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Introduction
The U.S. Customs Service is America's frontline against the smuggling of drugs and other prohibited goods. Customs
has discovered large amounts of drugs in baggage, vehicles, and on passengers themselves.
When you return to the United States, we will treat
you in a courteous, professional manner. We realize that very few travelers actually violate the law, but we may
still need to examine your baggage or your vehicle, which, by law, we are allowed to do. We may ask you about your
citizenship, your trip, and about anything you are bringing back to the United States that you did not have with
you when you left.
If you need help clearing Customs, please do not
hesitate to ask the Customs inspector for assistance.
"Duty" and "dutiable" are words
you will find frequently throughout this brochure: Duty is the amount of money you pay on items coming from another
country. It is similar to a tax, except that duty is collected only on imported goods. Dutiable
describes items on which duty may have to be paid. Most items have specific duty rates, which are determined by
a number of factors, including where you got the item, where it was made, and what it is made of.
To "declare" means to tell the Customs
officer about anything you're bringing back that you did not have when you left the United States. For example,
you would declare alterations made in a foreign country to a suit you already owned,
and you would declare any gifts you acquired overseas.
When You Return to the United States
When you come back, you'll need to declare everything you brought back that you did not take with you when you
left the United States. If you are traveling by air or sea, you may be asked to fill out a Customs declaration
form. This form is almost always provided by the airline or cruise ship. You will probably find it easier and faster
to fill out your declaration form and clear Customs if you do the following:
Keep your sales slips! As you read this brochure,
you'll understand why this is especially important
for international travelers.
Try to pack the things you'll need to declare
separately.
Read the signs in the Customs area. They contain
helpful information about how to clear Customs.
Be aware that under U.S. law, Customs inspectors are authorized to examine luggage, cargo, and travelers. Under
the search authority granted to Customs by the U.S. Congress, every passenger who crosses a U.S. border may be
searched. To stop the flow of illegal drugs and other contraband into our country, we need your cooperation. If
you are one of the very few travelers selected for a search, you will be treated in a courteous, professional,
and dignified manner. If you are searched and you believe that you were not treated
in such a manner, or if you have any concerns about the search for any reason whatsoever, we want to hear from you.
What You Must Declare
Items you purchased and are carrying with you upon return to the United States.
Items you received as gifts, such as wedding or birthday presents.
Items you inherited.
Items you bought in duty-free shops or on the ship or plane.
Repairs or alterations to any items you took abroad and then brought back, even if the repairs/alterations were
performed free of charge.
Items you brought home for someone else.
Items you intend to sell or use in your business.
Items you acquired (whether purchased or received as gifts) in the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, or
in a Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act country that are not in your possession when you return. In other words,
if you acquired things in any of these island nations and asked the merchant to send them to you, you must still
declare them when you go through Customs.
You must state on the Customs declaration, in United States currency, what you actually paid for each item. The
price must include all taxes. If you did not buy the item yourself - for example, if it is a gift - get an estimate
of its fair retail value in the country where you received it. If you bought something on your trip and wore or
used it on the trip, it's still dutiable. You must declare the item at the price you paid or, if it was a gift,
at its fair market value.
Family members who live in the same home and return together to the United States may combine their personal exemptions.
This is called a joint declaration. For example, if Mr. and Mrs. Smith travel overseas and
Mrs. Smith brings home a $600 piece of glassware, and Mr. Smith buys $200 worth of clothing, they can combine their
$400 exemptions on a joint declaration and not have to pay duty.
Children and infants are allowed the same exemption
as adults, except for alcoholic beverages.
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Register Items Before You Leave the United States
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If your laptop computer was made in Japan - for instance - you might have to pay duty on it each time you brought
it back into the United States, unless you could prove that you owned it before you left on your trip. Documents
that fully describe the item - for example, sales receipts, insurance policies, or jeweler's appraisals - are acceptable
forms of proof.
To make things easier, you can register certain
items with Customs before you depart - including watches, cameras, laptop computers, firearms, and tape recorders
- as long as they have serial numbers or other unique, permanent markings. Take the items to the nearest Customs
Office and request a Certificate of Registration (Customs
Form 4457). It shows Customs that you had
the items with you before leaving the U.S. and all items listed on it will be allowed duty-free entry. Customs
inspectors must see the item you are registering in order to certify the certificate of registration. You can register
items with Customs at the international airport from which you're departing. Keep the certificate for future trips.
Duty-free Exemption
The duty-free exemption, also called the personal
exemption, is the total value of merchandise
you may bring back to the United States without having to pay duty. You may bring back more than your exemption,
but you will have to pay duty on it. In most cases, the personal exemption is $400, but there are some exceptions
to this rule, which are explained below.
Depending on the countries you have visited, your
personal exemption will be $400, $600, or $1,200. (The differences are explained in the following section.) There
are also limits on the amount of alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products you may include
in your duty-free personal exemption.
The duty-free exemptions ($400, $600, or $1,200)
apply if:
The items are for your personal or household use.
They are in your possession (that is, they accompany you) when you return to the United States. Items to be sent
later may not be included in your $400 duty-free exemption.
They are declared to Customs. If you do not declare something that should have been declared, you risk forfeiting
it. If in doubt, declare it.
You are returning from an overseas stay of at least 48 hours. For example, if you leave the United States at 1:30
p.m. on June 1, you would complete the 48-hour period at 1:30 p.m. on June 3. This time limit does not apply if
you are returning from Mexico or from the U.S. Virgin Islands.
You have not used your exemption, or any part of it, in the past 30 days. If you use part of your exemption - for
example, if you go to England and bring back $150 worth of items - you must wait another 30 days before you are
allowed another $400 exemption. (However, see the section on the $200 exemption.)
The items are not prohibited or restricted as discussed in the section on Prohibited and Restricted Items. Note
the embargo prohibitions on products of Cuba.
If you can't claim other exemptions because you've been out of the country more than once in a 30-day period or
because you haven't been out of the country for at least 48 hours, you may still bring back $200 worth of items
free of duty and tax. As with the exemptions discussed earlier, these items must be for your personal or household
use.
Each traveler is allowed this $200 exemption, but,
unlike the other exemptions, family members may not group their exemptions. Thus, if Mr. and Mrs. Smith spend a
night in Canada, each may bring back up to $200 worth of goods, but they would not be allowed a collective family
exemption of $400.
Also, if you bring back more than $200 worth of
dutiable items, or if any item is subject to duty or tax, the entire amount will be dutiable. Let's say you were
out of the country for 36 hours and came back with a $300 piece of pottery. You could not deduct $200 from its
value and pay duty on $100. The pottery would be dutiable for the full value of $300.
