Summary
In the Caribbean, travelers can find duty-free shops at almost any airport, but certain island destinations and ports are also famous for their concentration of duty-free shopping. At these locations, travelers can find jewelry, watches, perfume, liquor, and other goods at a deep discount—25 to 40 percent in many cases. Citizens from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Europe and elsewhere may bring a limited quantity of goods home tax-free when traveling to the Caribbean.
However, there are rules that travelers are expected to follow regarding their purchases, particularly concerning the allowable spending on duty-free items. Below, you can find information about the duty-free regulations and restrictions for different international citizens traveling to the Caribbean. Duty-free shops typically require you to present your passport and/or plane ticket to make a purchase.
Duty-Free Rules for U.S. Citizens
U.S. citizens who have been out of the country for a minimum of 48 hours and have not used their respective duty-free allowance within 30 days generally are entitled to a duty-free tax exemption in the Caribbean. Moreover, families traveling together can pool their exemptions.
Alcohol: The duty-free allowance for U.S. citizens age 21 and over is two liters. For travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands, the exemption is even greater. Special rules also apply to purchases that you mail home rather than carry back with you.
Duty-Free Rules for Canadian Citizens
Canadian citizens who have been out of the country for a minimum of 7 days are entitled to a duty-free exemption. They are also permitted a duty-free exemption each time they are out of the country for more than 48 hours. However, exemptions cannot be pooled with a spouse and/or children.
Alcohol: The duty-free allowance for Canadian citizens who meet the legal age of the province they re-enter is 40 ounces of liquor, 1.5 liters of wine, or two dozen 12-ounce cans of beer, the value of which must be included within the yearly or quarterly exemption.
Tobacco: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars can be brought back duty-free.
Duty-Free Rules for U.K. Citizens
U.K. citizens can return home with 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250g of tobacco; 4 liters of still table wine; 1 liter of spirits or strong liquor over 22% volume; or 2 liters of fortified wine, sparkling wine or other liqueurs; 16 liters of beer; and 60cc/ml of perfume. Consequently, you can ‘mix and match’ products within the alcohol category and the tobacco category, provided you do not exceed your total allowance. For example, you could bring in 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars, which is 50 percent of your cigarette allowance and 50 percent of your cigar allowance.
Duty-Free Rules for EU Residents
European Union residents can bring home up to 430 Euros worth of goods, including up to four liters of wine and 16 liters of beer.
