Paperwork to move classiccmps from .ca to .us?

From: Dan Cohoe <dancohoe_at_oxford.net>
Date: Thu Oct 3 15:31:00 2002

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cctalk-admin_at_classiccmp.org
> [mailto:cctalk-admin_at_classiccmp.org]On
> Behalf Of Eric Smith
> Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2002 3:24 PM
> To: cctalk_at_classiccmp.org
> Subject: Re: Paperwork to move classiccmps from .ca to .us?
>
>
> > A gentleman in Canada has some hardware that he's willing to give
> > me (old computers in questionable state). Thing is, neither
> one of us is
> > sure if there's any paperwork required to bring these boxes
> > over the border.

........Eric Smith said:
>
> If the equipment was originally made in USA, it's no problem. Just
> tell US Customs that you're reptriating it. They may want some proof
> that it's made in USA. A label stating that is best, but even just
> the address of the manufacturer being in the USA may be sufficient.
>
> Failing that, you can just tell them that it's old scrap with no
> commercial value. That's true, isn't it?
>
> It might help to buy the equipment from him for a nominal price rather
> than get it as a gift. If you buy it (for $25, perhaps) and have
> a bill of sale, the import duty would be based on the sale price. But
> if it's a gift, Customs would try to determine the value and
> assess the
> import duty based on that.
>
> I'm not an expert, but I've brought computer equipment into
> the US from
> Canada twice without problems.
>

I usually am bringing stuff into Canada, but once I wanted to pass through
from Eastern Ontario into New York, through Syracuse, then back into Canada
at Buffalo. Problem was, I had about 20 HP 9000 series 300 machines with me
coming from Canada. The US Customs agent heard my story, looked at the HP
plate that said "Made in USA" and sent me on my way to Buffalo.

My experience going the other way has always been that a good explanation of
what you are doing, a reasonable valuation (more than $0 even if the stuff
was a gift to you), and a look by the agent at a date sticker or an IC with
an early eighties or beyond date will convince at least a supervisor that
the goods have very little value and that the real reason you are doing this
is because of some weakness in your mental powers.

Dan Cohoe
Received on Thu Oct 03 2002 - 15:31:00 BST