You may include with the $200 exemption your choice
of the following: 50 cigarettes and 10 cigars and 150 milliliters (5 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages or
150 milliliters (5 fl. oz.) of perfume containing alcohol.
If you are returning from anywhere other
than a Caribbean Basin country or a U.S. insular possession (U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam), you
may bring back $400 worth of items duty-free, as long as you bring them with you (this is called accompanied baggage).
Duty on items you mail home to yourself will be
waived if the value is $200 or less. (See sections on "Gifts" and "Sending Goods to the United States.")
Antiques that are at least 100 years old and fine art may enter duty-free, but folk art and handicrafts are generally
dutiable.
This means that, depending on what items you're
bringing back from your trip, you could come home with more than $400 worth of gifts or purchases and still not
be charged duty. For instance, say you received a $300 bracelet as a gift, and you bought a $40 hat and a $60 color
print. Because these items total $400, you would not be charged duty, because you have not exceeded your duty-free
exemption. If you had also bought a $500 painting on that trip, you could bring all $900 worth of merchandise home
without having to pay duty, because fine art is duty-free.
Tobacco Products: Passengers/travelers may import previously exported tobacco products only in quantities
not exceeding the amounts specified in exemptions for which the traveler qualifies. Any quantities of previously
exported tobacco products not permitted by an exemption will be seized and destroyed. These items are typically
purchased in duty-free stores, on carriers operating internationally, or in foreign stores. These items are usually
marked "Tax Exempt. For Use Outside the U.S.," or "U.S. Tax Exempt For Use Outside the U.S."
For example, a returning resident is eligible for
the $400 exemption, which includes not
more than 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars. If the resident declares 400 previously exported cigarettes,
the resident would be permitted 200 cigarettes, tax-free under the exemption and the remaining 200 previously exported
cigarettes would be confiscated. If the resident declares 400 cigarettes, of which 200 are previously exported
and 200 not previously exported, the resident would be permitted to import the 200 previously exported cigarettes
tax free under the exemption and the resident would be charged duty and tax on the remaining 200 not previously
exported cigarettes.
The tobacco exemption is available to each person.
Tobacco products of Cuban origin, however, are prohibited unless you actually acquired them in Cuba and are returning
directly or indirectly from that country on licensed travel. You may not, for example, bring in Cuban cigars purchased
in Canada. Persons returning from Cuba may bring into the U.S. no more than $100 worth of goods.
Alcoholic Beverages: One liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages may be included
in your exemption if:
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It is for your own use or as a
gift. |
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It does not violate the laws of
the state in which you arrive. |
Federal
regulations allow you to bring back more than one liter of alcoholic beverage for
personal use, but, as with extra tobacco, you will have to pay duty
and Internal Revenue
Service tax.
While
federal regulations do not specify a limit on the amount of alcohol you may bring back
for personal use, unusual quantities are liable to raise suspicions
that you are importing the alcohol for other purposes, such as for resale.
Customs officers are authorized by Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) make on-the-spot determinations
that an importation is for commercial purposes, and may require you to obtain a permit to import the alcohol beforereleasing
it to you. If you intend to bring back a substantial quantity of alcohol for your personal use you should contact
the Customs port you will be re-entering the country through, and make prior arrangements for entering the alcohol
into the U.S.
Having said that, you should be aware that State
laws may limit the amount of alcohol you can bring in without a license. If you arrive in
a state that has limitations on the amount of alcohol you may bring in without a license, that state law will be
enforced by Customs, even though it may be more restrictive then Federal regulations. We recommend that you check
with the state government before you go abroad about their limitations on quantities allowed for personal importation
and additional state taxes that might apply.
In brief, for both alcohol and tobacco, the quantities
discussed in this booklet as being eligible for duty-free treatment may be included in your $400 (or $600 or $1,200)
exemption, just as any other purchase would be. But unlike other kinds of merchandise, amounts beyond those discussed
here as being duty-free are taxed, even if you have not exceeded, or even met, your personal exemption. For example,
if your exemption is $400 and you bring back three liters of wine and nothing else, two of those liters will be
dutiable. Federal law prohibits shipping alcoholic beverages by mail within the United States.
If you are returning directly from any one of the following 24 Caribbean Basin countries, your customs exemption
is $600:
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| Aruba |
Grenada |
Panama |
| Bahamas |
Guatemala |
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| Barbados |
Guyana |
Saint Lucia |
| Belize |
Haiti |
Saint Vincent/Grenadines |
| British Virgin Islands |
Honduras |
Trinidad and Tobago |
| Costa Rica |
Jamaica |
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| Dominica |
Montserrat |
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| Dominican Republic |
Netherlands, Antilles |
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You may include two liters of alcoholic beverages
with this $600 exemption, as long as one of the liters was produced in one of the countries listed above (see section on Unaccompanied Purchases from Insular Possessions
and Caribbean Basin Countries).
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Travel to More Than One Country |
If you travel to a U.S. possession and to one or more
of the Caribbean countries listed above (for example, on a Caribbean cruise), you may bring back $1,200 worth of
items without paying duty. But only $600 worth of these items may come from the Caribbean country(ies); any amount
beyond $600 will be dutiable unless you acquired it in one of the insular possessions.
For example, if you were to travel to the U.S.
Virgin Islands and Jamaica, you would be allowed to bring back $1,200 worth of merchandise duty-free, as long as
only $600 worth was acquired in Jamaica. (Keeping track of where your purchases occurred and having the receipts
ready to show the Customs inspectors will help speed your clearing Customs.)
If you travel to any of the Caribbean countries
listed above and to countries where the standard personal exemption of $400 applies - for example, a South American
or European country - up to $400 worth of merchandise may come from the non-Caribbean country. For instance, if
you travel to Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago, your exemption is $600, only $400 of which may have been acquired
in Venezuela.
If you return directly or indirectly from a U.S. insular possession (U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam),
you are allowed a $1,200 duty-free exemption. You may include 1,000 cigarettes as part of this exemption, but at
least 800 of them must have been acquired in an insular possession. Only 200 cigarettes may have been acquired
elsewhere. For example, if you were touring the South Pacific and you stopped in Tahiti, American Samoa, and other
ports of call, you could bring back five cartons of cigarettes, but four of them would have to have been bought
in American Samoa.
Similarly, you may include five liters of alcoholic
beverages in your duty-free exemption, but one of them must be a product of an insular possession. Four may be
products of other countries (see section on Unaccompanied Purchases from Insular Possessions and Caribbean Basin
Countries).
Gifts you bring back from a trip abroad are considered to be for your personal use. They must
be declared, but you may include them in your personal exemption. This includes gifts people gave you while you
were out of the country, such as wedding or birthday presents,and gifts you've brought back for others. Gifts intended
for business, promotional, or other commercial purposes may not be included in your duty-free exemption.
