Duties and Taxes from Europe to USA?? Need Help

[basspro557]

I am considering buying an American' made' bass thats in France,,Will i have to pay import tax and duties when it arrives here in the USA?? Its a USA made bass.

Someone told me no BUT i need to be 100% sure as its a $2300 dollar bass and thats all the money i can spend.

[jay loren]

Yes, you do have to pay import tax which is based on the value of the instrument. I forgot what the $ amount is for tax free imports (presents, merchandise samples, ets.) but I'm pretty certain your bass does not qualify.
When you buy the instrument make sure you'll get a written statement/receipt from the seller about how much you paid.
The good news: At the airport before departure, with your bass and sales slip in hand, you get reimbursed for the VAT (taxe sur la valeur ajoutee in French) which is usually included in a store's sale price (about 20%).

[seventhson]

Hmmm. I also was under the impression that bringing back in a US made product made it exempt from import taxes/duties.

[basspro557]

Well I amswered my own question when i looked it up in the US Customs and Border here it is,,
Is duty required on U.S. made goods returning to the U.S.?
U.S. made goods returning to the United States are usually eligible for duty-free treatment. The provision 9801.00.10 in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) allows U.S. made products to return to the U.S. without duty requirements. However, the provision stipulates the goods value could not have been advanced nor the condition improved while abroad. In other words, if an item was repaired or improved, duty could be owed on either the fair market value of the labor or the item as it has been changed.

For instance, if you take gold to India, where it is then made into jewelry, the gold can not be re-entered into the U.S. free of charge. Nor is the value of the gold deductable from the value of the finished jewelry. To claim goods under this provision, proof of U.S. origin is required (i.e., country of origin marking or a certificate of origin from manufacture).

When clearing returning U.S. goods through Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the importer should file a CBP Form 3311 Declaration for Free Entry of Returned American Products.