# US Customs



## kalaeb (Jan 12, 2013)

Looking for some help regarding US Customs. 

How long do packages usually take to clear US customs? If I have a package, whose last known whereabouts is USLAXA that says received and awaiting clearance for delivery, how long should that take? 

The package has been in the same place since 12/25/12. 

Has anyone every had a package held up by Customs? If so what can you do?


----------



## turbochef422 (Jan 12, 2013)

I went to the post office and asked that same question I've had a package there since 12/29 and was getting worried. They told me things often get held up at customs and they have herd of it taking up to three weeks. Is says it went through the sort facility and even gives me a time but they told me it hasn't left yet that's why the tracking still says L.A.


----------



## stevenStefano (Jan 13, 2013)

Sorry if it's OT, but has anyone in the US ever had to pay fees to receive an item? When posting a knife recently I was told if I posted it marked at its correct value, the recipient would have to pay fees to get it. This was the first time I ever heard of this. Has this happened to anyone before, and if so how much were the fees?


----------



## Crothcipt (Jan 13, 2013)

In Nov. I had a package wait for over 3 weeks after it was sent from Will in England. It only took a week for the wood I sent to get to him. Seems like they are having a hard time period.


----------



## kalaeb (Jan 13, 2013)

I wonder how Koki gets his stuff though so quick. Is EMS exempt from customs?


----------



## Rottman (Jan 13, 2013)

EMS = Express mail service and obviously handled with priority.


----------



## tk59 (Jan 13, 2013)

I've had a few packages take about a couple of weeks in customs. Funny thing is most of them have come from Canada. You'd think those would go through quicker than others... At least, I would.


----------



## EdipisReks (Jan 13, 2013)

stevenStefano said:


> Sorry if it's OT, but has anyone in the US ever had to pay fees to receive an item?



i've had dozens of items sent to me from overseas, over the years, and none have taken very long to pass customs, and i've never had to pay anything. there is no VAT in the US, which i think is a big part of it.

like TK, the items i've had that have taken a while in customs have come from Canada. my guess is that it's related to the large amount of cigarette and alcohol smuggling that goes on, though one would expect that most would go the other way...


----------



## RRLOVER (Jan 13, 2013)

A little OT......If you ship a "kitchen utensil" it should go through customs faster and you are telling the truth,it works for me.I have not used the word "knife" yet to test my theory and don't plan on it.


----------



## stevenStefano (Jan 13, 2013)

EdipisReks said:


> i've had dozens of items sent to me from overseas, over the years, and none have taken very long to pass customs, and i've never had to pay anything. there is no VAT in the US, which i think is a big part of it.



It really pisses me off the hear that. I live in a pretty small town and any time I have to post anything it's always gives me so much grief


----------



## Von blewitt (Jan 13, 2013)

RRLOVER said:


> A little OT......If you ship a "kitchen utensil" it should go through customs faster and you are telling the truth,it works for me.I have not used the word "knife" yet to test my theory and don't plan on it.



I sent the package in question. ( from Australia) and marked it as kitchen tools after advice from Maksim, so I don't think that's the issue, my guess is a hold up due to the holiday season. Hopefully it gets through soon


----------



## Duckfat (Jan 13, 2013)

I've never had an issue with a knife. I've received packages from Koki faster than I've received FC letters a few states away. I did have a package that was held for at least two weeks but that was years ago. It was a cuckoo clock from Germany. When I received the package it was obvious that it had been inspected. Nothing you can do to speed things up AFAIK plus you hit the Holiday season. The port strikes can't be helping matters much either.


----------



## jmforge (Jan 13, 2013)

I bought one of Gieves and Hawkes "off the rack" suits in London back in 2006 and had them alter it and ship it. I got whacked for duty at the UPS distribution facility here in St. Pete.


----------



## Paradox (Jan 15, 2013)

******* said:


> I bought one of Gieves and Hawkes "off the rack" suits in London back in 2006 and had them alter it and ship it. I got whacked for duty at the UPS distribution facility here in St. Pete.