Gifts worth up to $100 may be received, free of
duty and tax, by friends and relatives in the United States, as long as the same person does not receive more than
$100 worth of gifts in a single day. If the gifts are mailed or shipped from an insular possession, this amount
is increased to $200. When you return to the United States, you don't have to declare gifts you sent while you
were on your trip, since they won't be accompanying you.
By federal law, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products,
and perfume containing alcohol and worth more than $5 retail may not be included in the gift exemption.
Gifts for more than one person may be shipped in
the same package, called a consolidated
gift package, if they are individually
wrapped and labeled with each recipient's name. Here's how to wrap and label a consolidated gift package:
Be sure to mark the outermost wrapper with:
the words "UNSOLICITED GIFT"
and the words "CONSOLIDATED GIFT PACKAGE";
the total value of the consolidated package;
the recipients' names; and
the nature and value of the gifts inside (for example, tennis shoes, $50; shirt, $45; toy car, $15).
Packages marked in this way will clear Customs much more easily. Here's an example of how to mark a consolidated
gift package:
Unsolicited gift-consolidated gift package-
total value $135
To John Jones-one belt, $20; one box of candy,
$5; one tie, $20
To Mary Smith-one skirt, $45; one belt, $15; one
pair slacks, $30.
If any item in the consolidated gift parcel is
subject to duty and tax or worth more than the $100 gift allowance, the entire package will be dutiable.
You, as a traveler, cannot send a "gift"
package to yourself, and people traveling together cannot send "gifts" to each other. But there would
be no reason to do that anyway, because the personal exemption for packages mailed from abroad is $200, which is
twice as much as the gift exemption. If a package is subject to duty, the United States Postal Service will collect
it from the addressee along with any postage and handling charges. The sender cannot prepay duty; it must be paid
by the recipient when the package is received in the United States. (Packages sent by courier services are not
eligible for this duty waiver.)
For more information about mailing packages to
the United States, please contact your nearest Customs office and ask for our pamphlet International Mail Imports.
Duty-free or Reduced Rates
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Items from Certain Countries |
The United States gives duty preferences - that is, free or reduced rates - to certain developing countries
under a trade program called the Generalized
System of Preferences (GSP). Some products
that would otherwise be dutiable are not when they come from a GSP country. For details on this program, as well
as the complete list of GSP countries, please ask your nearest Customs office for a copy of our pamphlet Gsp;& The Traveler.
Similarly, many products of Caribbean and Andean countries are exempt from duty under the Caribbean Basin Initiative, Caribbean Basin Trade
Partnership Act, and Andean Trade Preference Act. Most products of certain sub-Saharan African countries
are exempt from duty under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Most products of Israel may
also enter the United States either free of duty or at a reduced rate. Check with Customs for details on these
programs.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
went into effect in 1994. If you are returning from Canada
or Mexico, your goods are eligible for
free or reduced duty rates if they were grown, manufactured, or produced in Canada or Mexico, as defined by the
Act. Again, check with Customs for details.
Personal Belongings
Your personal belongings can be sent back to the United States duty-free if they are of U.S. origin and if they
have not been altered or repaired while abroad. Personal belongings like worn clothing can be mailed home and will
receive duty-free entry if you write the words "American Goods Returned" on the outside of the package.
Household Effects
Household effects include furniture, carpets, paintings, tableware, stereos, linens, and similar household furnishings.
Tools of trade, professional books, implements, and instruments that you've taken out of the United States will
be duty-free when you return.
You may import household effects you acquired abroad
duty-free if:
You used them for at least one year while you were abroad.
They are not intended for anyone else or for sale.
Clothing, jewelry, photography equipment, portable radios, and vehicles are considered personal effects and cannot
be brought in duty-free as household effects.
However, the amount of duty collected on them will be reduced according to the age of the item.
Paying Duty
If you're bringing it back with you,
you didn't have it when you left, and its total value is more than your Customs exemption, it is subject to duty.
The Customs inspector will place the items that
have the highest rate of duty under your exemption. Then, after subtracting your exemptions and the value of any
duty-free items, a flat rate of duty will be charged on the next $1,000 worth of merchandise. Any dollar amount
beyond this $1,000 will be dutiable at whatever duty rates apply. The flat rate of duty may only be used for items
for your own use or for gifts. As with your exemption, you may use the flat-rate provision only once every 30 days.
Special flat rates of duty apply to items made and acquired in Canada or Mexico. The flat rate of duty applies
to purchases whether the items accompany you or are shipped.
The flat duty rate will be charged on items that
are dutiable but that cannot be included in your personal exemption, even if you have not exceeded the exemption.
The best example of this is liquor: Say you return from Europe with $200 worth of items, including two liters of
liquor. One liter will be duty-free under your exemption; the other will be dutiable at 4 percent, plus any Internal
Revenue Service tax.
Family members who live in the same household and
return to the United States together can combine their items to take advantage of a combined flat duty rate, no
matter which family member owns a given item. The combined flat duty rate for a family of four traveling together
would be $4,000.
If you owe duty, you must pay it when you arrive
in the United States. You can pay it in any of the following ways:
U.S. currency (foreign currency is not acceptable).
Personal check in the exact amount, drawn on a U.S. bank, made payable to the U.S. Customs Service. You must present
identification, such as a passport or driver's license. (The Customs Service does not accept checks bearing second-party
endorsements.)
Government check, money order, or traveler's check if it does not exceed the duty owed by more than $50.
In some locations, you may pay duty with credit cards, either MasterCard or VISA.
Sending Goods to the United States
Items mailed to the United States are subject to duty when they arrive. They cannot be included in your Customs
exemption, and duty on them cannot be prepaid.
If you are mailing merchandise from the U.S. insular
possessions or from Caribbean Basin countries, you should follow different procedures than if you were mailing
packages from any other country. These special procedures are described, in the section on "Unaccompanied
Purchases."
In addition to duty and, at times, taxes, Customs
collects a user fee on dutiable packages. Those three fees are the only fees Customs collects; any additional charges
on shipments are for handling by freight forwarders, Customs brokers, and couriers or for other delivery services.
Some carriers may add other clearance charges that have nothing to do with Customs duties.
Note: Customs brokers are not U.S. Customs employees. Brokers' fees are based on the amount
of work they do, not on the value of the items you ship, so travelers sometimes find the fee high in relation to
the value of the shipment. The most cost-effective thing to do is to take your purchases with you if at all possible.
Unaccompanied baggage is anything you do not bring back with you, as opposed to goods in your possession - that
accompany you - when you return. These may be items that were with you when you left the United States or items
that you acquired (received by any means) while outside the United States. In general, unaccompanied baggage falls
into the following three categories.
