On July 30, 2008 President George Bush signed into law the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act. This act restricts the import of precious Burmese gems and stones. Burmese-origin jadeite and ruby, including those which have undergone “substantial transformation” elsewhere, are banned from coming into the U.S.
All importers are required to maintain records relating to each transaction in ruby and/or jadeite for five years from the date of import. These records must include an Exporters Certification obtained from the vendor.
Vendor Requirements
Exporters are required to provide a certification to Customs Border Patrol upon entry into the U.S. The declaration must include:
- The country from which the jadeite or ruby was sourced
- The mine and point of extraction
- Notate on the invoice a responsible employee who is knowledgeable about the transaction
Any format is acceptable. For an example of acceptable language, please refer to the following link: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-23233.pdf