Going through Customs....

[JamesDonut]

I've seen things on the forum mentioned here and there about going through customs.  However I'm interested to hear more detailed stories about this subject, as it may help fellow members. I have one question to start off with, When going to Colombia is it hard to get through customs with items such as laptops and mp3 players?? 

[Gator]

Yes, if they suspect they are for resale-noticed you posted in the plural for both items.  We have brought back both item from Miami with no problem but it was one lap top for me one for Mrs. Gator and several mp3's for gifts.

[bundy_138]

My first few trips I got hammed by customs.  Not for what I was bringing in, but for what they thought I might be bringing in.  After a few trips, I felt more at ease and blended in better.

My first trip I brought my camcorder, my digital camera, my I-pod, and my laptop.  All were relatively new.  I went ahead and declared them for bringing them into the country just in case I had a problem, but no one said anything.  The lady looked at my customs form, smiled, and waived me thru.  This trip I am bringing in a new laptop in the box for a surprise birthday present for my novia.  I will declare it and see if they charge me the taxes on it.

My biggest problem with customs is leaving Colombia.  I get searched EVERYTIME.  I mean they tear my stuff apart.  Then, I get stopped by guards at least three times before I get to the x-ray machines.  They are cool about it, but don't lie about anything.  They all ask you the same questions anyway.  I told one guard I didn't speak Spanish, and he called me out on it.  I felt pretty stupid and fessed up that I understood him if he spoke slowly.  I would never do anything illegal, so I don't hve anything to worry about.

Bundy 

[sean126]

I go through Miami and through Barranquilla.  I've always brought my camcorder and 2 cameras, over the counter medication...like sinus pills, pepto bismal, asprin, ect...and never a problem either way.  I've even brought back OTC medication from barranquilla. 

As long as you don't have 10 brand new laptops or 20 bottles of Jack Daniels or something like that, you will be just fine....at least to and from Barranquilla.  Cali, Bogota and the rest of the cities might be different, I don't know.

[michaelb]

 I told one guard I didn't speak Spanish, and he called me out on it.  I felt pretty stupid and fessed up that I understood him if he spoke slowly.

No espekie espanol?

I got busted in Mexico once for being an illegal alien in their country, believe it or not. Technically that was true. Having been relieved of my 6 month tourist visa when I stupidly left it with my clothes while I was swimming, the immigration office in Veracruz gave me a 'travel permit' good for 48 hours, to leave the country. I got around to leaving the country when I was darn good and ready, like about 3 months later. Anyway, sizing up the situation,  I decided real quickly to play the 'no entendo' game. They held me at the check point on the highway there about 20 miles south of Nuevo Laredo, and after a while took me to the main customs house right there at the bridge, where they kept me under guard by two soldiers with rifles for a couple of hours before El Jefe began to question me. For a while there, I thought they were going to throw me under that customs house. Anyway, they brought over a lady immigration officer to be interpreter. She was really bad (not purposely distorting what I said, simply incompetent) so what I did was listen to El Jefe, then pretend to listen to her "translation". And such efficency! Why, when El Jefe began the interview, his opening words were "Looks like you've got about a $50.00 problem here, let's just take care of it and you can go on your way". Unfortunately,  by this time about all  I had left was my suitcase of clothes, 4 ten dollar traveler's checks, about 8 dollars worth of Mexican pesos and a Greyhound ticket to Tulsa.  So, unable to do things the 'easy' way, we wound up doing them the 'proper' way, which involved when and where did you enter the country, where did you go, did you stay with friends, relatives or hotels? Yeah? Which hotels, name, location etc. and they actually checked up on what I told them (good thing I told the truth). When  they finally determined that I wasn't a criminal (except for violating their immigration law, sound familiar? Anybody?) they let me go, but they really did make several phone calls to Mexico City (checking if I was on any want/warrants lists), the Veracruz police department, (to verify the theft report I had made when my visa was stolen, the copy of it I had with me 'could be a forgery, you know') the immigration office at the Mexico City airport, where I'd originally entered the country, the immigration office in Veracruz and I don't know who else. In the end we all 'agreed' that I hadn't really meant to break their law, due to my lack of Spanish, I simply didn't understand that the paper I had was only good for 48 hours, and the final outcome was that I had to pay a 'fine' which amounted to all the Mexican money I had, half of which went into El Jefe's pocket and the other half into the interpreter's bra. What was funny, was El Jefe said to interpreter "These Gringos, I tell you, they get stupider every day. Who ever heard of trying to pay the mordita with TRAVELER'S CHECKS?"

[JamesDonut]

Thanks for your responses.  And I got a real kick out of your story michael, lol.  It made my day.  On another note, has anyone heard of expensive personal items being taken by customs officers without a good reason?

[Dan Las Vegas]

The only issue I had with going through customs in medellin is that they were questioning me as to why I am visiting Medellin so often. Once I explained to them about my novia, things were fine. Now in Miami, it was a different story. On my frist trip, coming back from Medellin, I breezed through customs in Miami, the second trip was a different story. As soon as I told the agent where I was coming from, his whole attitude changed to a decidely hostile one and the the questioning started, "why was I going to Colombia"  where did I go, what did I do, why have I gone twice this year, then they started to ask me questions about where do I work, what type of work do I do etc, then of course, they searched my luggage and x-rayed it just for good measure. They seemed quite irritated that I had the nerve to visit colombia.  I have never had that experience in another other airport when returning from overseas.

[utopiacowboy]

You should show them a photo of your girl. I know I'd understand why you were making so many trips!

[P Daddy]

Note sure why you guys are being hassled so much...I travel to Colombia every 4-6 weeks, and over the years have made close to 70 trips there.  I've never been "hassled" by either Colombian or American authorities...never had my bags searched or x-rayed, other than the normal x-ray/search when entering Colombia, which is random after pressing the button (green you can pass, red you get searched)...when asked by US customs I always say I was visiting my girlfriend and they never blink an eye...

Guess it's just my good looks and charm that get me by...

[pablo]

Guess it's just my good looks and charm that get me by... 

Not to mention that healthy dose of humility eh, P Daddy? 

Vaquero!

Como estas amigo?

[P Daddy]

Not to mention that healthy dose of humility eh, P Daddy? 

Vaquero!

Como estas amigo?

Don't hate the playa' hate the game...