Shipping through the U.S. mail, including parcel post,
is a cost-efficient way to send things to the United States. The Postal Service sends all foreign mail shipments
to Customs for examination. Customs then returns packages that don't require duty to the Postal Service, which
sends them to a local post office for delivery. The local post office delivers them without charging any additional
postage, handling costs, or other fees.
If the package does require payment of duty, Customs
attaches a form called a mail entry (form CF-3419A), which shows how much duty is owed, and
charges a $5 processing fee as well. When the post office delivers the package, it will also charge a handling
fee.
Commercial goods - goods intended for resale -
may have special entry requirements. Such goods may require a formal
entry in order to be admitted into the
United States. Formal entries are more complicated and require more paperwork than informal entries. (Informal
entries are, generally speaking, personal packages worth less than $2,000.) Customs employees may not prepare formal
entries for you; only you or a licensed customs broker may prepare one. For more information on this subject, please
request the Customs pamphlet U.S. Import Requirements or contact your local Customs office.
If you believe you have been charged an incorrect
amount of duty on a package mailed from abroad, you may file a protest with Customs. You can do this in one of
two ways. You can accept the package, pay the duty, and write a letter explaining why you think the amount was
incorrect. You should include with your letter the yellow copy of the mail entry (CF-3419A). Send the letter and
the form to the Customs office that issued the mail entry, which you'll find on the lower left-hand corner of the
form.
The other way to protest duty is to refuse delivery
of the package and, within five days, send your protest letter to the post office where the package is being held.
The post office will forward your letter to Customs and will hold your package until the protest is resolved.
For additional information on international mailing,
please ask Customs for the pamphlet International
Mail Imports, or visit our Web site at
www.customs.gov.
Packages may be sent to the United States by private-sector
courier or delivery service from anywhere in the world. The express company usually takes care of clearing your
merchandise through Customs and charges a fee for its service. Some travelers have found this fee to be higher
than they expected.
Cargo, whether duty is owed on it or not, must clear
Customs at the first port of arrival in the United States. If you choose, you may have your freight sent, while
it is still in Customs custody, to another port for Customs clearance. This is called forwarding freight in bond. You (or someone you appoint to act for you) are responsible for arranging to clear
your merchandise through Customs or for having it forwarded to another port.
Frequently, a freight forwarder in a foreign country
will take care of these arrangements, including hiring a customs broker in the United States to clear the merchandise
through Customs. Whenever a third party handles the clearing and forwarding of your merchandise, that party charges
a fee for its services. This fee is not a Customs charge. When a foreign seller entrusts a shipment to a broker
or agent in the United States, that seller usually pays only enough freight to have the shipment delivered to the
first port of arrival in the United States. This means that you, the buyer, will have to pay additional inland
transportation, or freight forwarding charges, plus brokers' fees, insurance, and possibly other
charges.
If it is not possible for you to secure release
of your goods yourself, another person may act on your behalf to clear them through Customs. You may do this as
long as your merchandise consists of a single, noncommercial shipment (not intended for resale) that does not require
a formal entry-in other words, if the merchandise is worth less than $2,000. You must give the person a letter
that authorizes him or her to act as your unpaid agent. Once you have done this, that person may fill out the Customs
declaration and complete the entry process for you. Your letter authorizing the person to act in your behalf should
be addressed to the "Officer in Charge of Customs" at the port of entry, and the person should bring
it along when he or she comes to clear your package. Customs will not notify you when your shipment arrives, as
this is the responsibility of your carrier, If your goods are not cleared within 15 days of arrival you could incur
storage fees.
Unaccompanied Purchases from Insular Possessions
and Caribbean Countries
Unaccompanied purchases are goods you bought on a trip that are being mailed or shipped to you in the United States.
In other words, you're not carrying them with you when you return. If your unaccompanied purchases are from an
insular possession or a Caribbean Basin country and are being sent directly from those locations to the United
States, you may enter them as follows:
Up to $1,200 worth will be duty-free under your personal exemption if the merchandise is from an insular
possession.
Up to $600 worth will be duty-free if it is from a Caribbean Basin country.
Of these amounts ($1,200 or $600), up to $400 worth will be duty-free if the merchandise was
acquired elsewhere than the insular possessions or the Caribbean Basin. However, merchandise
that qualifies
for the $400 exemption must be in your possession when you return (must accompany
you) in order for you to
claim the duty-free exemption. The duty-free exemptions for unaccompanied baggage apply only
to goods from
the insular possessions and the Caribbean Basin countries listed earlier.
An additional $1,000 worth of goods will be dutiable at a flat rate if they are from an insular possession, or
from
a Caribbean Basin country.(See chart under Paying Duty.)
If you are sending back more than $2,200 from an insular possession or more than $1,600 from a Caribbean
Basin country, the duty rates in the Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States will apply.
The
Harmonized Tariff Schedule
describes different rates of duty for different commodities; linen tablecloths, for
example, will not have the same duty rates as handicrafts or plastic toy trucks.
Here’s how you can take advantage of the
duty-free exemption for unaccompanied tourist purchases from an insular possession or a Caribbean country:
Step 1. At place and time of purchase, ask your merchant to hold your item until you send
him or her a copy of Customs Form CF-255 (Declaration of Unaccompanied Articles), which must be affixed to the
package when it is sent.
Step 2. (a) On your Customs declaration (form CF-6059B), list everything you acquired on
your trip, except the things you already sent home as gifts. (b) Check off on the declaration those items you are
not bringing with you--that is, the unaccompanied items. (c) Fill out a separate Declaration of Unaccompanied Articles (form CF-255)
for each package or container that will be sent to you after you arrive in the United States. You can often get this form where you make your purchase,
but if not, ask a Customs officer for one when you clear Customs.
Step 3. When you return to the United States, the Customs officer will: (a) collect duty
and tax, if any is owed, on the goods you've brought with you; (b) check to see that your list of unaccompanied
articles, which you indicated on the Customs declaration, agrees with your sales slips, invoices, and so on; and
(c) validate the CF-255 as to whether your purchases are duty-free under your personal exemption ($1,200 or $600)
or whether they are subject to a flat rate of duty. Two copies of this three-part form will be returned to you.
Step 4. Send the yellow copy of the CF-255 to the foreign shopkeeper or vendor holding your
purchase, and keep the other copy for your records. (When
you make your purchase, it is very important to tell the merchant not to send your package to the United States
until he or she gets the copy of form CF-255.)
