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I'm traveling to South Korea to visit my girlfriend living there (she's a Korean national). I plan to propose to her while I'm there. I have an engagement ring I paid around $4.5k for that I'll be bringing with me on my carry-on bag. The airline I'm taking states that anything over $800 in value needs to be declared and is subject to travel duties. When I look more into this, I'm seeing a lot of conflicting results. "Official" resources almost exclusively state that it's not typical to declare an engagement ring, but these resources seem to be assuming my girlfriend will be traveling to my destination with me, not that she resides in that destination. A lot of forum posts are mixed on the subject - many say don't and just wear it or put it on a chain as a necklace if it's too small, and others say it's almost destined to be confiscated by the destination country without being declared under any circumstances.

Obviously, the plan is that she'll say yes and accept the ring. It will stay on her person in South Korea after that, and I'll return home to the USA a couple weeks after. (Of course, there's always the chance I'm rejected and it stays on my person, possibly complicating the matter?) Does this change the answer? I know that as long as things come back with you then duties don't really apply.

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    Sounds like from a strict legal perspective you'll be importing the ring to RoK, so it would be lable for duties. Which may of course be $0, but probably not.
    – CMaster
    Commented yesterday
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    I suppose I will ask the prerequisite question that always is asked when travel intersects with romance: have you met this person physically before?
    – Obie 2.0
    Commented yesterday
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    Re: laptops, iPads, etc, and the mixed info you read, the big difference is whether the items you bring in will go back home with you (usually no taxes, but there may be complications) or not (usually taxes). Then the choice is whether to go legal or try to smuggle the ring in. Note that customs.go.kr/english/cm/cntnts/… states that you get a 30% discount on taxes if you make a voluntary declaration (and a 40% penalty if you don't and get caught).
    – jcaron
    Commented yesterday
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    This is unrelated to the question and you seem like a real straight shooter. Some of what you described is setting off the swindle alarms in my head. Just make sure this this relationship is for real before you make the flight to deliver 5k to this person. There are people out there just waiting to take advantage.
    – JustAnotherUser
    Commented 21 hours ago
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    Haha, I appreciate the concern you guys! It is indeed a legitimate relationship - been together for nearly 2 years, friends for many months prior, and met in person many times. We just happen to live half a world apart unfortunately. Given the info so far, the plan will likely be to get something cheap and use it in the interim while we decide what country we'll settle in.
    – Jacob Lockett
    Commented 17 hours ago

2 Answers 2

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Technically you are required to declare it and pay duty on it. If you planning on doing this, it will help if you bring the original bill or receipt for the ring.

In practice, the chances that you will get searched and the ring will raise any issue are slim indeed, unless there are special circumstances that may raise customs attention otherwise. Even if they find it, they have no real way of valuing it and you can always claim it's from a cracker jack box, especially if its not in some fancy packaging.

I am NOT recommending one course or the other, as this comes down to personal value systems and risk tolerance.

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    Now I'm wondering if the ring would fit on the OPs finger???
    – Peter M
    Commented yesterday
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    Rather than "it's from a cracker jack box" claiming "it's mine and I intend to take it home with me" is more plausible, and should prevent you needing to pay import tax.
    – DJClayworth
    Commented 22 hours ago
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    Seems like the same thing should (technically) be done for all engagement and wedding rings "imported" while being worn by a married person as well, no?
    – T.E.D.
    Commented 19 hours ago
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    @T.E.D. The presumption for things worn is almost always that they will be re-exported along with the person. In fact if you start trying to declare this kind of thing, customs officers will probably tell you to go away. Many people carry/wear a lot of valuable things when they travel, but it's usually only when it's going to be permanently imported that countries want it to be declared.
    – MJeffryes
    Commented 19 hours ago
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    @MJeffryes - So the solution is (as Peter M says) to fly with the engagement ring on OP's pinky?
    – T.E.D.
    Commented 19 hours ago
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As a general rule if you take an item with you and bring it home again you don't have to pay any duties. For personal belongings this is normally done on the honour system. For high value commercial goods there will be formal paperwork to do and potentially deposits to pay in case you don't re-export the goods.

On the other hand, if the item will remain in the destination country you generally are legally required to pay duties. There are usually exceptions for low value items intended either for personal use or as gifts but your ring is valuable enough that those are unlikely to apply in most places (I haven't checked Korea specifically).

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  • Depending on the item. There are certain limits that vary from country to country.
    – akostadinov
    Commented 16 hours ago
  • Yeah, there are usually exceptions for low value items for personal consumption or for gifts, but the OPs ring is likely above those for most countries.
    – Peter Green
    Commented 12 hours ago

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