AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Dolls, Donations and Duty Help!

For some reason this doesn't seem to have posted the first time, so I'll try again. Sorry if the original shows up too!

I'll be coming down on Sunday with a suitcase of dolls for Holy Cross school. Since I almost always find myself "chosen" for a search, I want to know the correct thing to do when bringing donated items. The value of these dolls is probably about $350US if they were being sold at $5/each. The person donating them has about $50US total in them. Do I declare them? Is the email exchange with Holy Cross enough to prove that they are a donation?

I'm just an ordinary middle-aged woman, but there must be something about me when it comes to these Customs agents! After 9 trips down, I'd love to walk right through.

Thanks for any help!

Debbie F.

When we brought stuff for the school that Novascotianuts sent to us we declared to customs and told them it was a donation for the school.

They asked to see some of the items which was rather funny as my cousin had packed for us so I scrambled a bit and managed to pull a few things out for them to see and they sent us on our way.

It may be helpful for you to print off any email correspondence showing that you are planning to bring a donation in case you need it.

Thank you, Tacogirl. We'll have one suitcase with nothing but dolls in it and the emails handy! I wasn't sure if we had to declare them since they don't have much monetary value.

Happy New Year!

Debbie F.

coming to san pedro on wednesday from canada. i will be bringing down childrens clothing for local friends. will i have a problem going thru customs? also bringing used kitchen utensils, coffee etc,

You can never really guarantee if or when you might have a problem Currie52 but you will probably be ok.

Before we moved here we came to visit once and I had our suitcases packed to the limit with all kinds of stuff to give away. Tupperware - sandwich maker- towels you name it, I remember standing inline thinking please do not open our suitcases or it will explode all over the place and I will never get it back in. Luckily they just waved us through.

I am bringing donations down in August for the SP Library. The Sr. Librarian is going to assist me with a customs exempt letter.

Try contacting

http://www.customs.gov.bz/exemptions.html

When we were down last Aug there were 2 customs lines. The shorter line on the left was for people with items to declare and the longer line to the right was for people entering with nothing to declare. We had back packs and school supplies to donate so we took the short, items to declare, line. Explained to the agent that we had school items to donate and we were through faster than if we stood in the other line. It totally depends on the agent.