Know Before

You Go

Regulations for International Travel

by U.S. Residents

Know Before You Go

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Regulations for International Travel by

U.S. Residents

Traveler's Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

What is CBP? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Your Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

CBP Inspection Process Graphic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Terms Used in This Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Check Our Web Site First! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Preparing to Return to the U .S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Documents You Will Need to Enter the U .S . . . . . . . 5

Frequent Traveler Programs

FAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Global Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

NEXUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

SENTRI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Global Online Enrollment System . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

What You Must Declare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Tip: Register Items Before You Leave the U .S . . . . . . 11

Duty-Free Exemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Exemptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

J oint Declaration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Types of Exemptions

$200 Exemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

$800 Exemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

$1,600 Exemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

For Frequent Travelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Duty-Free or Reduced Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Items from Certain Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Household Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Increased Duty Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Determining Duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Tobacco Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

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Alcoholic Beverages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Paying Duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Sending Items Back to the United States . . . . . . . .22

U .S . Mail Shipments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Express Shipments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Freight Shipments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Gifts You Bring Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Gifts You Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Gifts for More Than One Person . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Can I Send a Gift to Myself? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Personal Belongings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

If a Package is Subject to Duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Sending Purchases from Insular Possessions and . .27

Caribbean Basin and Andean Countries

Duty-Free Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Prohibited and Restricted Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Absinthe ( Alcohol) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Automobiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Biologicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Ceramic Tableware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Cultural Artifacts and Cultural Property ( Art Artifacts) .33

Defense Articles or Items with Military or

Proliferation Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Dog and Cat Fur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Drug Paraphernalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Fish and Wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Food Products ( Prepared) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Prior Notice for Food Importation . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Fruits and Vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Game and Hunting Trophies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Haitian Animal Hide Drums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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Meats, Livestock, and Poultry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Medication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Merchandise from Embargoed Countries . . . . . . .44

Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Document and Quarantine Reports . . . . . . . . . . . 47

USDA Quarantine Centers and Ports of Entry . . . .48

Plants and seeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Textiles and Clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Trademarked and Copyrighted Articles . . . . . . . . .50

Money and Other Monetary Instruments . . . . . . .51

Photographic Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

CBP’s Pledge to Travelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program . . . . . . . . .53

Other Travel-related Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Glossary of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Helpful Web Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

U .S . Customs and Border Protection

Declaration Form (Front) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

U .S . Customs and Border Protection

Declaration Form (Back) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Note: Should you have questions

please visit help.cbp.gov or

call 1-877-227-5511 or 703-526-4200 .

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TRAVELER'S CHECKLIST

Do I have:

q U .S . Passport or other recommended ID for U .S .

citizens? (Carry it; do not pack it) . www.travel.state.

gov.

q Green Card (Form I-551) or document for Lawful

Permanent Residents? (Advance Parole if LPR

status is pending) www.uscis.gov . Failure to have

Form I-551 or document for lawful permanent

residents could result in a $545 waiver fee .

q Notarized travel permission letters for minors

traveling without their parents?

q Entry documentation for the country(s) I will be

visiting? (Is a Visa required?) www.state.gov. and

search for "visa" .

q Only the medication that I need for my trip and

in its original container?

q Receipts or registration paperwork (CBP Form

4457) for any new electronics, such as a camera

or laptop, that I’m taking with me? (Only sug-

gested if traveling with recently purchased goods .

Not necessary for goods more than 6 months

old .)

q Proof of Rabies vaccinations for my dog if they

are traveling with me? (Recommended but not

required for cats . Check for requirements regard-

ing other pets .) www.aphis.usda.gov and search for

"pet travel" .

q Permits and/or certificates if bringing restricted

animal and plant commodities regulated by the

U .S . Department of Agriculture, Animal and plant

Health Inspection Service .

q Appraisals or receipts if I’m traveling with a lot of

new jewelry?

q Valid driver’s license? Do I need an international

driver’s license in the country I am visiting? www.

thenac.com/international_driving_permit.pdf or www.aaa.

com.

q An envelope to put all the receipts for my pur-

chases? (This will make filling out the CBP

declaration easier .)

q Copy of this Know Before You Go brochure?

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Information on items that do not have a Web site

address after them can be found in this brochure or at

www.cbp.gov/travel.

What Is CBP?

