I hope you will keep it public ... I would love to see the discussion as well.

Tom - may I be so bold to ask ... do you have the permanent residency? I read your last post, and looked at it again recently regarding you carrying in your TV.

I bought one last fall - only a 20" ... I was all packed up with 5 checked cases so there was no space to pack or check it then. When I got home in December, my son had pitched the box. For my flight next week, I could not fit it into a normal size carry on, so I am attempting to bring it in a 'slightly larger size' carry on case.

my question is ... how do you approach the $500.00 entry allowance? As a returning non-Jamaican resident? with proof of your land ownership, home building? with a TRN or Jamaican Drivers License? or as a long term visitor / building a home?

I am not married (and I am not paying the fees for permanent residency) - our land is paid for, but the title & deed are not issued to us yet - (convoluted details). Our home is nearly finished being built - I have a TRN and Jamaican Drivers License.

Customs can be so random - I have had to pay duty on the craziest items; and when I arrived in September with my mountain of overweight cases and explained the circumstances surrounding my long time stay - they waved me thru and did not even have me open a case. I pray for the same thing this time!

but - I would LOVE to figure out the barrel shipping thing from here in Minneapolis.