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MoreThis guide compiles The British Virgin Islands customs regulations for importing and exporting household goods and personal effects. It applies to shipments by sea or air, and is compiled from the latest FIDI and IAM guides. For reference only - please confirm details with your Seapoe consultant before shipping.
Importing Personal Effects into The British Virgin Islands: Documents & Customs Rules
Removal goods
Documents Required- Detailed Inventory of the contents of the shipment in English.
- Copy of Passport/Driver License/Permanent Residence Card.
- Ocean Bill of Lading (OBL) / Air Waybill (AWB).
- Processed Excise Form 721 VI.
- Sales invoice showing item, price, date and place of purchase, and origin make of items.
- Duty free if removal goods consist of used household effects which have been in the owner's use and possession abroad for at least one year, and which will keep on being used by the owner in the new residence. All items that are new and have not been used for more than one year if foreign made will be subject to US Customs Duties processing of 3.5 to 6 per cent of the value.
- Articles must be at least 100 years old to be considered antique and admitted duty free.
- Works of art are duty free if they constitute part of household goods removal, possessed by Owner for at least one year and are not intended for resale.
- Silverware and ornaments are duty free when imported as part of normal household goods.
- Liable to assessment of duty. US Customs will confiscate computers, which are deemed counterfeit. Computers are not subject to duty or confiscation if they are shipped with household goods, and they were not purchased abroad (outside the
- U.S.A.) in the last 12 months.
- Air Waybills and Ocean Bills of Lading for shipments entering the US are to be consigned to the property owner, NOT the Destination Agent.
- Consignment instructions:
- In the Shippers box: full name, address, city, postal code and country of property owner.
- In the Consignee box: full name, address, city and state (2 letter code) with postal code of the property owner (if new home/delivery address is not available then use Employer's address/Agents address.
- Notify Party: the forwarder name, address, city, and state, postal code, telephone and fax number.
- Antiques and works of art imported into the U.S. for resale are subject to different regulations.
- Jewellery must not be included with household goods but should accompany owner on arrival.
- Computers are to be placed within shipment
- for Customs easy access. This is applicable either when imported as part of removal or as personal luggage. Specify on inventory, make, model, serial number, value, country of manufacture and where located in shipment. (Eg. Liftvan - rear of container etc.).
Prohibited items
Customs Prescriptions- Dangerous goods/Liquids.
- Drugs and Narcotics.
- Explosives/Firearms.
- Endangered Species products (e.g. ivory, tortoise shell, etc.).
- Live plants.
- Blank tapes and CDs from Iran.
- Flavoured cigarettes, including cloves, Cuban cigars, etc.
- Counterfeit items or items inappropriately using federally registered trademark.
- Products made from dog and cat fur.
- Do not import.
Restricted items/Duties
Customs Prescriptions- Alcohol.
- Weapons/Firearms.
- Endangered Species products (e.g. ivory, tortoise shell, etc.).
- Food items.
- Pets.
- Textiles and clothing.
- Plants and seeds (an Import Permit is required).
- Soil (an Import Permit is required).
- Meats and meat by products (e.g., bouillon soups).
- Medications.
- Fruits and vegetables.
- Game and hunting trophies.
- Gold.
- Merchandise from embargoed countries (a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control is required).
- Certain restricted items will require permits, which are noted. Customs fees may apply.
- Alcohol:
- The importation of alcohol is governed by both Federal and state laws. In general the Federal Government allows a reasonable amount of alcohol to be imported in a household goods shipment. If Customs feel the amount is excessive they will require the importer to hire a licensed alcohol importer to file a commercial entry.
- Only persons 21 years and older may enter with alcohol.
- Domestic importers should comply with
- the residence state laws, which vary from state to state. Some states allow no alcohol imports while others require the importer to obtain a permit and pay a fee and still others allow a reasonable amount. Each state has regulations and must be consulted before making a shipment.
- A detailed inventory must be made at the time of packing in order for food and drug filings to be performed and proper duties and taxes to be paid on the shipment.
- Weapons:
- Guns (ammunition should not be shipped as it is a hazardous good) previously owned and shipped from the USA can normally be imported if military, government personnel can establish to the satisfaction of Customs that the items were sent from the USA..
- The best method is for the owner to register the weapons with Customs prior to export from the USA. If the importer does not have a registration then a copy of sales receipts, the export OBL, inventory and a Declaration may sometimes satisfy Customs.
- Weapons purchased overseas are required to be imported using a Federal Firearms permit holder but some exceptions do apply to allow non-resident individuals to apply for a permit directly with Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
- The ATF Permit filing should be applied for at least 6 weeks in advance of the
- arrival of the shipment. The application requires that the Customs broker who will handle the entry be named on the ATF application, so it is important that the application be filed properly from the start to avoid delays on arrival.
- The importer should consult with the USA agent when considering shipping any weapons and provide all the facts regarding how and where the weapons were acquired. It should be noted that not all types of weapons can be imported.
- Fish / Wildlife:
- Ivory items, skins, feathers and shells are regulated by Fish and Wildlife.
- Many of these items require special CITES Permits or may be prohibited from being imported.
- It is critical for the origin agent to consult with the USA agent to determine if an item requires a permit or can be legally imported. The permits cannot be issued once the shipment has left the origin country.
- The destination agent will need to know the common, scientific names and country of origin to determine if a permit is required.
- Food Items:
- It is better not to ship food items.
- Food products also require a detailed inventory for food and drug filings and duty payment.
Moving household goods and personal effects to or from The British Virgin Islands? Seapoe provides one-stop, door-to-door international moving services - get an instant quote or contact us. Back to Customs Guides by Country, or view the The British Virgin Islands network.