Step 5. When the merchant gets your CF-255, he or she will put it in an envelope and attach
the envelope securely to the outside wrapping of the package or container. The merchant must also mark each package
"Unaccompanied Purchase." Please
remember that each package or container must have its own CF-255 attached. This is the most important step to follow in order to gain the benefits allowed
under this procedure.
Step 6. If your package has been mailed, the Postal Service will deliver it after it has
cleared Customs. If you owe duty, the Postal Service will collect the duty along with a postal handling fee. If
your package is delivered by a commercial courier, the delivery service will notify you of its arrival so you can
go to the Customs office holding the shipment and complete the entry procedure. If you owe duty or tax, you can
pay it at that time. Alternatively, you may hire a customs broker to do this for you, but be aware that brokers
are not U.S. Customs employees, and they charge fees for their services.
Storage Charges: If freight or express packages from your trip are delivered before you return and
you have not made arrangements to pick them up, Customs will place them in storage after 15 days. This storage
will be at your risk and expense. If they are not claimed within six months, the items will be sold at auction.
Packages sent by mail and not claimed within 30
days will be returned to the sender unless the amount of duty is being protested.
Duty-Free Shops
Many travelers are confused by the term "duty-free" shops. Travelers often think that what they buy in
duty-free shops won't be dutiable when they return home and clear Customs. But this is not true: Articles sold
in a duty-free shop are free of duty and taxes only for the country in which that shop is located. So if your
purchases exceed your personal exemption, items you bought in a duty-free shop, whether in the United States or
abroad, will almost certainly be subject to duty.
Articles sold in foreign duty-free shops are subject
to U.S. Customs duty and other restrictions (for example, only one liter of liquor is duty-free), but you may include
these items in your personal exemption. Articles sold in duty-free shops are meant to be taken out of the country;
they are not meant to be used, worn, eaten, drunk, etc., in the country where you purchased them. Articles purchased
in American duty-free shops are also subject to U.S. Customs duty if you bring them into the United States. For
example, if you buy liquor in a duty-free shop in New York before entering Canada and then bring it back into the
United States, it may be subject to duty and Internal Revenue Service tax.
Prohibited and Restricted Items
The Customs Service has been entrusted with enforcing some 400 laws for 40 other government agencies, such as the
Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Agriculture. These other agencies have great interest in what people
bring into the country, but they are not always at ports of entry, guarding our borders. Customs is always
at ports of entry - guarding the nation's borders is what we do.
The products we want to keep out of the United
States are those that would injure community health, public safety, American workers, children, or domestic plant
and animal life, or those that would defeat our national political interests. Sometimes the products that cause
injury, or have the potential to do so, may seem fairly innocent. But, as you will see from the material that follows,
appearances can be deceiving.
Before you leave for your trip abroad, you might
want to talk to Customs about the items you plan to bring back to be sure they’re not prohibited or restricted.
Prohibited means the item is forbidden by law to enter the United States, period. Examples
are dangerous toys, cars that don’t protect their occupants in a crash, or illegal substances like absinthe and
Rohypnol. Restricted means that special licenses or permits are required from a federal
agency before the item is allowed to enter the United States. Examples are firearms and certain fruits, vegetables,
pets, and textiles.
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Cultural Artifacts and Cultural Property (Art/Artifacts) |
Most countries have laws that protect their cultural
property (art/artifacts/antiquities; archaeological and ethnological material are also terms that are used). Such
laws include export controls and/or national ownership of cultural property. Even if purchased from a business
in the country of origin or in another country, legal ownership of such artifacts may be in question if brought
into the U.S. Make certain you have documents such as export permits and receipts, although these do not necessarily
confer ownership. While foreign laws may not be enforceable in the U.S., they can cause certain U.S. law to be
invoked. For example, as a general rule, under the U.S. National Stolen Property Act,
one cannot have legal title to art/artifacts/antiquities that were stolen, no matter how many times such items
may have changed hands. Articles of stolen cultural property (from museums or from religious or secular public
monuments) originating in any of the countries party to the 1970 UNESCO Convention specifically may not be imported
into the U.S.
In addition, U.S. law may restrict importation
into the U.S. of specific categories of art/artifacts/antiquities:
1. U.S. law restricts the import of any Pre-Colombian
monumental and architectural sculpture and murals
from Central and South American countries.
2. U.S. law specifically restricts the importation
of Native American artifacts from Canada; Maya Pre-Colombian
archaeological objects from Guatemala; Pre-Colombian archaeological objects from El Salvador
and Peru;
archaeological objects (such as terracotta statues) from Mali; Colonial period objects such
as paintings and ritual
objects from Peru; Byzantine period ritual and ecclesiastic objects (such as icons) from Cyprus;
Khmer stone
archaeological sculpture from Cambodia.
Importation of items such as those above is permitted
only when the items are accompanied by an export permit issued by the country of origin (where such items were
first found). Purveyors of such items have been known to offer phony export certificates. As additional U.S. import
restrictions may be imposed in response to requests from other countries, it is wise for the prospective purchaser
to visit the State Department's cultural property Web site. This Web site also has images representative of the categories of cultural property
for which there are specific U.S. import restrictions.
The importation of Absinthe
and any other liquors or liqueurs that contain an excess of Artemisia absinthium is prohibited.
Automobiles imported into the United States must meet the fuel-emission requirements of the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and the safety, bumper, and theft-prevention standards of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
(Please see Customs pamphlets Importing
a Car and Pleasure Boats.) Trying to import
a car that doesn't meet all the requirements can be a vexing experience. Here's why:
Almost all cars, vans, sport utility vehicles,
and so on that are bought in foreign countries must be modified to meet American standards. Passenger vehicles
that are imported on the condition that they be modified must be exported or destroyed if they are not modified
acceptably.
And even if the car does meet all federal standards,
it might be subject to additional EPA requirements, depending on what countries you drove it in. Or it could require
a bond upon entry until the conditions for admission have been met. So before you even think
about importing a car, you should call EPA and DOT for more information.
Information on importing vehicles can be obtained
from the Environmental Protection Agency, Attn.: 6405J, Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 564-9660, and the
Department of Transportation, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (NEF 32) NHTSA, Washington, DC 20590.
Copies of the Customs Service's pamphlet Importing
or Exporting a Car, can be obtained by writing to the U.S. Customs Service, P.O. Box 7407, Washington, DC 20044;
or checking the Customs
Web site. EPA's Automotive Imports Fact Manual can be obtained by writing to the Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460. Cars being brought into the United
States temporarily (for less than one year) are exempt from these restrictions.
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Trademarked and Copyrighted Articles |
U.S. Customs enforces laws relating to the protection of trademarks and copyrights. Articles that infringe a federally
registered trademark or copyright, i.e., that use the protected right without the authorization of the trademark
or copyright owner, are subject to detention and seizure.
