are talking about. Those guys you see before you get on your plane.

It's the Customs inspectors that are the problem, when you're trying to get into the country. Nothing to do with TSA (and since OP was asking about Ireland, he could rightly ask... "who are the TSA"?

 

[jrfive0]

oh ok you're right...duh.. the "customs" guys....the ones that ask you if you are carrying any fruit or vegetables into another country......i stand by my original post...jeez

 

[Tritons]

Wait what If I buy PC in foreign country I have to pay tax when bringing it back?
Is this only for USA or for UK as well?

 

[trikky]

oh ok you're right...duh.. the "customs" guys....the ones that ask you if you are carrying any fruit or vegetables into another country......i stand by my original post...jeez

Er...that would be Quarantine, so yeah..."duh" it is.

Keep trying...you'll get it eventually. And no, it's not the people on the plane who hand out the coffee...

 

[trikky]

Wait what If I buy PC in foreign country I have to pay tax when bringing it back?
Is this only for USA or for UK as well?

If you buy anything from a foreign country and import it, whether it's with you on a plane/train/automobile/ferry or if it's sent via mail or courier service, you're subject to taxes and/or duties, subject to your home country's laws. In most cases, there are exemptions (dollar limits or volume/number limits - such as 'x' litres of alcohol or 'y' cigarettes, for example).

Declaring items over your limits may - depending on local laws - result in your being waived through without being subject to further taxes or duties, or you may have to pay taxes/or duties on part or all of the amount over your exemption amount.

As already outlined in this thread, failure to declare your purchases is an offence and opens you up to legal sanctions including but not limited to fines, seizure of the non-declared items, assessments of duties (often imposed at more than the original amount)...or any combination of these.

<sarcasm> Apparently, just like smuggling crack cocaine in your suitcase, it's a risk you take and may or may not be right, depending on your morals and ethics. </sarcasm>

 

[miles01110]

just like smuggling crack cocaine in your suitcase

Yes. Bringing a computer into the country for personal use is exactly the same as smuggling drugs. Oh wait, that's completely incorrect.

 

[trikky]

Yes. Bringing a computer into the country for personal use is exactly the same as smuggling drugs. Oh wait, that's completely incorrect.

Apparently you missed the sarcasm...

Post updated.

 

[William.Mantle]

If it's so boring, why did you read it?

It helps me sleep zzzzzzzzz

 

[GermanyChris]

There are a number of little tricks. The second most common is..."where is the receipt? Oh...you don't have it on you? When did you buy the computer? You have X days to provide the receipt..."

As for the second most common, well, is more amusing and actually leads to the first one (because it's more fun to see people trying to dig up a receipt). I'm not going to outline that one, but sufficeth to say I could identify a foreign-purchased laptop in about 2 minutes...and that includes the time it takes to power up.

This sort of thing happens all the time, and Customs officers are trained to identify it, and many other things.



Surprisingly easily.



Depending on the country you're returning to, yes.



Depending on the country you're returning to, yes.

The thing to remember is that in many countries, liability for taxes and/or duties for many items is completely at the discretion of the inspecting officer. Be honest and declare and more often than not you get waived through. I've only been sent to pay tax on arrival at an airport once and at a land crossing (Canada from the US) once, and that is despite many times being over the allowed 'duty free' limits. Make the declaration and more often than not you're free to go. Fail to make the declaration and get caught and face substantial penalties.

There are some people you shouldn't lie to, and if you do even infrequent international trips, Customs and Immigration officers fall into that category because they can make your life quite difficult.

I have and will continue to lie to any western customs or immigration official, they simpy don't scare me enough nor is the punishment enough to cause me not to.

Non-western governments get anything they ask for, something about the lack of due process and Americans living in foreign countries make them untrusting. It took a call to the German embassy to get out of Egypt last year.

 

[DavoteK]

I'm guessing that Trikky has been caught out previously and ended up with a full body cavity search, thorough and DEEP. Haha.

Just kidding mate.

Some insightful info.

Out of interest, what would the tax be on, for example, a Macbook, or similar item that costs around $1500US, when declared?

I am a global moderator on another website.)

Cool story bro. Tell it again.

 

[thebritishguy]

If the OP wants to run the risk and tell porkies (if he/she is pulled by immigration) there are some hyperthetical things you can do to minimize the chances of them thinking you have just bought it

1: Ditch all packaging & mail your receipt to yourself (or go email receipt)
2: Load existing files on to dropbox before you go
3: Set the Date on your new MBP as 6 months ago
4. Create some files on your machine, put files on desktop, documents etc
5. Download all files from DB onto mac, open and save version of files
6. Set date as 1 month ago and browse a few sites on the internet
7 Set Date as 3 weeks ago and browse a few sites on the internet
8 Set Date as 2 weeks ago and browse a few sites on the internet
9 Set Date as 1 weeks ago and browse a few sites on the internet
10 Set date and time correctly
11. Get a slightly damp dirty rag and add some dirt to the outer case


The above will at least make it look used, Immigration officers are not computer experts and will look for the usual signs of a new computer, the above should at least make it look older than it is.

i in no way endorse or recommend the avoidance of import duty or lying to a immigration officer ..........

 

[trikky]

Out of interest, what would the tax be on, for example, a Macbook, or similar item that costs around $1500US, when declared?

Typically it's the local sales tax amount, so the answer is "it depends".

 

[KohPhiPhi]

I've traveled internationally with my laptop dozens of times, and customs have never ever inquired about my laptop. Not once in dozens upon dozens of overseas flights.

 

[wordoflife]

Personally, I'd just buy it in your own country so it'll have your localized keyboard. The US keyboard has a different layout, for example, and does not have the £ or € keys.

It might not really be a big deal, but it's something I wanted to point out since this would personally bother me.

Here's the differences between the US and UK keyboard. There are also some differences besides the ones pointed out (such as tab, caps lock, shift are not spelled out on the UK keyboard)

 

[psykick5]

Yay for tax evasion!

 

[socco]

As summarised in another post, they are quite within their rights to ask for a receipt, and if it's not immediately available, give the traveller a timeframe in which to present the receipt.

And if they don't have the receipt? I don't have a receipt for anything I've ever bought, so can I not travel with anything I own because I can't prove where I bought it?

 

[trikky]

And if they don't have the receipt? I don't have a receipt for anything I've ever bought, so can I not travel with anything I own because I can't prove where I bought it?

Chat with your local Customs inspector for your answer. There are numerous options available, however I would submit that most savvy shoppers would be able to provide proof of purchase for major items.

 

[thundersteele]

Image

Yep, this is also the reason why an experienced duties officer only needs 10 seconds to determine where a laptop was bought. At that point they can ask for the receipt or other proof of when it was bought.

Thanks for the image, I couldn't find a good one.