Hi-does anyone know if the one time duty free shipment of household stuff for new residents can apply to new furnishings from Curacao rather than older stuff from US? Unfortunately, we are hearing that there is no longer a place to get good bedding, etc. on Bonaire and we would rather not bring US stuff unless there is no other choice. If not, does anyone know if cargo can leave the US from another port in Florida other than from Miami?-we are awfully far from Miami...is Jacksonville an option? How long is this "free" period?-one year from residency approval? thanks much..

New furnishings purchased in Curacao would not incur any duties since we are in the same country. Keep all your receipts since they check these. Duties were already paid on the furniture by the importing company. Don Andres does the shipping between the islands. We simply arranged with the mattress company to deliver it to the dock for a small delivery fee. We also purchased things from the Costco, Kooyman's, and such the same way. You pay tax at the time of purchase. So you end up paying a shipping fee but no additional taxes or duties.

Cargo leaves from Miami because that is where the ship docks not due to any exporting restrictions.

The "free period" is one year from residency approval.

Linda,

There is a Costco on Curacao? What other big name stores are on the island? I don't want to be lugging things down when I can go to Curacao and get them! Thanks!

Liz

Unfortunately if you only visit Curacao your luggage allowance drops from 70 lbs per bag and you get 2 bags (140 lbs) to 44 lbs total. You can pay by the kilo for extra baggage. So we tend not to do warehouse type shopping runs to Curacao since it is not very cost effective. However buying larger things or bigger order of things like patio furniture, beds, dressers, filing cabinets, office furniture, etc. all seems to be worth while in terms of final costs. I don't know of any real chains other than restaurants. They have some real sized supermarkets and a multiplex movie theater.

I don't think there was ever a place to get good bedding on Bonaire, and there certainly isn't now. Even after 14 years here, I still import my own (Lands' End ships to Amcar in Miami, just got 3 new pillows). There are some warehouse type stores in Curacao, "Cost-U-Less" and "Goisco" are Costco/Sam's club imitators, with a good selection FOR HERE. I heard recently that a Wal-Mart will be opening there, but I consider that still a rumor, and still a place I would not buy bedding. And you have to figure in: flying to Curacao, renting a car, finding the places, buying the stuff, boxing it & getting it to the Don Andres office in Curacao (I don't think Cost-U-Less, delivers there, but I may be wrong-I haven't bulk shopped there for awhile). Two years ago I imported all new office furniture from Office Depot (they too ship to Amcar, as do most on-line sites); it ended up costing about the same, or less than what I could find in Curacao, and I got exactly what I wanted, not what was on the showroom floor in Cur.

A lot too will depend upon your taste--unless you're familiar with the types of funiture, etc, available on Curacao, you might be either thrilled or really disappointed. Cost-U-Less has some laminated and pine items (shelves, desks, futons), that I'd put in a kid's room, but not in a living room. At other places, like Plantation Furniture, I've seen a fantastic dining room table, but it was over $5,000 (w/o the chairs), and in still others, beautiful European styles that I'd want to velvet rope off.

If it were me, I'd definitely get my stuff to Amcar in Miami. U-Haul type places sell all sorts of furniture boxes you can do yourself too--that way you have control over your space. For example, you box a chair, but there's lots of space inside, between the legs, etc--you stuff that with your clothes, linens, small appliances, etc. If you have less than a full container load, Amcar has special rates that allow you to buy 20' worth of container space in a 40' container for a set price, avoiding the costs of an actual individual container of your own-which also involves loading fees, etc. Or you can buy as little or as much space as you need. Mercy at Amcar can help you out-her # is 305-599-8866.

Ok guys, let me tell you what I do. I haven't had a problem and it works great! You do have to pay the duty, but it is definitely worth it as the shipping is cheap.

I ordered all my bedding through Domestications. They are a bedding catalog and they ship to Bonaire. They ship for their standard shipping charges, nothing extra. It goes by regular mail and can take 3-5 weeks, but my last shipment charge which was a bed in a bag was only $12.95 US! Just be careful with drapes or curtains. Their duty is through the roof! You can find them at www.domestications.com Order on-line and it works great! I was very happy with their quality also.

Liz

I like Domestications too, though I keep on ordering things that end up backordered! The only things I'm not thrilled with are the sheets - even the 250 count sheets feel kind of rough to me. Of course, since the whole set costs the same as ONE sheet at Filenes or similar stores I can put up with a little roughness when I'm feeling less flush.

Ok, a quickie, if I ship things from Office Depot and say a Lands End, do they ALL have to come on the same shipment for my one year duty free holiday? Is the holiday for new items?? I need furniture, office stuff and much more..

Has anyone been to The Jungle in Curacao? There is NOTHING here. I found some just ok stuff at City Shop and offered to pay cash on 5 items. They said 3% discount (45,00)..whoopiee doo..I prefer to get better quality elsewhere. Curacao tips very welcome.

Your tax holiday is a one shipment deal - 1 container plus 1 car. All items must be used household goods which to my mind does include some basic office items like a file cabinet, a computer, etc. Nothing new comes in tax free. The car has to be owned for at least 6 months with proof (and you cannnot sell it on island for 3 years).

We did bring in some new stuff in our container but we packed it in separate boxes and provided a commercial invoice to customs.

There is an office store on the same street as The Jungle. I don't remember the name but it was there last year.