(a) Exemption. With the limitation on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products provided in paragraph (c) of this section, entry free of duty and tax under subheading 9805.00.50, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (19 U.S.C. 1202), may be accorded personal and household effects of:

(1) Any person in the service of the United States who returns to the United States upon the termination of assignment to extended duty at a post or station outside the Customs territory of the United States;

(2) Members of his family who have resided with him at such post or station and are returning upon the termination of his assignment; or

(3) Any person evacuated to the United States under Government orders or instructions.

(b) The term “personal effects” as used in subheading 9805.00.50, HTSUS, is not confined to that class of articles described in subheading 9804.00.20, HTSUS, nor is any period of use, such as prescribed by subheading 9804.00.05, HTSUS, applicable to household effects entered under subheading 9805.00.50, HTSUS. The privilege of free entry under subheading 9805.00.50, HTSUS, does not apply to:

(1) Articles imported for sale, or for the account of any person not specified in subheading 9805.00.50, HTSUS; or

(2) Articles which have not been in the direct personal possession of the claimant, or a member of his household, while abroad.

(c) Limitation on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. A total of not more than 4 liters of alcoholic beverages and not more than 100 cigars shall be accorded free entry under subheading 9805.00.50, HTSUS, subject to the conditions that:

(1) These articles accompany the person making the claim for free entry upon his arrival in the U.S.;

(2) Not more than 1 liter of any such alcoholic beverages shall have been distilled or otherwise manufactured and bottled in any place other than the United States or its possessions;

(3) Such individual has not concurrently claimed exemption as a returning resident under subheading 9804.00.65, 9804.00.70, or 9804.00.72, HTSUS; and

(4) Such person, if other than one in the service of the U.S., shall have attained the age of 21.

(d) Termination of assignment to extended duty. The requirement of subheading 9805.00.50, HTSUS that the person “returns to the United States upon the termination of assignment to extended duty” shall be considered met upon the necessary proof being submitted that any one of the following is applicable:

(1) The person is returning upon the termination of a tour of duty outside the Customs territory of the United States of at least 140 days' duration.

(2) The person is returning after the termination of an assignment under permanent change of station orders to duty at a post or station outside the Customs territory of the United States, regardless of the duration of the duty. A crewmember, including a member of a command, serving on a United States naval vessel when it departs from the United States on an intended deployment of 120 days or more outside the Customs territory of the United States and who continues to serve on the vessel until it returns to the United States may be considered as returning after the termination of an assignment of duty under permanent change of station orders.

(3) The person is returning to the United States upon the termination of a tour of duty at any time after leaving the United States for duty of not less than 140 days outside the Customs territory of the United States.

(4) The person, although not returning to the United States, is ordered by the Government agency involved from duty at a post or station outside the Customs territory of the United States to duty at another post or station outside the Customs territory of the United States necessitating the return to the United States of his personal and household effects.

[T.D. 73-27, 38 FR 2449, Jan. 26, 1973, as amended by T.D. 80-179, 45 FR 45580, July 7, 1980; T.D. 89-1, 53 FR 51265, Dec. 21, 1988; T.D. 97-75, 62 FR 46442, Sept. 3, 1997]