U .S . Customs and Border Protection, within the

Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for

keeping America’s borders safe and secure . On

March 1, 2003, CBP combined the inspectional

work forces and broad border authorities of the U .S .

Customs Service, Immigration and Naturalization

Service, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service of the Department of Agriculture .

At CBP, our job is to keep terrorists, their weapons,

and other illegal material or individuals from entering

the United States, while also facilitating the flow of

legitimate trade and travel . This mission is vitally

important and we are dedicated to carrying it out to

the best of our abilities .

Your Inspection

To keep our borders secure, we must inspect everyone

who arrives at a U .S . port of entry . We pledge to treat

you courteously and professionally . We do not assume

that you have done anything wrong—because very few

travelers actually violate the law .

As part of your inspection, you may be asked questions

on:

• Your citizenship,

• The nature of your trip, and

• Anything you are bringing back to the United

States that you did not have with you when you

left .

We may also examine your baggage, including elec-

tronic equipment,or your car, which we have the legal

authority to do . If we are checking your baggage, you

will need to place it on the exam station and open

it . (After the exam is completed, you will be asked to

repack and close the baggage .) If at any point you are

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unhappy with the way you are being treated, ask to

speak to a CBP supervisor .

Terms Used In This Booklet

“Duty” and “dutiable” are words you will find frequent-

ly 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 .

Also, anything you bring back that you did not have

when you left the United States must be “declared .”

For example, you would declare alterations made in a

foreign country to a suit you already owned, and any

gifts you acquired overseas .

Check Our Web Site Before You Travel!

Please note that the information contained within

this brochure may change . Visit the travel section of

www.cbp.gov for the most up-to-date information .

Preparing To Return To The United States

When you return, you will need to declare everything

you brought back that you did not take with you

when you left the United States . You may be asked to

fill out a CBP declaration form . You will probably find

it easier and faster to fill out your declaration form

and clear CBP if you do the following:

• Keep your sales slips.

• Try to pack the things you’ll need to declare

separately .

• Read the signs in the arrival area.

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Documents You Will Need To Enter The

United States

All persons including citizens of the United States

traveling by air between the U .S ., Canada, Mexico, the

Caribbean and Bermuda will have to present a passport,

Merchant Mariner Document (presented by U .S . citizen

merchant mariners traveling on official business) or

NEXUS Card, NEXUS enrollment is limited to citizens

of the United States and Canada, and lawful permanent

residents of the United States and Canada . Children will

be required to present their own passport .

Beginning June 1, 2009, ages 16 and older will be

required to present documents from one of the options

below when entering the United States at land or sea

ports of entry . Children under may present an original

or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report

of Birth Abroad, or a Naturalization Certificate .

One of the following documents may be presented to

prove both identity and citizenship:

• U.S. Passport;

• U.S. Passport Card;*

• Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST);*

• State issued Enhanced Driver’s License (when avail-

able this secure driver’s license will denote identity

and citizenship);*

• Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available);*

• U.S. Military identification with Military Travel

Orders;

• U.S. Merchant Marine document;

• Form I-872 American Indian Card.

* Frequent Land Border Crossers: To expedite processing into the United

States, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recommends using one of

the above asterisked documents.

Lawful Permanent Residents

U .S . Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), refugees and

asylees will continue to be able to use their Permanent

Resident Card (Form I-551), issued by DHS, or other

evidence of permanent resident status or refugee or

asylee status to apply for entry into the United States .

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U .S . citizens traveling directly between the Unites States,

Guam, Puerto Rico, the U .S . Virgin Islands, American

Samoa, Swains Island and the Commonwealth of the

Northern Mariana Islands will continue to be able to

use established forms of identification to board flights

and for entry .

Note: Identification requirements for entering or

re-entering the U .S . may have change based or imple-

mentation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

please check getyouhome.gov for details .

Advance Parole

Caution

Due to recent changes to U .S . immigration law, travel

outside of the United States may have severe conse-

quences for aliens who are in the process of adjusting

their status or applying for an immigrant visa (refugees

and asylees) . Upon return, these aliens may be found

inadmissible, their applications may be denied, or both .

It is important that the alien obtain the proper docu-

mentation before leaving the United States .

Aliens who have pending applications for certain immi-

gration benefits need Advance Parole to re-enter the U .S .

after traveling abroad .

