I want to ship products I purchase from the local Farmacia back to my house in the US. Is there a certain number on mL that I can ship all together? I want to send skincare products, etc.
Posted by
Land of La
9261 posts
Pay the Farmacia to do it.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
so they will ship cheaper than the actual post office?
Posted by
Bend, OR
1082 posts
You might want to check with US Customs on regulations and import taxes.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11942 posts
so they will ship cheaper than the actual post office?
Most likely not.
Just how much stuff are you planning to send? More than a checked bag would hold?
I suspect the post office has some max weight limit for a single box, but a limit on fluid ounces I suspect is unlikely A given volume of water will weigh less than the same volume of honey, so suspect the weight will be the limiting factor.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
thanks yes I was wondering about customs, taxes etc as well. Any direct link where I can find those guidelines?
Posted by
OP
4 posts
I just got a response from someone that works at the Farmacia and that particular one doesn't ship outside of Europe. I just wanted a small box worth of skincare probably like under 10 bottles of whatever I find that I like.
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
2685 posts
I've brought bottles of wine and oil back from Europe in my checked bag, so quite a bit of liquid. I can't imagine a problem with a few bottles of skincare products.
Posted by
1607 posts
I don't think that there's a quantity or size limit on liquids. The issues you will face are the value of the items you are bringing in with you and whether the customs agent believes that you are bringing those items for personal purposes (as opposed to resale). Here's the US Customs and Border Protection website. https://www.cbp.gov/. Bear in mind that you should declare whatever you are brining with you. This is the page about declarations. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/know-before-you-go/what-expect-when-you-return
Just as an anecdote, several years ago a friend brought in half of a large suitcase filled with tins of foie gras. The customs agent didn't believe her when she said it was for personal use. Her then teenage daughter - in a voice only a teenage daughter can employ - said "oh, yeah it's for her personal use." She passed through without paying any duty.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8121 posts
Very basically, you can bring back as much liquid (or for that matter ship) and amount of liquid that is within the safe volume and weight limits of the shipping method...so a checked bag, usually a size limit, than a weight limit of 50 lbs, or what your airline dictates.
If the liquid is above 40% alcohol, then there is a limit of like 5 liters within a single bag/box, but other liquids, no.
If you ship back items for personal use, then you will pay any duty on those items and they will go through a customs inspection. If it is a lot of an item, that may raise flags that the items are not for personal use, but for sale, triggering a whole other set of regulations.
As for specifics, since you do not say what you are shipping back, since it is coming from a Pharmacy, it must be health related, it is possible that those items may not be approved for use in the US, so may not be allowed. Carrying an amount back may not be an issue, but since shipped items all go through customs, they will look at them.
Your next question will likely be "OK, where can I find the specific rules?" For that, the answer is you probably can not. There are likely lists of things you specifically can not bring back (Narcotics, meats, plants, etc) like this one: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/know-before-you-go/prohibited-and-restricted-items#:~:text=Examples%20of%20prohibited%20items%20are,to%20enter%20the%20United%20States but in the end, the decision as to whether something is OK or not is entirely up to the customs officer based on vague guidelines.
Posted by
Chicago
8599 posts
the best way to do this is to plan to pack a suitcase with this stuff. If you can manage it, have your clothes in a carry on and use a large suitcase for your cosmetics, padded with the laundry. If you have premium economy or above you can bring it for free, but paying for an extra bag if you need two checked bags is cheaper than any shipping option. The liquid thing doesn't matter. My son used to bring a case of wine as his checked bag with no problems.
If you take it yourself, you will probably have no customs taxes. If you ship it, you probably will have.