I have a friend going to Univsersity in Mexico. She went to Cuba for vacation and is back in Mexico. The only things she has from Cuba are maybe some shirts, she bought some books and some artwork. No alcohol, no tobacco. When she comes back to Canada, her flight stops in Seattle, then she buses it or drives back to Vancouver.
Will the art and books get confiscated in Seattle customs?
Zelig, even if she is Canadian, bringing things from Cuba through the US, I am pretty sure they will confiscate them. Too bad she had to go through the States, as I am pretty sure, that once you are going through Customs in US, anything Cuban is NOT allowed to go through, no matter what your citizenship or country of origin is.
Unless she doesn't declare them . . . . . .
But yes she is liable to have the goods confiscated.
Another way to get around that would be for her to get a connecting flight to Vancouver. She would have to book the whole thing from Mexico. That way she wouldn't have to clear customs in the U.S.
ZELIG, she might lose her shirts but she will NOT lose the books or the artwork.
There is a first amendment to the US constitution that permits freedom of press and speech, which obviously includes any kind of book. And the courts have also ruled that it includes art. It does not include touristy handicrafts, which are not considered speech. Somebody has to decide what is art and what is just kitsch!
It might be that the US custom agent DOES NOT KNOW that art and books are permitted to anyone, in which case your friend has to explain it very patiently. Her opinion will prevail, and she will be permitted to take these items through. l
You're right Lurker. I forgot about that exemption in the OFAC regs.
Thanks Lurker, I am glad you are here to get the facts straight. I am not familiar with OFAC regs at all.
Connecting flights within the USA are subject to clearing customs and Immigration. I flew home through Cancun, LAX, Vancouver with a box of Siglio II. I checked them in big bags, thinking they would just get loaded onto the next plane to Vancouver. Turns out you have to collect your luggage, go though customs and get back on the plane. Silly stuff.
CB did you use the same airline? Normally when you check in in Cancun, they would check your baggage through all the way to Vancouver.
If, however, you used different airlines and changed carriers in L.A. that would be different.
Ahh.. We flew some American Airline from Cancun to LAX and Air Canada to Vancouver. This makes sense now.
I was lucky, didnt declare the cohibas and didnt get caught.
Thanks for the responses, everyone. Informative as always. Sorry for the late reply, but I forgot about this post. My friend is leaving Mexico any day now so the information will come in very handy.
Yes, printed material & artwork are permitted, (in fact is was The Center for Cuban Studies in NY who took this all way thru the courts & fought for the right of cuban art to be exported legal) but it is my understanding of the regs, if the viajero is American unless they are traveling with LICENSE then nuthin cuban is allowed. In fact if you are bringing posters, libros etc & you are traveling illegally that will indeed tip off customs if for some strange reason they do a secondary search.
Oops! I just realized yr amigo is Canadian. So strike what I said above. As long as its print, and/or art, it's cool.
Agree with Lurker about the books. The artwork however could be another story. Some artwork from Cuba can be quite good and expensive and likely subject to OFAC regulations.