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how many dvds can i bring through customs (1 Viewer)

Richard cash

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May 10, 2001
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i am going to florida in 3 weeks. Last night when i was woring at my boring factory i had, yet again, another 8 hours to think about nothing as my brain slowly melts.

i was thinking about how many dvds i will be bringing back from the states and it struck me that there will be a limit to what i can bring.

do any of you guys know what the limit is here in the UK.
 

paul o'donnell

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Jul 19, 2000
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To be honest I'm not sure, but when I went to New York a few years back I brought back ten in my backpack.

I took the plastic wrapping, price tags etc off so that they looked like ones I'd brought over with me (ie: not applicable for import).

You might wanna try that
 

David Allum

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In addition to the alcohol/tobacco/perfume allowances, you can bring in goods to the value of £145 before getting charged import duty and VAT.
 

Richard cash

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In addition to the alcohol/tobacco/perfume allowances, you can bring in goods to the value of £145 before getting charged import duty and VAT.
thats really not a lot. between the 4 of us who are going we are taking about 2000 spending money. £145 wont really get you very far
 

KDHM

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If your are planing to bring a lot you might put the DVD's in a caselogic binder to bring on the plain and mail the empty covers, also less to carry. I have gone thru London several time with over 200 DVD's in caselogic binders and it never even occured that I might be questioned to pay duty.
kd
 

Alex Shk

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I admit that I am ignorant of UK law - but in the US, custom limitations are PER PERSON, not per family (or party). I remember that I was told that even an infant was entitled to bring in 4 bottles of booze. True.
 

Johnny G

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Any Brits who buys DVDs from stores in America are wasting their money, it's MUCH cheaper to buy online.
I know it's nice to hold it in your hand before buying but I wouldn't get more than a handful.
In the early days of DVD (like 1997) I brought back about 40 DVDs as well as a suitcase crammed full of Laserdiscs and, as every time I've been to the USA (like about 10), I've never been stopped at customs.
 

Johnny G

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oh, I forgot to mention some of my trips have included a Laserdisc player, a multi system VCR, 2 DVD players & a centre speaker.
 

Dan Brecher

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Get as many as you want..... then leg it through the "nothing to delcare" channel. :D
I've never had a problem with customs when I have gone through with goods after returning from the US, and I usualy go through nothing to declare. As was said above, you have about a £145 limit. Is that much? No not really, that's only about $230. What else do you plan to bring back? Portable electronics you could say you took out with you, CDs too. No tax no books, don't think there is on clothing either.
Definately remove shrink wraps...etc. I'd do that anyway to make sure everything is right with the disc and case (if it's broken and you unwrap it there, you can still return it). What else are you going to buy? CDs? Could have taken those out there for all customs know. I really would not worry unless you walk through nothing to declare with about 4 bags with Disney World written all over them thus drawing attention to yourself saying "yes, I bought a LOT back with me" :)
Another thing, if you get really worried, buy some wrapping paper and wrap some of the discs up, say a friend out ther gave you them as a gift. Packages marked as 'gifts' throw customs a bit, they rarely take matters further. Don't say it's a birthday present for you because they may check your passport. ;)
I wouldn't be too worried. Pack well, don't make it obvious you brought back loads. Most of all, have a GREAT time.
cheaper to buy online.
That's true to an extent. On recent trips to LA I've been into Fry's and Best Buy and have found titles at excellent prices, and these stores often have new titles on special offer. Deals on old titles are out there too... Fry's had the Kubrick set on offer for about $100 last year as I recall.
Avoid big stores like Sam Goody, Virgin, Tower...etc who I notced sell most as msrp, though not ALL titles, never hurts to look, but best try your luck at places like Best Buy.
Dan
 

Zane Charron

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Jul 19, 2000
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458
Great question. I live in Germany and fly back to the states about once a year and CONSTANTLY worry about getting stopped going through customs. But I've done it with several thousand dollars worth of DVD's/CD's/books/etc at a time and have never been stopped. A friend of mine returning from the US was stopped once and the German customs official asked if he bought all the DVD's (40 or 50) in Germany (wink wink nudge nudge) and he said yes, and they let him through. I don't think the stopping of mass quanities of DVDs is their primary concern, especially these days.
 

Richard cash

Stunt Coordinator
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May 10, 2001
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77
thanks for the info guys, i will take the shrink wraps off definatly and be careful of the big stores.

A slightly off topic question: in america do they have cheaper older dvds like over here in the UK. EG we have loads of warner titles for £7:99 and some are really good like the lethal weapon series etc.
 

Mike Miskulin

Second Unit
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May 31, 1998
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Yep. There are tons of cheap Warner's titles around here (between $10-15, some even $5!). The best place I've found for 'em is the small-town's friend, Wal*Mart. They stock boat loads of them.

mike.
 

Johnny G

Supporting Actor
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Dec 12, 2000
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I'd have to agree there, the Supercenters have the biggest selection, if you're near Kissimmee, there's a big one at Maingate East on 192, here's the Supercenters around Orlando.

Wal-Mart Supercenter
8101 South John Young Parkway
Orlando, FL 32819

Wal-Mart Supercenter
2500 SO. Kirkman RD
Orlando, FL 32811

Wal-Mart Supercenter
1471 East Osceola Parkway
Kissimmee, FL 34744

Wal-Mart Supercenter
4444 West Vine
Kissimmee, FL 34746
 

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