How much was the suit valued at? I was told recently that there is no duty incoming to the US up to $1000 in value of goods, over $1000 and you'll have to pay. I've wondered where the figure came from but never looked into it officially. 

I have a stone coming from Japan, and it was shipped from Osaka via Registered SAL on the 12/27. The tracking number shows up in USPS system as "Origin Post is Preparing Shipment" at KANSAI INT APT, JAPAN on the 28th. Of course I was hoping it would be 2 weeks when I was told 2-5 weeks.  I can't wait for it to scan as being at LAX for customs.


----------



## kalaeb (Jan 15, 2013)

Yee Haw, package arrived safe and sound.


----------



## JohnnyChance (Jan 15, 2013)

On the other end of the spectrum...I ordered a knife from Maxim last Friday and it arrived by Monday lunch.


----------



## turbochef422 (Jan 15, 2013)

I am still waiting from a knife from Australia that still hasn't come. Did it change on the tracking or did it only track it till it got to the US? My package was at customs on the 29th and doesn't look like its moved yet


----------



## kalaeb (Jan 15, 2013)

For the package I just got from AU, it appeared to stop tracking at customs. There was never any movement or change in status, then one day it showed up on my door. The package I was expecting was shown in customs just a few days before yours Turbo, so hopefully yours will come any day.


----------



## Von blewitt (Jan 15, 2013)

turbochef422 said:


> I am still waiting from a knife from Australia that still hasn't come. Did it change on the tracking or did it only track it till it got to the US? My package was at customs on the 29th and doesn't look like its moved yet


It went straight from awaiting clearance for delivery; to delivered


----------



## Von blewitt (Jan 15, 2013)

JohnnyChance said:


> On the other end of the spectrum...I ordered a knife from Maxim last Friday and it arrived by Monday lunch.



Yeah, Maksims packages are like lightning!


----------



## PierreRodrigue (Jan 15, 2013)

I mark my packages CHEF KNIFE I had a "KITCHEN TOOL" marked package get held up for 4 weeks. Their reasoning was kitchen tool was to broad a description.


----------



## Seth (Jan 15, 2013)

Kitchen tool worked for me shipping to Russia. I did have incoming held up because customs thought 165 mm nakiri (ml??) was a bottle of wine!


----------



## Crothcipt (Jan 17, 2013)

Seth said:


> Kitchen tool worked for me shipping to Russia. I did have incoming held up because customs thought 165 mm nakiri (ml??) was a bottle of wine!



lol Gov. at work.


----------



## K-Fed (Jan 17, 2013)

Interesting I stumbled on this thread. I've had the fowler scimitar that I ordered from Scott stuck in customs for about a week now.


----------



## turbochef422 (Jan 17, 2013)

mine has been stuck there for exactly 3 weeks now. Its tourture.


----------



## Burl Source (Jan 17, 2013)

I get international packages fairly regular.
The only one I have ever had delayed was processed through customs in LA and sat there for a couple weeks.
It was also from the land down under.
When I called the postmaster they said that things just get backed up there sometimes.

As for shipping things internationally;
The biggest delays going through their customs that I see are packages sent to Argentina and Brazil (up to 4 weeks whether priority or express)
2nd would be Canada (often around 2 weeks)

The point I am trying to make is that things can get slowed down quite a bit going through customs in any country. Some more often than others.


----------



## NO ChoP! (Jan 18, 2013)

My wife runs a small eBay business on the side. She once sold a large lot of vintage toys to someone in AU. They chose standard freight, because of the astronomical shipping prices for the size of the package. It took exactly 108 days to arrive. When it did, the square box was no longer square, and was bound with heavy tape, and covered in footprints....she was told it went via freightliner, and anything can and will happen.


----------



## franzb69 (Jan 18, 2013)

i hope my santoku didn't get held up in us customs while exiting coz it still isn't here yet. =(


----------