An I-131 Application for Travel Document is filed with

U .S . Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fol-

lowing the instructions found on their Web site, www.

uscis.gov.

Note: this does not apply to aliens who have applied

to adjust to permanent resident status and who main-

tain H-1B (Specialty Worker) or L-1 (Intracompany

Transferee) status, or their dependents, who have

applied to adjust to permanent resident status and who

have valid H-1B or L status and valid visas, V nonim-

migrants who have a valid V nonimmigrant visa, are in

valid V nonimmigrant status and have or obtain a valid

V nonimmigrant visa before applying for readmission

to the US, and K-3/4 nonimmigrants who have applied

to adjust to permanent resident status and who have

a valid K-3/4 nonimmigrant visa, are in valid K-3/4

nonimmigrant status and have or obtain a valid K-3/4

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nonimmigrant visa before applying for readmission to

the United States .

Aliens who have a pending application for adjustment

of status must be approved for Advance Parole prior to leaving

the United States in order to avoid termination for their pending

application for adjustment. This includes aliens who have:

• Filed an application for adjustment of status

but have not received a decision from the U .S .

Citizenship and Immigration Services;

• Hold refugee or asylee status and intend to

depart temporarily to apply for a U .S . immigrant

visa in Canada; and/or

• An emergent personal or bona fide reason to

travel temporarily abroad .

Applicants who are the beneficiary of a Private bill

and applicants who are under deportation proceed-

ings must file with the:

Department of Homeland Security

ATTN: Parole and Humanitarian Assistance Branch

425 I Street, NW

Washington, DC 20536

Aliens in the United States are not eligible for Advance

Parole if they are:

• In the United States illegally; or

• An exchange alien subject to the foreign resi-

dence requirement .

Please note that Advance Parole does not guarantee entry

into the United States . Aliens with Advance Parole are

still subject to the U .S . Customs and Border Protection

inspection process at the port of entry .

For more information, please visit the State Department

Web site at www.travel.state.gov or the U .S . Department of

Homeland Security Web site at www.dhs.gov. To apply for

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a passport, U .S . citizens can visit www.travel.state.gov or

call the U .S . Passport Office at 1-877-4USA-PPT or TDD/

TYY: 1-888-874-7793 . Foreign citizens or nationals

should contact their respective governments to obtain

passports .

Frequent Traveler Programs

Applicants must voluntarily undergo a thorough bio-

graphical background check against criminal, law

enforcement, customs, immigration, and terrorist indi-

ces; a 10-fingerprint law enforcement check; and a

personal interview with a CBP officer .

FAST

Free and Secure Trade, or FAST, is a joint initiative

between CBP and its Canadian and Mexico counterparts

that enhances border and trade security while

simplifying the inspection of cross-border commercial

shipments simpler, subjecting them to fewer delays .

When a FAST-approved driver arrives at the border, he

or she presents to the CBP officer . Data declarations

and verifications are done at a later time, away from

the border .

Global Entry

The Global Entry program allows pre-approved, low-

risk travelers expedited clearance upon arrival into the

United States . U .S . citizens and U .S . Lawful Permanent

Residents aged 14-years and older may apply to this

program .

Participants will enter the United States by using

automated self-service kiosks . To report their arriv-

al, participants will use their machine-readable U .S .

passport or permanent residency card, submit their

fingerprints for biometric verification, and make a CBP

declaration at the kiosk’s touch-screen . After success-

fully completing the Global Entry process at the kiosk,

the traveler will be issued a transaction receipt and

directed to baggage claim and the exit, unless chosen

for a selective or random secondary referral .

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Global Entry participants are exempt from routine CBP

questioning . However, on a random basis or if selected

by CBP officers, they may be subject to additional

screening at any time in the entry process .

For the latest information about the Global Entry pilot

program, including current locations, or to apply please

visit www.cbp.gov or www.globalentry.gov

NEXUS

The NEXUS program allows pre-approved, low-risk

travelers to be processed with little or no delay by

United States and Canadian officials at air, land and

marine ports of entry in the United States and Canada .

Travelers are able to use the NEXUS kiosks at the

Canadian Preclearance airports, and approved appli-

cants are issued a photo-identification/proximity card .

Participants will present their NEXUS card and make a

declaration . They are then released, unless chosen for a

selective or random secondary referral .

