What has changed recently with importing?

[daffodildeb]

When I say “recently” in the title, I mean within about 12+ years since I last held an import permit. At that time the permit was required, but a new policy required that you also had to use a broker to clear shipments, which added so much to the cost that I let my permit expire and didn’t import anymore. I would now like to deal with some overseas companies on NON-CITES leps. I know I need a new permit (or a renewal), and I assume I would have to fill out the form to clear a shipment. Do I have to go through a broker, or can I do it myself? Do I have to take the box somewhere for inspection? Also, if I want to ship a box of assorted junk bugs, does each species have to be listed separately? I tried to get this information from the Atlanta office, as directed by the permit-issuing office, but just got a recording to leave my number for a return call. I never got a callback.

[wollastoni]

The US legislation is sometimes totally crazy...
Here in Europe, an amateur collector doesn't need any import permits for non-protected specimens.

[Paul K]

The US legislation is sometimes totally crazy...
Here in Europe, an amateur collector doesn't need any import permits for non-protected specimens.

Same in Canada, hopefully stays this way.
I’m not really buying the specimens but it’s much more easy to bring back collected material.

[Chuck]

The best place to start is read the most current version of Federal Code of Regulations on wildlife import.

It was too much hassle to legally import, so I quit my license about a decade ago and no longer import. Don't know about the broker, that would be new, or it could be just rumor, check FCR. I used to be that every species had to be listed on a separate line on form, I can't imagine that would change.

[lepman1256]

Currently dealing with all this right now. Permit needed...$100/year. Edec form has to be filled out. Each species needs listing off their provided species list, or general genus label, which I think makes the inspection take longer. Inspection fee is $100 per shipment. If you don't know the proper port of entry, you can apply for a port exception permit to help it be inspected wherever it comes in at...another $100 per year. The broker fees can be applied at times, might be it needs to get to a certain dollar amount, and of course there is customs fees of about I believe 10%. Hope this helps.

[Jshuey]

I just filled out a 3-177 form, and after a discussion with a FWS agent in Miami, just identified them as "Non-cites BUTT" - ~ 60 specimens.

This was for little brown things, but it seems to have satisfied FWS.

John

[jellybean]

I just filled out a 3-177 form, and after a discussion with a FWS agent in Miami, just identified them as "Non-cites BUTT" - ~ 60 specimens.

This was for little brown things, but it seems to have satisfied FWS.

John

John,

Was that all you had to do? Perhaps you were bringing those butterflies through customs as an Accredited Scientist or as Accompanying Personal Baggage.

Or, were you doing an import or export as a shipment, either for personal use or for commercial purposes?

While we are on the subject, are there any US citizens able to successfully get FWS clearance for dead non CITES insects via the mail? Mail is still an option per the 3-177 Form.

[Miguel]

I don´t have problems when I make an exchange or If I buy butterflies,the thing is that when I receive a parcel from outside the EU I have to pay taxes even if the butterflies come with no commercial value.

Also I have to say that I have not problems to send or to receive lepidoptera from Russia .

[Jshuey]

Jellybean,

These were from a Latin American collector , shipped through the postal services to my home address. I was not even aware that they were coming, and FWS ended up with the bugs. They called me, I told then that I didn't know what most of the species were (true - these were un-IDed Hesperiidae that were supposed to be "very interesting"). In consultation with the agent, I filled out the 3-177 and emailed a copied to them.

Three things to note
- these bugs had all their paperwork to legally export from Peru included in the shipment.
- If I had known they were being shipped, I would have filled out a 3-177 in advance, sent a copy to FWS in Miami and to the shipper, and it would have been on file on both ends.
- No commercial value. These are little brown bugs (for the most part) and that will end up in my holdings. They included 5 "new to me" species and one that is probably a new species (I already had a short series of that one).

John

[Chuck]

Jellybean,

These were from a Latin American collector , shipped through the postal services to my home address. I was not even aware that they were coming, and FWS ended up with the bugs. They called me, I told then that I didn't know what most of the species were (true - these were un-IDed Hesperiidae that were supposed to be "very interesting"). In consultation with the agent, I filled out the 3-177 and emailed a copied to them.

Three things to note
- these bugs had all their paperwork to legally export from Peru included in the shipment.
- If I had known they were being shipped, I would have filled out a 3-177 in advance, sent a copy to FWS in Miami and to the shipper, and it would have been on file on both ends.
- No commercial value. These are little brown bugs (for the most part) and that will end up in my holdings. They included 5 "new to me" species and one that is probably a new species (I already had a short series of that one).

John

I believe the line-item requirement depends on the recipient and the USFWS inspector. I had one inspector go nuts because I had done as John did, lumping unknown Hesperidae on one line, unknown Lycaenidae on another, etc. Things got settled out once I explained that they weren't described individually at the species level on each line because quite simply, it would take years of research to figure out if they were known taxa or not; he calmed down and let it through but warned me that subsequent importations had to ID down to the species, per line. YMMV.

[daffodildeb]

Sorry I haven't responded to your comments. I didn't get notice that anyone had replied, even though it was supposedly in my settings. My experience with FWS before I let my permit lapse some 12 years ago was essentially the same as "Jshuey." I got assorted butterflies and moths, of a bunch of different species, and the Dallas inspector I dealt with essentially cleared them under a VS (for Various Species) label. Then he retired, and the next Dallas inspector wouldn't do it that way beyond the first time with him, which was when I heard "my guy" had retired. Then the broker nonsense started, which added a few hundred dollars to my costs, and I gave up importing. Apparently a broker isn't needed now? I still haven't heard anything from the ATL office. Yes, Chuck, I read the regulations, but they're clear as mud. Judging by the responses in this thread, I'm not the only one who has had imports cleared in a variety of ways! (I am no longer in Dallas' jurisdiction, having moved out of Texas a decade ago.)

I'm still confused. I had one friend in Florida tell me he imports all the time, no permit, and no declarations. He hasn't been caught...yet.

[lepman1256]

Dealing with what I thought was, and has been cleared, shipment. New officer is picking apart the declaration form for minor omissions on it. Also wants pictures of invoices, labels, waybills(regular and house), and have them all in pdf form. All was supplied on the initial clearance, so it basically is double the work. It needs getting done as no other shipments can be inspected/cleared until this is at "accepted" status. Gotta love the USFW.