Using Global Entry while brining back wine

Later this year I’ll be returning from a trip to Portugal and of course will be bringing back some wine. Total value of the wine (and other souvenirs) will be easily under $800.

I’ve used Global Entry only once before so am new at it. That time I had nothing to declare. I always declare everything when I come back so not trying to sneak anything through, I’d never do that. But with about a case of wine I’ll be bringing back I will be over the technical legal limit of alcohol. I have no issues paying whatever small duty it would be, as in the past when bringing back wine. I also don’t want to jeopardize my GE program status.

How does one use GE at the same time bringing back a case of wine that is in excess of the liquid alcohol amount? Is it any different than not using GE? Do I just declare the value and what it is on the computer check in, as I used to do on the old paper landing card?

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Just declare the value. Your honesty will be rewarded with (I expect) a wave thru.

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That’s the way it always works for me. You don’t declare a specific value at the kiosk, just indicate you have something to declare. The agent taking your receipt will ask what you have (and usually how many bottles). As long as it’s clearly for personal consumption, the paperwork usually isn’t worth the amount of the duty.

Note - this has been my experience at Dulles and Philadelphia - it may be different at other airports.

You will not be asked specifics about the wines at the kiosk. But, declare if you are asked when walking through the customs officers. Nothing to worry about, imo.

Technically speaking if you are above 1L of alcohol or the $800 value, you should check yes in the first box among the 4 questions. “Are you bringing back…”. When you hand in your form, the Customs officer will decide whether to waive you through or send you to the “other line”.

Generally speaking, one case is within rounding of the 1L limit, so I almost never declare it. I did have one Customs Officer ask me once what was in the big box, and he said “in the future you should declare - otherwise, you may lose Global Entry.” So the next time I DID declare, got sent to the dreaded “other line” in Newark, & then spent like 25 minutes before everyone determined that I didn’t need to pay anything because the duty collector was out and they didn’t want to fill out a form to collect. So the next time I went back to NOT declaring again…

If you do end up in the “other line” (at least in Newark) they most likely will send you to the one where you have to wait with all the people who brought in Agriculture products. Then, once you get to the front, they’ll decide you need to go to a DIFFERENT line. So your best bet is to bypass the first line, look for someone you can talk to, explain why you are there, and have them expedite you.

The net of which is that for 1 case, i wouldn’t bother :slight_smile:

Not sure what math you’re using here, but no way any Customs agent is going to agree that one case is “within rounding” of 1 liter (12 x 750 ml = 9 liters). The fear of “the other line” is simply not worth risking Global Entry for me, and that’s what you might be facing if you get the wrong agent or one in a bad mood.

I’ve brought back a case of wine multiple times and have been waived thru each time. In each case the wine was < $50 a bottle.

There have been multiple threads on this topic over the years. The facts are that you are allowed a couple of bottles (maybe it’s 1L, but I think that limit is actually for spirits) of wine, but the duty is so low that no customs agent will ever bother with it. When I returned from France in April with 2 cases, I did get sent to the customs line (a rarity in my 25 years of doing this), but they couldn’t even find the line item for wine and sent me on.

The only twist in your case is global entry, which I don’t have. But by the time you’re collecting the wine at the baggage carousel, you’re past the issue of global entry, aren’t you? I would just declare the value on paper, and the wine verbally when you get to the customs checkpoint.

If you have Global Entry you should always declare what you have. Your honesty is generally rewarded with a wave through. I came back from Hong Kong with a suitcase full of custom made clothing which I declared. They conversed and asked for $50 in duty which I gladly handed over. Whole cases of wine are now too painful to carry on a trip even with rolling luggage so I usually limit myself to no more than 6 bottles that I would bring myself as luggage but I have brought back and declared up to 17 bottles and never have had to pay duty.

I have not brought back wine since being in global entry but always declared I had more than 1L. Always waved thru except once got a lecture (over 36 bottles this time) to not to do it again. I said would be happy to pay the alcohol duty etc. So only one hassle out of maybe 15+ times.

All - the 1L limit is actual alcohol content, I think. So 12 x 750ml x 12% alcohol is 1.08L of actual alcohol. I hope I haven’t been wrong all along :slight_smile:

Crazy to me that this issue would endanger GE status. Good luck either way.

Brian, I think that is a very liberal interpretation. I know any duty is based off the alcohol content but that is a different thing.

John - good to know… I just looked and found I’ve brought back 162 bottles from Milan in 10 trips over the course of the past 2.5 years (plus probably another 2 dozen from Piemonte Wineries). Guess I’ll consider myself lucky to have paid no duties and very limited hassles :slight_smile:

Thanks all.

I’ve always declared in the past (not using GE) and never had an issue. Customs has never charged me duty on a simple case of wine. I was curious if using GE made it any different, which it appears not to based on those who’ve done it. Glad to know…better to ask now then have potential issues later for not knowing.

I just came back from Spain through ORD. The person in front of me had declarations on his custom form and he was sent to a different area instead of just being able to exit. Obviously no idea what happened to him there but I assume he had to pay duty.

George

Declarations for ? In my experience the 2 things that will get you sent for further conversations and potentially luggage searches are:

Any kind of food If you buy hard cheese in Amsterdam, keep it separate (ideally hand carried) so can show the agent (before you get sent to the agricultural station) to short circuit the hassle.

Any kind of commonly counterfeited item. For us we said we had craft handbags. They apparently didn’t understand craft or thought we might be fudging/lying. When they found the handcrafted handbags we bought in a craft village in Thailand they apologized and sent us on our way. After of course wasting 30 minutes of our time & theirs.

Here is a solid list of 10 things to avoid if you don’t want to miss your connection.

Working on a renewed Global Entry so have been using it quite a while. We just answer the questions honestly, take the receipt and move on. Never had a problem. Brought back two cases of wine in January.

Couldn’t see but he had something written on the back of the form where you are supposed to put in value of merchandise etc staying in the U.S.

George

Also GE has a separate customs line in LAX. Breeze right through.