Articles bearing marks that are counterfeit of
a federally registered trademark are subject to seizure and forfeiture. Additionally, the importation of articles
bearing counterfeit marks may subject an individual to a civil monetary penalty if the registered trademark has
also been recorded with Customs. Articles bearing marks that are confusingly similar to a registered trademark,
and gray market articles (goods bearing genuine marks not intended for importation into the United States) may
be subject to detention and seizure.
However, passengers arriving into the United States
are permitted to import one article, which must accompany the person, bearing a counterfeit, confusingly similar
or restricted gray market trademark, provided that the article is for personal use and is not for sale. This exeption
may be granted not more than once every thirty days. The arriving passenger may retain one article of each type
accompanying the person. For example, an arriving person who has three purses, whether each bears a different infringing
trademark, or whether all three bear the same infringing trademark, is permitted one purse. If the article imported
under the personal exemption provision is sold within one year after the date of importation, the article or its
value is subject to forfeiture.
In regard to copyright infringement, articles that
are determined to be clearly piratical of a federally registed copyright, i.e., unauthorized articles that are
substantially similar to a material protected part of a copyright, are subject to seizure. Articles that are determined
to be possibly piratical may be subject to detention and possible seizure. A personal use exemption similar to
that described above also applies in respect of copyrighted articles.
You may bring back genuine trademarked and copyrighted
articles (subject to duties). The copyrighted products most commonly imported include CD-ROMs, tape cassettes,
toys, stuffed animals, clothing with cartoon characters, videotapes, videocassettes, music CDs, and books.
Although ceramic tableware is not prohibited or restricted, you should know that such tableware made in foreign
countries may contain dangerous levels of lead in the glaze; this lead can seep into foods and beverages. The Food and Drug Administration
recommends that if you buy ceramic tableware abroad - especially in Mexico, China, Hong Kong, or India - you have
it tested for lead release when you return, or use it for decorative purposes only.
It is illegal in the United States to import, export, distribute, transport, manufacture, or sell products containing
dog or cat fur in the United States. As of November 9, 2000, the Dog and Cat Protection Act of 2000 calls for the
seizure and forfeiture of each item containing dog or cat fur.
The Act provides that any person who violates any
provision may be assessed a civil penalty of not more that $10,000 for each separate knowing and intentional violation,
$5,000 for each separate gross negligent violation, or $3,000 for each separate negligent violation.
It is illegal to bring drug paraphernalia into the
United States unless thay have been prescribed for authentic medical conditions - diabetes, for example. Customs
will seize any illegal paraphernalia. The importation, exportation, amnufacture, sale, or transportation of drug
paraphernalia is prohibited by law. If you're convicted of any of these offenses, you will be subject to fines
and imprisonment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) regulates and restricts firearms and ammunition; it also approves all import
transactions involving weapons and ammunition. If you want to import (or export) either of them, you must do so
through a licensed importer, dealer, or manufacturer. Also, if the National Firearms Act prohibits certain weapons,
ammunition, or similar devices from coming into the country, you won't be able to import them unless the ATF specifically
authorizes you, in writing, to do so.
You don't need an ATF permit if you can demonstrate
that you are returning with the same firearms or ammunition that you took out of the United States. The best way
is to register your firearms and related equipment by taking them to any Customs office before you leave the United
States. The Customs officer will register them on the same form CF-4457 used to register cameras or computers (see
"Register Items Before You Leave the
United States").
For further information about importing weapons,
contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20226; or call (202) 927-8320.
Many countries will not allow you to enter with
a firearm even if you are only traveling through the country on the way to your final destination. If you plan
to take your firearms or ammunition to another country, you should contact officials at that country's embassy
to learn about its regulations. And please visit your nearest Customs office before your departure to learn the
latest requirements for weapons and ammunition registration.
Fish, wildlife, and products made from them are subject to import and export restrictions, prohibitions, permits
or certificates, and quarantine requirements. We recommend that you contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
before you depart if you plan to import or export any of the following:
Wild birds, land or marine mammals, reptiles, fish, shellfish, mollusks, or invertebrates.
Any part or product of the above, such as skins, tusks, bone, feathers, or eggs.
Products or articles manufactured from wildlife or fish.
Endangered species of wildlife, and products made from them, generally may not be imported or exported. You'll
need a permit from the Fish and Wildlife Service to import virtually all types of ivory, unless it's from a warthog.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has so many restrictions and prohibitions on various kinds of ivory - Asian elephant,
African elephant, whale, rhinoceros, seal, pre-Endangered Species Act, post-CITES (Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species), and many others - that they urge you to contact them before you even think
of acquiring ivory in a foreign country. They can be reached at (800) 358-2104.
But you may import an object made of ivory if it's
an antique; that is, if it's at least 100 years old. You will need documentation that authenticates the age of
the ivory. You may import other antiques containing wildlife parts with the same condition: they must be accompanied
by documentation proving they are at least 100 years old. (Certain other requirements for antiques may apply.)
For example: If you plan to buy such things as
tortoiseshell jewelry, leather goods, or articles made from whalebone, ivory, skins, or fur, please, before you
go, contact the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of
Law Enforcement, P.O. Box 3247, Arlington, VA 22203-3247, or call (800) 358-2104. Hunters can get information on
the limitations for importing and exporting migratory game birds from this office as well. Ask for the pamphlet
Facts
About Federal Wildlife Laws.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has designated specific
ports of entry to handle fish and wildlife entries. If you plan to import anything discussed in this section, please
also contact the Customs Service. We'll tell you about designated ports and send you the brochure Pets and Wildlife, which describes the regulations we enforce for all agencies that oversee the importation
of animals.
Some states have fish and wildlife laws and regulations
that are stricter than federal laws and regulations. If you're returning to such a state, be aware that the stricter
state laws and regulations have priority. Similarly, the federal government does not allow you to import into the
United States wild animals that were taken, killed, sold, possessed, or exported from another country if any of
these acts violated foreign laws.
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Game and Hunting Trophies |
If you plan to import game or a hunting trophy,
please contact the Fish
and Wildlife Service before you leave at
(800) 358-2104. Currently, 14 Customs ports of entry are designated to handle game and trophies; other Customs
ports must get approval from the Fish and Wildlife Service to clear your entry.
Depending on the species you bring back, you might
need a permit from the country where the animal was harvested. Regardless of the species, you'll have to fill out
a Fish and Wildlife form 3-177, Declaration for Importation or Exportation.
Trophies may also be subject to inspection by the
U.S.
Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for sanitary purposes. General guidelines for importing trophies can be found in
APHIS's publication Traveler's Tips.
Contact USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Permit Unit, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737, call (301) 734-8645.
