Mailing nice gifts to China...

[mercator]

Looking at the USPS site, they indicate that a person in China is allowed to receive just 100RMB worth of gifts per package and 800RMB total for a year.

 

100RMB is less than $12.50 and 800RmB is less than $100.

 

I am mailing about $250 worth (or should say I want to mail) of jewelry, visa paperwork, and various world banknotes my wife collects (no chinese / taiwanese. they will stay here as they are expressly verboten).

 

Are they going to have a fit because of the value? The USPS site said that jewelry and banknotes are forbidden unless sent insured parcel post. However the minimum insurance is $100 so I don't get it. I'll send parcel post if need be, but I am going to trash their valuation. I guess I could claim the things are worth less, and the banknotes' actual value is almost nothing (notes like mongols, rupiyya, and leks are worth fractions of a cent, but I paid about $125 for the pile of them - 99 to be exact ). The jewelry all totalled is worth about $200. The package will be small, but if they confiscate it, alot of ebay scavenging (all those banknotes) will have been wasted, not to mention the jewelry.

 

So, to make a short question long, has anyone sent jewelry to china, and did they have any problems when they did?

 

I did a search, and didnt find any other posts. Maybe my keywords were wrong, but its an issue for us all at the moment, if we are sending gifts for Christmas... (we need to send them real soon, or they wont get them until 2006!)

 

Merc

Edited December 1, 2005 by mercator (see edit history)

[warpedbored]

Someone told me once that as long as the declared value of the gift is 40 dollars or less she won't have to pay any duty on it. I thought it was really amazing how that 100 dollar bottle of perfume or that 200 dollar digitial camera devalued between the store and the post office. I always put they were a gift and had a value of 40 dolars or less and I never had a problem with it getting to her or her having to pay any duty on it.

[Dennis143]

I made the mistake of writing the actual value and name ($200 necklace) on my DHL package. I guessed that it would be a smart thing to do, if it got lost. Well, China customs read it too and immediately slapped a 20% duty on it.

[frank1538]

DHL is a real stickler on customs duties. The last time I used DHL to send gifts to Jingwen, the package got hung up in customs in Guangzhou. Then the customs duty was almost as much as the declared value (around $200), and DHL simply charged my credit card, without prior approval Got it reversed, but I swore I'd never use DHL again.

 

I've since used USPS and declare "appropriate" values. In my mind, there are two things to consider when declaring a value. First, who's value? The value in the US or the value in China (about 1/10 of the US price)? Second, are the gifts new or used, particularly if the contents have been checked before they're sent.

[pkfops]

My sister in-law in GZ sent us matching platinum wedding bands via UPS.

 

When we opend the package all we had were empty ring boxes.

 

The back of the UPS package had been cut open and sealed with

clear packing tape.

 

UPS is currently investigating.

[mercator]

Yes, theft is something I am also very worried about.

 

I've been toying with a creative way to say jewelry without saying jewelry so as to reduce the temptation to steal everything in the package. I am slightly more comfortable sending postal because a Chinese government worker is slightly more prestigious than a package handler is there, and presumably a bit less likely to be tempted to steal or to risk their job.

 

The bank notes may just be more documents, especially since about the most valuable one is a US $2 bill I am giving her for her collection. The jewelry is small (earrings and a necklace, so I might wedge it between pages of the documentation and surrounded by banknotes and try that route. The 129F is in a binder, so hand handling wouldnt disclose the jewelry within, like a couple jewelry boxes might. I'd even put it in an envelope to further the masquerade.

 

I hate to be deceptive, but I guess this might be a case of fighting fire with fire so to speak.

 

Am I wrong?

[jim_julian]

I'd send a nice photo or two of what you bought for her and tell her you'll bring it on your next trip or keep it in the US for her. You're safe and you get credit twice.

[drive_75]

Yes, theft is something I am also very worried about.

 

I've been toying with a creative way to say jewelry without saying jewelry so as to reduce the temptation to steal everything in the package.  I am slightly more comfortable sending postal because a Chinese government worker is slightly more prestigious than a package handler is there, and presumably a bit less likely to be tempted to steal or to risk their job.

