Importing Beer to NZ - Personal Concessions

Discussion in 'Australia' started by RuckIt, Sep 18, 2017.

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  1. RuckIt

    RuckIt Pundit (940) Apr 29, 2008 Massachusetts
    Trader

    My wife and I will be traveling to New Zealand in early 2018, and I plan to bring quite a bit of delicious American beer to share, trade, and generally just give away.

    Reviewing the NZ Customs website, it's clear that any volume of beer over 4.5 liters will be subject to taxation. However what is less clear, and what I've been unable to find out via email with NZ Customs (they took 5 days to respond, then literally copy/pasted the website content into an email), is if it would be possible for my wife and I to combine our import volume and bring 9 liters of beer in a single package. Or will customs be sticklers for the rules and say that since it's a single package, it must belong to a single passenger?

    If anyone has any experience with this, or might be able to point me in the right direction (other than the NZ Customs website), that would be awesome!

    Once our itinerary becomes better formed, I'll be posting around here again to connect with some of you NZ locals, maybe set up a share or something. Do hazy IPA's and big barrel-aged stouts have international appeal, or is that just an American thing? :wink:
     
    #1 RuckIt, Sep 18, 2017
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  2. MrKennedy

    MrKennedy Pooh-Bah (1,838) Dec 29, 2006 Australia
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I don't know that we can definitively say how they will interpret and enforce the rules when you arrive. Only the staff you encounter will determine that.

    Seems like the options are to:
    • purchase additional baggage, or change your current baggage situation;
    • potentially pay no tax
    • potentially pay some tax
    • only bring in 4.5L to eliminate any risk of paying any tax.
    Hazy IPA's and big barrel aged stouts have international appeal. Have a great trip
     
    #2 MrKennedy, Sep 19, 2017
  3. Ostpies

    Ostpies Initiate (0) Nov 3, 2015 New Zealand (Aotearoa)

    They usually let you combine items if you are travelling together.

    On my last trip I brought back a cooler filled with beer and a large bottle of bourbon. I was travelling with my wife.

    Having said that, I have a New Zealand passport so I don't know if the same rules apply to holders of foreign passports.
     
    #3 Ostpies, Sep 20, 2017
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