9806.00.35 - Upon 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 visit

HTS code 9806.00.35 specifically covers personal effects and equipment intended for use by foreign residents participating in short-duration goodwill visits to the United States. These visits are characterized by participation in patriotic celebrations, festivals, or other events of public interest. A critical condition for classification under this provision is the express intent and subsequent action of exporting or destroying these items upon the conclusion of the visit, as formally requested by the Department of State.

This classification is highly specific and distinct from the vast majority of other HTS categories, which generally deal with commercial goods for sale or consumption. Unlike sibling categories at the root level of the HTS database, such as live animals (Chapters 0101-0105) or raw materials, 9806.00.35 is not defined by the inherent nature or material of the goods but rather by their temporary status, purpose, and the specific governmental request for their admission. It falls under Section XXII, which houses special classification provisions, including temporary legislation and specific provisions for temporary duty-free imports.

As this code is a leaf node, there are no further subdivisions. Classification under 9806.00.35 hinges entirely on meeting the stringent criteria related to the visitor's status (foreign residents on goodwill visits), the nature of their participation (patriotic celebrations, public interest events), the duration of their stay (short), and the explicit requirement for their re-exportation or destruction. Without an official request from the Department of State and adherence to the temporary use and disposition rules, items would be classified under their appropriate commercial HTS codes.