Also, federal regulations do not allow the importation
of any species into a state with fish or wildlife laws that are more restrictive than federal laws. And if foreign
laws were violated in the taking, sale, possession, or export to the United States of wild animals, those animals
will not be allowed entry into the United States.
Warning: There are many regulations, enforced by various agencies, governing the importation
of animals and animal parts. Failure to comply with them could result in time-consuming delays in clearing your
trophy through Customs. You should always call for guidance before you depart.
You may bring bakery items and certain cheeses into the United States. APHIS publishes a booklet, Traveler's Tips, that offers extensive information about bringing food products into the country.
For more information, or for a copy of Traveler's Tips,
contact USDA-APHIS (see the section on "Game
and Hunting Trophies" section).
Some imported foods are also subject to requirements
of the Food and Drug Administration.
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Meats, Livestock, and Poultry |
The regulations governing meat and meat products are very strict: you may not bring back fresh, dried, or canned
meats or meat products from most foreign countries. Also, you may not bring in food products that have been prepared
with meat.
The regulations on importing meat and meat products
change frequently because they are based on disease outbreaks in different areas of the world. APHIS, which regulates
meats and meat products as well as fruits and vegetables, invites you to call for more information on importing
meats. Contact USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services, National Center for Import/Export (NCIE), 4700 River Road, Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; call
(301) 734-7830.
Bringing home fruits and vegetables can be quite troublesome.
That apple you bought in the foreign airport just before boarding and then didn't eat? Whether Customs will allow
it into the United States depends on where you got it and where you're going after you arrive in the United States.
The same is true for those magnificent Mediterranean tomatoes. Fresh fruits and vegetables can carry plant pests
or diseases into the United States.
You may remember the Med fly hysteria of the late
1980s: Stories about crop damage caused by the Mediterranean fruit fly were in the papers for months.
The state of California and the federal government together spent some $100 million to get rid of this pest. And
the source of the outbreak? One traveler who brought home one contaminated piece of fruit.
It's best not to bring fresh fruits or vegetables
into the United States. But if you plan to, call APHIS and get a copy of Traveler's Tips,
which lists what you can and can't bring, and also items for which you'll need a permit. For more information,
visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/travel/
or www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/permits.
The plants, cuttings, seeds, unprocessed plant
products, and certain endangered species
that are allowed into the United States require import permits; some are prohibited entirely. Threatened or endangered
species that are permitted must have export permits from the country of origin.
Every single plant or plant product must be declared
to the Customs officer and must be presented for USDA inspection, no matter how free of pests it appears to be.
Address requests for information to USDA-APHIS-PPQ, 4700 River Road, Unit 139, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; phone
(301) 734-8295; or visit www.aphis.usda.gov/travel/.
Gold coins, medals, and bullion, formerly prohibited,
may be brought into the United States. However, under regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, such items originating in or brought from Afghanistan,
Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Serbia, and Sudan are prohibited entry. Copies of gold coins are prohibited if not properly
marked by country of issuance.
Rule of thumb: When you go abroad, take
the medicines you'll need, no more, no less.
Narcotics and certain other drugs with a high potential
for abuse - Rohypnol, GHB, and Fen-Phen, to name a few - may not be brought into the United States, and there are
severe penalties for trying to bring them in. If you need medicines that contain potentially addictive drugs or
narcotics (e.g., some cough medicines, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antidepressants, or stimulants), do the following:
Declare all drugs, medicinals, and similar products to the appropriate Customs official.
Carry all drugs, medicinals, and similar products in their original containers.
Carry only the quantity of such substances that a person with that condition(e.g., chronic pain) would normally
carry for his/her use.
Carry a prescription or written statement from your physician that the substances are being used under a doctor's
supervision and that they are necessary for your physical well-being while traveling.
U.S. residents entering the United States at international land borders, who are carrying a validly obtained controlled
substance (except narcotics such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or LSD), are subject to certain additional requirements.
If a U.S. resident wants to bring in a controlled substance other than narcotics such as marijuana, cocaine, heroine,
or LSD, but does not have a prescription for the substance issued by a U.S.-licensed practitioner (e.g., physician,
dentist, etc.) registered with and authorized by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to prescribe the mediation,
the individual may not import more than 50 dosage units of the medication. if the U.S. resident has a prescription
for the controlled substance issued by a DEA registrant, more than 50 dosage units may be imported by that person,
provided all other legal requirements are met.
Please note that only medications that can be legally
prescribed in the United States may be imported for personal use. Be aware that possession of certain substances
may also violate state laws.
Warning: The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) prohibits the importation, by mail or in person, of fraudulent prescription and nonprescription drugs and
medical devices. These include unorthodox "cures" for such medical conditions as cancer, AIDS, arthritis,
or multiple sclerosis. Although such drugs or devices may be legal elsewhere, if the FDA has not approved them
for use in the United States, they may not legally enter the country and will be confiscated if found, even if
they were obtained under a foreign physician's prescription.
For specifics about importing controlled substances
call (202) 307-2414. For additional information about traveling with medication, contact your nearest FDA office
or write Food and Drug Administration, Division of Import Operations and Policy, Room 12-8 (HFC-170), 5600 Fishers
Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, or read the FDA's Subchapter on Coverage
of Personal Importations.
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Merchandise from Embargoed Countries |
Generally, you may not bring in any goods from the following countries: Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran*, Iraq, Libya,
Serbia, and Sudan. The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department enforces this ban.
You may, however, bring in informational materials - pamphlets, books, tapes, films or recordings - from these countries, except for
Iraq.
If you want to import merchandise from any of these
countries, you will first need a specific license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Such licenses are
rarely granted.
There are restrictions on travel to these countries.
The restrictions are strictly enforced, so if you're thinking about going to any of the countries on this list,
write to the Office
of Foreign Assets Control, Department of
the Treasury, Washington, DC 20220, before you make your plans.
*The embargo on Iranian goods is being revised
to allow the importation of carpets and foods for human consumption such as caviar and pistachios. Please check
with your local port to find out when the new regulations are scheduled to take effect. Until the new regulations
are published, the complete embargo is still in force.
If you plan to take your pet abroad or import one
on your return, please get a copy of Customs booklet, Pets
& Wildlife. You should also check
with state, county, and local authorities to learn if their restrictions and prohibitions on pets are more strict
than federal requirements.
Importing animals is closely regulated for public
health reasons and also for the well-being of the animals. There are restrictions and prohibitions on bringing
many species into the United States.
Cats must be free of evidence of diseases communicable to humans when they are examined
at the port of entry. If the cat does not seem to be in good health, the owner may have to pay for an additional
examination by a licensed veterinarian.
Dogs, too, must be free of evidence of diseases that could be communicable to humans.
