Visitors report having their binoculars seized by Nicaraguan Customs (Aduanas).
Travelling to Nicaragua with your Binoculars to watch some of the hundreds of different types of birds that live or visit here should be one of the more innocent recreational pastimes for any tourist. Winter in Canada and the Unites States means a mass migration of birds to countries such as Nicaragua.
However, several visitors have recently reported having their binoculars seized by Nicaraguan Customs (Aduanas) which then generated visits to various police and customs offices as well as paperwork, permits and extra costs to get them released for use.
It’s a Catch 22 situation insofar as you cannot obtain the National Police permit before your arrival, however, once you arrive with your binoculars you are subjected to the red tape and fees for one of two avenues.
1) Obtain a permit from the National Police so that you can use your binoculars during your stay.
2) Give up with the permit process and pay “storage fees” for customs when you pick up the binoculars as you leave. Some visitors have paid US$ 2 per day to have their property released after it was retained.
If your binoculars are seized by customs and you wish to use them, you will have to go the National Police at Plaza el Sol and hand them a letter explaining what you will be using your binoculars for. At that point you will be given method of contact for the person who will have either approved or denied their use. You then have to return to Plaza El Sol, pick up your approval and take it to customs at the airport to collect your binoculars.
According to one of the tourists who did pursue the process to obtain permission, it’s not just binoculars. When he attended at the Directorate for the Registration and Control of Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives (DAEM) at the National Police in Plaza El Sol, Managua, he was told it was also monoculars as well as large photographic camera lenses.
The DAEM, has final authority over this issue as the organization responsible for administering Law 510 – The Special Law for the Control and Regulation of Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and other related materials.
USEFULL NOTES;
Nicaraguan Customs (Aduanas) does not apply import charges or duties to certain items being brought into the country for temporary personal or professional use. However, from time to time you will see reports on social media that certain equipment has been confiscated.
In the case of binoculars, if you don’t pursue the permit process, there should be no duty or taxes on top of the storage as you did not import anything.
If you do obtain a permit, the binoculars will be recorded against your name and passport details so make sure you have them handy when you leave as Aduanas may want to confirm you left the country with them.
As with any new or even used items you are trying to bring though customs, it’s a good idea to have your original invoice with you to prove the value of the product.
See also a previous Nica-Biz article titled; Customs – Nicaragua’s Self Declaration Form
