Except for the types of merchandise listed below which may be entered on the forms indicated, merchandise to be entered informally must be entered on a CBP Form 368 or 368A, (serially numbered) or CBP Form 7501, or its electronic equivalent or, if authorized by the Center director, upon the presentation of a commercial invoice which contains the following declaration, signed by the importer or his agent:

(a) Articles in passengers' baggage which may be cleared on a baggage declaration in accordance with subpart B of part 148 of this chapter;

(b) Products of the United States being returned for which clearance on CBP Form 3311, or its electronic equivalent, is prescribed by §10.1 of this chapter;

(c) Personal effects and tools of trade for which clearance on CBP Form 3299, or its electronic equivalent, is prescribed by §148.6 of this chapter; and

(d) Shipments not exceeding $2,500 in value (except for articles valued in excess of $250 classified in Chapter 99, Subchapter III and IV, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States) which are either (1) unconditionally free of duty and not subject to any quota or internal revenue tax, or (2) conditionally free (other than shipments of merchandise provided for in paragraph (g) of this section) and all conditions for free entry are met at the time of entry, which may be released upon the filing by the importer on CBP Form 7523, in duplicate, supported by evidence of the right to make entry.

(e) Merchandise for which informal entry may be made on a different form as prescribed elsewhere in this chapter.

(f) Merchandise released under the immediate delivery procedure or the entry documentation required by §142.3(a), and entry is made on CBP Form 7501, or its electronic equivalent annotated “Informal Entry” in the upper right hand corner.

(g) Merchandise, regardless of value, which is imported for noncommercial purposes, which qualifies for entry free of duty under the Generalized System of Preferences (see §§10.171 through 10.178 of this chapter), and for which informal entry may be made on CBP Form 7523, in duplicate.

(h) Products of the United States being returned for which informal entry is permitted by §143.21(j) may be cleared as follows:

(1) For products of the United States returned for the purposes of repair or alteration prior to reexportation. CBP Form 3311, or its electronic equivalent, will serve as informal entry.

(2) For products of the United States after having been either rejected or returned by the foreign purchaser for credit, CBP Form 7501, or its electronic equivalent, annotated “informal entry” in the upper right hand corner, and CBP Form 3311, or its electronic equivalent, will serve as informal entry.

(i) A shipment of merchandise not exceeding $2,500 in value which is imported by an express consignment operator or carrier and which meets the requirements in §128.24 of this chapter may be entered as provided in that section.

(j) Except for mail importations (see §§145.31 and 145.32 of this chapter), or in the case of personal written or oral declarations (see §§148.12, 148.13, and 148.62 of this chapter), ashipment of merchandise that qualifies for informal entry under 19 U.S.C. 1498 may be entered, including the information listed in paragraph (k) of this section, by presenting the bill of lading or a manifest listing each bill of lading when:

(1) The value of the shipment does not exceed $100 in the case of a bona fide gift from a person in a foreign country to a person in the United States and the shipment meets the requirements in §10.152 of this chapter (see §10.152 of this chapter);

(2) The value of the shipment does not exceed $200 in the case of articles (including bona fide gifts) from the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa and the shipment meets the requirements in §10.152 of this chapter (see §10.152 of this chapter); or

(3) The value of the shipment does not exceed $800 and the shipment satisfies the requirements in §10.151 of this chapter (see §§10.151 and 128.24(e) of this chapter).

(k) The following information is required to be filed as a part of entry made under paragraph (j) of this section:

(1) Country of origin of the merchandise;

(2) Shipper name, address and country;

(3) Ultimate consignee name and address;

(4) Specific description of the merchandise;

(5) Quantity;

(6) Shipping weight; and

(7) Value.

[T.D. 73-175, 38 FR 17463, July 2, 1973]