Airport Security with Ring??

[ethereal]

My partner and I live in the UK. We have purchased our ring and am having it shipped to a friend in the States, who is coming to London in a few weeks. Rather than pay the exorbitant tax and duty to ship it here, he has offered to bring it over for us. Offhand, should we anticipate any problems with him bringing it through airport security? He will have the ring and a copy of the receipt. Am I correct in thinking that he would only have to declare the ring to customs if he brought it in the UK and was flying back home to the US with it? Many thanks!

 

[ame]

I have no idea about customs and legalities with this. But I travel with my rings off (other than a plain one) in their assigned ring boxes in a pouch in my purse, and they just go through security.

 

[Lotus99]

It's more about UK Customs and Excise than about security (i.e. the nothing to declare vs. something to declare lanes at the airport).

This has the information you need: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriving/index.htm (See the Tax & Duty and the Going Through Customs sections.)

 

[mayerling]

If he's traveling back and forth with it, why not just act like it's his? He doesn't have to declare his own property, especially if he's not leaving it in the UK.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

If he's traveling back and forth with it, why not just act like it's his? He doesn't have to declare his own property, especially if he's not leaving it in the UK.

He IS leaving it in the UK. They are buying it and he is bringing it to them.

I don't know the answer to your question, but I would be very nervous about the whole thing unless the ring is insured.

 

[kenny]

If you are planning to . . . um . . . cough cough . . . not follow the law . . . cough cough . . . I would not post about it on the Internet.

 

[Rhea]

Security: no problems, but it needs to go into his carry on and kept in his site at all time.

Customs: potential problems as what you're trying to do is illegal. Customs is more than welcome to search anybody's bags and may well question him about the ring and require VAT to be paid on it. Your friend would need to lie on the forms he fills out to get into the UK. If caught this could have an effect on his ability to enter the UK in the future.

 

[maplefemme]

I have had a lot of experience with customs. There are a few things to consider...
Is the receipt in your name or just a generic receipt?
What is he going to tell them if they ask him about the ring? That he is giving it to someone there as a gift? That he is selling it to somebody? What reason will he be giving for bringing it into the UK? It's not a man's ring, he can't pull it off as personal effects.
It is also very likely they won't ask him about it specifically at all, but if they ask him if he has anything to declare and he says no and they search him then it becomes a problem depending on how he is presenting his intentions with it. There are potential legal repercussions for you both.
If you have an officer who wants to be particularly diligent and he/you are caught commiting tax evasion then it's not as simple as owning up, paying the tax and getting your ring. They may, and very often do, confiscate it. That's where all the rings and watches, etc come from at the UK Customs & Excise auctions.
I'm not saying this to be a downer or try to scare you, just be aware that tax evasion has risks, dot your i's and cross your t's if you're going to attempt it. I wouldn't.

 

[ChrisES]

Personally, if I were importing something as personally significant as an engagement ring, I would not only declare it (and pay VAT on it) but I would insure it for travel in case customs or security seize / damage / steal / etc. it. I'm not sure about your particular case, but generally it is things you plan to leave in country that must be declared, not things you plan to take home with you again.

As far as the likelihood of there being trouble, one consideration is if the fact that he is a man traveling alone could arouse suspicion. There would be no reason for him to bring the ring to the UK if he then planned to take it back to the US with him.

This is not legal advice. I am neither familiar with the laws of the UK nor authorized to practice law in the UK.

 

[denverappraiser]

All consumer property imported into the UK is subject to the VAT and then there are certain items that get an exclusion like medicines and food (I think). As far as I know, diamond rings aren't on that list. Whether or not you hand carry them or ship them over the border has no affect on this. Whether or not you pay your taxes is between you and the taxman but I would not want to get a friend wrapped up in a situation where he is expected to lie to the authorities in order to assist you in what frankly sounds like smuggling. I suppose it depends on just how good a friend this is.

As far as I know, the bad guys haven't tried to hijack a plan using a diamond ring yet and the security people are ok with letting them onto the plane without hassle.

 

[ethereal]

Oh dear, I really didn't realise all of the repercussions associated with this - I didn't think it was illegial. The invoice is in my name and my partner's, if anyone was to question our friend, he was going to tell them that he was bringing the ring over for a friend. I thought he only had to declare items to customs that were purchased on his holiday, in this case, the UK, on his way back home to the US.... oh dear, lots to think about now...

Uh oh, we plan to get married here in the UK in April, just a small ceremony for the two of us, and have a larger celebration back in the States in Aug.... we have no plans of going back to the US before then, due to work committments, etc. Should I just do without the ring until then? Any other suggestions, please?!!

 

[maplefemme]

Oh dear, I really didn't realise all of the repercussions associated with this - I didn't think it was illegial. The invoice is in my name and my partner's, if anyone was to question our friend, he was going to tell them that he was bringing the ring over for a friend. I thought he only had to declare items to customs that were purchased on his holiday, in this case, the UK, on his way back home to the US.... oh dear, lots to think about now...

Uh oh, we plan to get married here in the UK in April, just a small ceremony for the two of us, and have a larger celebration back in the States in Aug.... we have no plans of going back to the US before then, due to work committments, etc. Should I just do without the ring until then? Any other suggestions, please?!!

Unfortunately, either way you do it, if you try to bring it in without paying the taxes then it's tax evasion and it's illegal, it's quite black and white, there's no other way.
You may get away with it no problem at all, but the question you need to ask yourself is this, if you do try to bring it in and you get caught; are the potential repercussions, both legal and loss of the ring via seizure, worth not paying the taxes in the first place?
Only you can answer that...whatever you choose, at least you're going in with eyes wide open, it's good you asked

The only two things for sure in life; death and taxes

 

[Rhea]

Even if you bring the ring back from the US in August yourself, you're still supposed to declare it and pay tax on it as it's staying in the UK.

 

[anne_h]

If you want to minimize all risk, have the ring shipped to you by your vendor, fully insured for full purchase value. Yes, you will have to pay whatever taxes/duties/VAT in your country. But you will be insured, and acting in accordance with the law.

If you want to avoid your country's fees of shipping it in, yes you could have your friend bring it. In this case your are trying to 'smuggle' it, so he'd need to hide it, like in a pocket or bag. In this case, he would *not* disclose it, have the receipt with him, etc. But as others said, this would be bad for both of you if he gets caught.

Personally, I would not ask others to smuggle high-value items. They could get in trouble, and also, what happens if the piece gets lost or stolen while in their possession? Would you expect him to pay you back for it? Even if the piece was insured, the coverage would probably NOT be active in this scenario. Could get very awkward. lol

If one must smuggle, I suggest only oneself do it. That way, you assume all your own risk. However, this is not an endorsement to try this! lol

Anne

PS - One downside to smuggling is that you cannot easily ship the ring out of your country and back in again (say, if you wanted to send for repairs to the US). This is because you never paid VAT in the first place, and so can't prove you have "already" paid for the ring when you try to get it *back*.