Baggage and effects of the following persons who are aliens
11 declarable lines
Heading 9806 covers baggage and personal effects of aliens in specific diplomatic, international organization, foreign military, distinguished visitor and treaty or statute based categories. It is split by the status of the person or group, and many lines require a request from the Department of State. All listed declarable lines carry a general (MFN) rate of Free.
Products in this heading
- Household effects and baggage of accredited ambassadors and their families
- Personal effects of foreign military members on duty in the United States
- Diplomatic courier pouches and documents
- Equipment of foreign goodwill visit delegations
- Personal effects of employees of designated public international organizations
- Baggage of distinguished foreign visitors designated by the Department of State
- Personal effects of servants and suite members accompanying diplomats
How to choose the right subheading
- Identify the person's status: diplomat, diplomatic courier, public international organization employee, foreign armed forces member, distinguished visitor, or treaty or statute designee.
- Check whether the line requires a request from the Department of State.
- Determine whether the goods are personal effects, baggage, or equipment of a goodwill visit delegation.
- Confirm whether family members, suites, or servants are included with the principal person.
- Match the specific person or group to the declarable line rather than using a general traveler provision.
Often confused with
- Heading 9816Ordinary traveler personal or household effects and gifts within the traveler allowance
Traveler allowance provision, not a status based diplomatic or foreign government provision.
- Heading 9804General articles imported by a person arriving in the United States from a foreign country
Covers arriving person importations generally, not the specific 9806 categories.
- Heading 9805Personal and household effects of a returning US government employee
Applies to US government service returns, not foreign aliens.
- Heading 9809Public documents issued by a foreign government
Separate provision for public documents rather than baggage and effects.
- Heading 9808Articles for the use of a US government agency
Covers US agency use, not baggage or effects of foreign persons.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HTS code for diplomatic courier baggage?
Diplomatic couriers of foreign governments are classified under 9806.00.10, with a general (MFN) rate of Free.
What is the duty on personal effects of foreign armed forces members on duty in the United States?
Personal effects of foreign armed forces members on duty and their immediate families are classified under 9806.00.20, with a general (MFN) rate of Free.
How do I classify equipment of a foreign goodwill visit delegation?
Personal effects and equipment of foreign goodwill visit groups or delegations are classified under 9806.00.35, with a general (MFN) rate of Free, when the Department of State makes the request.
Guide written from the official schedule text. Rates quoted are general (MFN) rates; check the line page for trade agreement rates and the classification of your exact product.
All lines in heading 9806
- 9806.00.05Upon the request of the Department of State, ambassadors, ministers, charge d'affaires, secretaries, counselors, attaches and other representatives, officers and employees of foreign governments, accredited to the United States or en route to or from other countries to which accredited, and their immediate families, suites and servantsFree
- 9806.00.10Upon the request of the Department of State, diplomatic couriers of foreign governmentsFree
- 9806.00.15Upon the request of the Department of State, representatives of foreign governments in or to, and officers and employees of, organizations designated by the President of the United States as public international organizations pursuant to section 1 of the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288), and their immediate families, suites and servantsFree
- 9806.00.20Persons on duty in the United States as members of the armed forces of any foreign country and their immediate familiesFree
- 9806.00.25Upon the request of the Department of State, persons designated by the Department of State as high officials of foreign governments or distinguished foreign visitors and their immediate familiesFree
- 9806.00.30Upon the request of the Department of State, persons designated pursuant to statute or pursuant to treaties ratified by the United States SenateFree
- 9806.00.35Upon the request of the Department of State, personal effects and equipment of groups or delegations of foreign residents arriving in the United States on goodwill visits of short duration to participate in patriotic celebrations, festivals and other demonstrations of public interest and which will be exported or destroyed at the conclusion of the visitFree
- 9806.00.40Upon the request of the Department of State, ambassadors, ministers, charge d'affaires, secretaries, counselors and attaches of foreign embassies and legationsFree
- 9806.00.45Members of the armed forces of any foreign countryFree
- 9806.00.50Upon the request of the Department of State, other representatives, officers and employees of foreign governmentsFree
- 9806.00.55Upon the request of the Department of State, persons designated pursuant to statute or pursuant to treaties ratified by the United States SenateFree