Photographic equipment, travel, customs and camera buying abroad

The bags are packed and the next holiday is imminent. The joy is great, you will eventually recover and discover many new designs and photographs. You may be lurking in anticipation of some unpleasant surprises for the traveler with camera equipment. In the following, I would like to give some tips on how to save yourself as a photographer on vacation from a lot of stress and anger and so can devote yourself to relaxed travel photography classes.

Before leaving on vacation

 

Prior to photo equipment in the aircraft, you should already have thought at the re-entry to Germany, especially if you are planning a trip to the U.S. or Asia. The re-entry to Germany may lead to the German Customs to suspect that you have purchased its top quality photo equipment abroad and have acquired the camera equipment cheaper.


 The law actually likes to prove that as a photographer, one has the duty to buy his camera equipment in Germany, or even  import legally registered and taxed ones. One cannot prove this on the spot at the customs check There is a suspicion of smuggling, which means in consequence that the entire photo equipment is seized. It is needed to provide the proof of purchase in Germany. In this situation on the ground, this means the camera equipment may be confiscated. You have to go home, get all the bills, go back to the airport to submit the bills to get the camera equipment back.

In order to prove to the customs that you have acquired this photographic equipment in Germany, there are the following possibilities:

Invoices / Better: copies of invoices

 

You can carry all the statements of the individual components of his photographic equipment and submit when required. However, this is not useful, because in the event that one is robbed, invoices are also lost. The consequence may be that you get problems with the camera insurance, if required by the bills to settle claims. Moreover, the thief of the bills in your hand can claim that he has purchased the camera for sale, along with the bills.

It is better to carry copies of the invoices. These are probably recognized by the customs.

However, it is extremely annoying to carry a stack of invoices and invoice copies, even more so in a more extensive photographic equipment .

Simplified identity

 

The elegant variation is somewhat time consuming. The simpler identity issues is for each customs authority. It proves that one has bought his camera equipment in Germany. The photo equipment and all invoices may be taken to the next customs office at the airport by customs officials to spot a simplified of identity issue. This is free.

In order to facilitate the customs officials to work faster and to have a simplified identity, it is recommended to create a list of all photographic equipment with serial numbers that can be attached to the form of customs officials. (The form is very small) 

The advantage is that you must carry only one piece of paper with it. The disadvantage of the simplified identity is that it has a limited validity and, are therefore in principle, issued before each journey to the non-European countries.