Puppies must be confined at a place of the owner's choosing until they are three months old; then they must be
vaccinated against rabies. The puppy will then have to stay in confinement for another 30 days.
Dogs older than three months must get a rabies
vaccination at least 30 days before they come to the United States and must be accompanied by a valid rabies vaccination
certificate if coming from a country that is not rabies-free. This certificate should identify the dog, show the
date of vaccination and the date it expires (there are one-year and three-year vaccinations), and be signed by
a licensed veterinarian. If the certificate does not have an expiration date, Customs will accept it as long as
the dog was vaccinated 12 months or less before coming to the United States. Dogs coming from rabies-free countries
do not have to be vaccinated.
You may import birds as pets as long as you comply
with APHIS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife requirements. These requirements may include quarantining the birds at one
of APHIS' three Animal Import Centers at your expense. You must make advance reservations at the quarantine facility.
If you intend to import a bird, call APHIS' National Center for Import and Export at (301)734-8364 for more information.
In any case, birds may only be imported through ports of entry where a USDA port veterinarian is on duty, any you
must make arrangements in advance to have the bird examined by a USDA port veterinarian at the first U.S. port
of entry. There is a user fee for this service of a minimum of $23.00 based on an hourly rate of $76/hour. For
more information, you may contact the USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services, National Center for Import
and Export (NCIE), 4700 River Road, Unit
40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; phone number (301) 734-8364.
In general, there is no limit to how much fabric and clothing you can bring back as long as it is for your personal
use, that is, for you or as gifts. (You may have to pay duty on it if you've exceeded your personal exemption,
but the amount you may bring in is not limited.)
Unaccompanied shipments (packages that are mailed
or shipped), however, may be subject to limitations on amount. The quantity limitations
on clothing and textiles are called "quotas." In order to enter the United States, clothing and textiles
may need to be accompanied by a document - you could think of it as a passport for fabrics - called a "visa."
Sometimes, instead of a visa, an export license or certificate is required from the country that produced the clothing.
A formal entry must be filed for all made-to-order suits from Hong Kong, no matter what their value, unless they
accompany you and an export license issued by Hong Kong is presented with this entry. If you plan to get clothing
or fabric on your trip and have it sent to you by mail or courier, check with Customs about quota and visa requirements
before you travel.
Money and Other Monetary Instruments
You may bring into or take out of the country, including by mail, as much money as you wish. But if it's more than
$10,000, you'll need to report it to Customs. Ask the Customs officer for the Currency Reporting Form (CF 4790).
The penalties for not complying can be quite severe.
"Money" means monetary instruments and
includes U.S. or foreign coin currently in circulation, currency, traveler's checks in any form, money orders,
and negotiable instruments or investment securities in bearer form.
Traveling Back and Forth Across the Border
If you cross the U.S. border into a foreign country and reenter the United States more than once in a short time,
you might not want to use your personal exemption ($400 in this example) until you've returned to the United States
for the last time. Here's why:
When you leave the United States, come back, leave
again, and then come back again, all on the same trip, you can lose your Customs exemption, since you've technically
violated the "once every 30 days" rule. So if you know that your trip will involve these so-called "swing-backs,"
you can choose to save your personal exemption until the end of your trip.
For example, say you go to Canada, buy a liter
of liquor, reenter the United States, then go back to Canada and buy $500 worth of merchandise and more liquor.
You would probably want to save your $400 exemption for those final purchases and not use it for that first liter
of liquor. In this case, on your first swing-back, simply tell the Customs inspector that you want to pay duty
on the liquor, even though you could bring it in duty-free. (If you did, you would lose the $400 exemption, since
it's only available to you once every 30 days.) In other words, all you have to do is tell the inspector that you
want to pay duty the first (or second or third) time you come back to the United States if you know that you'll
be leaving again soon, buying goods or getting them as gifts, and then reentering before the 30 days are up. In
such a case, you're better off saving your exemption until the last time you reenter the United States.
Photographic Film
Customs will not examine film you bought abroad and are bringing back unless the Customs officer has reason to
believe it contains prohibited material, such as child pornography.
You won't be charged duty on film bought in the
United States and exposed abroad, whether it's developed or not. But film you bought and developed abroad counts
as a dutiable item.
Customer Service Programs
The Customs Service is expanding its methods of improving customer service to international travelers at major
U.S. travel hubs. One method is having supervisory Customs inspectors, called passenger service representatives,
available to travelers on a full-time basis at more than 20 international airports and some seaports and land border
ports of entry. The representatives' major purpose is to help travelers clear Customs.
Photos of the passenger service reps are posted
wherever the program is operating, so you can find them if you need assistance. If you have a concern or need help
understanding Customs regulations and procedures, ask to speak with the passenger service rep on duty.
The second initiative involves kiosks, the sort
of automated booths you see in malls, banks, department stores, and airports. Customs Service kiosks are located
at international airports.
Think of them as automated passenger service reps:
They're self-service computers with a touch-screen display. All you have to do is type in your country of destination
and the computer will print the information for you. The screen displays a telephone number to call for more information.
The kiosks also have pockets with Customs pamphlets on a variety of topics of interest to travelers: regulations
on transporting currency, agriculture and food items, medicines, and pets, to name just a few.
Customs kiosks are located in the outbound passenger
lounges at the following international airports: Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago; Dallas/Ft.
Worth; Detroit; Houston; JFK, New York; Los Angeles; Miami; Newark, New Jersey; Philadelphia; San Francisco; San
Juan; and Washington/Dulles. More kiosks are planned.
If you have any questions about Customs procedures,
requirements, or policies regarding travelers, or if you have any complaints about treatment you have received
from Customs inspectors or about your Customs processing, please contact:
Executive Director, Passenger Programs
U.S. Customs Service
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Room 5.4D
Washington, DC 20229
Allegations of criminal or seious misconduct may
be reported to the Office of Internal Affairs at 1-877-IA CALLS. You may also write them at P.O. Box 14475, Washinton,
D.C. 20044.
Other Travel-related Information
Frequently, we are asked questions that are not customs matters. If you want to know about:
Immigration - The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS) is responsible for the movement of
people in and out of the United States. Please contact the Department of Justice, INS, for questions concerning
resident alien and nonresident visa and passport information at 800-375-5283
Passports are issued by the U.S. Department of State's
Passport Agency. Please contact the passport
agency nearest you for more information. Postal clertks also accept passport application.
Baggage allowance - Ask the airline or steamship line you are traveling for more information.
Currency of other Nations - Your local bank can be of assistance.
Foreign countries - For information about the country you will visit or about what articles may be
taken into that country, contact its embassy, consular office,
or tourist information office.
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