 

The bank notes may just be more documents, especially since about the most valuable one is a US $2 bill I am giving her for her collection.  The jewelry is small (earrings and a necklace, so I might wedge it between pages of the documentation and surrounded by banknotes and try that route.  The 129F is in a binder, so hand handling wouldnt disclose the jewelry within, like a couple jewelry boxes might.  I'd even put it in an envelope to further the masquerade.

 

I hate to be deceptive, but I guess this might be a case of fighting fire with fire so to speak.

 

Am I wrong?

172968[/snapback]

I've sent a necklace value over $500 and stated on the shipping info without any problem. I packaged it very well. I also bought insurance for it. Maybe I was lucky.

[mercator]

I'd send a nice photo or two of what you bought for her and tell her you'll bring it on your next trip or keep it in the US for her.  You're safe and you get credit twice. 

172973[/snapback]

I thought about that idea. It seems the most logical. I could email her the photos. I don't need to send the 129F documentation yet, since I don't even have NOA1 yet. They cashed the check, but no notice yet.

 

I'm going in late March. Maybe the NOA2 will be in hand by then, then I can just give her the tax and support docs along with the 129F copy and save sending the baoguo altogether.

 

She didn't want me to send the gifts anyway. She said she could see them when she gets to the USA. Told my mother that just her thinking of sending her a gift made her happy. That basically wrapped my mom around my wife's little finger (lol)

 

Merc

[sylinchinastill]

You can insure it for whatever amount you want- like 250- but then write that it is only worth like $20- they aren't allowed to see how much it is insured for.

[msmckee]

I've been toying with a creative way to say jewelry without saying jewelry...

172968[/snapback]

feminine adornments.. though both of those words are in my pocket translator. At least they would have to work for it. Remember, there is a good chance a lot of this stuff gets x-rayed. Might not matter what you call it.

[warpedbored]

fashion accessories, baubles,trinkets, knick knacks, adornment, band, bangle, bijou, brass, charm, finery, frippery, gewgaw, glass, hardware, ice, junk, knickknack, lavaliere, ornament, regalia, , sparkler, stickpin, stone, beau ideal, nonpareil, paragon

[jim_julian]

I'd send a nice photo or two of what you bought for her and tell her you'll bring it on your next trip or keep it in the US for her.  You're safe and you get credit twice. 

172973[/snapback]

I thought about that idea. It seems the most logical. I could email her the photos. I don't need to send the 129F documentation yet, since I don't even have NOA1 yet. They cashed the check, but no notice yet.

 

I'm going in late March. Maybe the NOA2 will be in hand by then, then I can just give her the tax and support docs along with the 129F copy and save sending the baoguo altogether.

 

She didn't want me to send the gifts anyway. She said she could see them when she gets to the USA. Told my mother that just her thinking of sending her a gift made her happy. That basically wrapped my mom around my wife's little finger (lol)

 

Merc

172984[/snapback]

OK ... I underestimated ... credit three times!

[mercator]

When I talked to her this morning, I told her I "heard my lao po" and am not sending the baoguo (also mentioned my fear of theft/confiscation). She was pretty neutral in her response (I think because I was indecisive there for a bit), but she is happy. She is confounded by the 99 liwu I keep telling her about. She said maybe in our lifetime 99 liwu, but I told her I had 99 sitting her waiting for her (she collects banknotes from around the world, and her collection just grew exponentially hehe - gotta love ebay).

 

I'll email her the photos as the day comes, and send her flowers. I received a package today from her with a bag of Yingde Hong Cha (love that stuff), her present to me (double standard!!) for christmas, and a Christmas ornament. This was just supposed to be a CD copy of our studio wedding photos. I'll have to have a little talk with her now

Edited December 3, 2005 by mercator (see edit history)

[mercator]

Well lesson learned. I sent her the photos of the necklace and the banknotes. She liked the banknotes and thought the necklace was kind of ugly,and raved on how many necklaces she already had. I love her candor, but damn. My kids are the same way. I think I will just stick to flowers and cash

 

When she tells me no liwu. I need to listen. Saves on disappointment and money!