CITES Question On Imorting from Japan

[Papajuice]

Looking to buy a guitar from Ishibashi music in Japan. They said they would fill out the correct forms fro shipping a guitar from Japan to the US. But I would need to check on what has to be done on my end. I looked at the CITES website but got lost in it. Have any of you recently imported from Japan since the CITES agreement has changed recently. And if point me in the direction I need to go.

 

[Jayyj]

Technically the rules haven't changed yet - they do so on Tuesday - so the only people I know who have done it are large scale importers with shipments due in the new year.

If you were in Europe I believe you need a copy of the export permit from Ishibashi first, then you apply for an import permit. Even within the EU different countries seem to have different requirements (Spain and Germany look stricter than the UK) so not sure if that's the case for the US. I've been similarly baffled by the forms for UK import which I guess are going to be similar to US ones and if I have to do one I'll probably end up phoning and trying to get someone to talk me through it rather than tackle the form on my own.

 

[Jayyj]

This is a useful guide to the new law by a timber supply company, specific to Spain but a lot of it will be universal.

http://www.madinter.com/cites