SENTRI

Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection,

or SENTRI, is a land border-crossing program that

provides expedited CBP processing for pre-approved,

low-risk travelers between Mexico and the U .S .

Once an applicant is approved they are issued a Radio

Frequency Identification (RFID) Card that will identify

their record and status in the CBP database upon arrival

at the U .S . port of entry . An RFID decal is also issued

to the applicant’s vehicle or motorcycle . SENTRI users

have access to specific, dedicated primary lanes into the

United States .

SENTRI dedicated commuter lanes are located in San

Ysidro and Calexico, Calif .; Nogales, Ariz .; and El Paso,

Hidalgo, Brownsville and Laredo, Texas .

Global Online Enrollment System (GOES)

The Global Online Enrollment System, or GOES, allows

registered users to enter their own applications for

U .S . Customs and Border Protection trusted traveler

programs, and approved members to edit their infor-

mation as needed . Note that mistakes on the original

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application cannot be corrected once the application is

certified . Mistakes will need to be brought to the atten-

tion of CBP during your interview .

Once a completed application is certified by the appli-

cant and the non-refundable payment is successfully

processed, CBP will review it and determine whether

or not to conditionally approve the application . If it

is conditionally approved, your GOES account will be

updated to instruct you to schedule an appointment for

an interview . Every individual who would like to apply

for membership—children included—must create a

separate account within GOES, submit a separate appli-

cation, and schedule an interview appointment upon

conditional approval .

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, on the ship,

or on the 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,

including businesss merchandise that you took

out of the United States on your trip .

Also, if you acquired items in the U .S . Virgin Islands,

American Samoa, Guam, or in a Caribbean Basin

Economic Recovery Act country (see section on $800

exemption for a list of these countries) and asked the

merchant to send them to you, you must still declare

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them when you go through customs . This differs from the

usual procedure for mailed items, which is discussed in the

section on Sending Items Back to the United States .

You must state on the CBP declaration, in U .S . currency,

what you actually paid for each item . The price must

include all taxes . If you don’t know for sure, estimate .

If you did not buy the item yourself—for example, if

it is a gift—estimate its fair retail value in the country

where you received it .

Remember: Even if you used the item you bought on

your 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 .

Tip: Register Items Before You Leave The United

States

If your laptop computer was made in Japan—for

instance—you might have to pay duty on it each time

you bring 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—such as

sales receipts, insurance policies, or jeweler's apprais-

als—are acceptable forms of proof .

To make things easier, you can register certain items

with CBP before you depart— including watches, cam-

eras, laptop computers, firearms, and CD players—as

long as they have serial numbers or other unique,

permanent markings . Take the items to the nearest

CBP office and request a Certificate of Registration for

Personal Effects Taken Abroad (CBP Form 4457) . It

shows that you had the items with you before leav-

ing the United States and all items listed on it will be

allowed duty-free entry . CBP officers must see the item

you are registering in order to certify the certificate of

registration . You can also register items with CBP at

the international airport from which you’re departing .

Keep the certificate for future trips.

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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 $800, but there are some exceptions to

this rule, which are explained below .

Exemptions

Depending on the countries you have visited, your

personal exemption will be $200, $800, or $1,600 .

There are limits on the amount of alcoholic beverages,

cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products you may

include in your duty-free personal exemption . The dif-

ferences are explained in the following section .

The duty-free exemptions ($200, $800, or $1,600)

apply if:

• The items are for your personal or household use

or intended to be given as gifts .

• They are in your possession, that is, they accom-

pany you when you return to the United States .

Items to be sent later may not be included in your

$800 duty-free exemption . (Exceptions apply for

goods sent from Guam or the U .S . Virgin Islands .)

• They are declared to CBP. 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 . (See

also the section on the $200 exemption .)

• You have not used all of your exemption allow-

ance, or used any part of it, in the past 30 days .

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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 $800 exemp-

tion . (See the section on the $200 exemption .)

• The items are not prohibited or restricted as dis-

cussed in the section on Prohibited and Restricted

Items . Note the embargo prohibitions on products

of Cuba .

Joint Declaration

Family members who live in the same home and return

together to the United States may combine their per-

sonal exemptions . This is called a joint declaration . For

example, if Mr . and Mrs . Smith travel overseas and Mrs .

Smith brings home a $1,000 piece of glassware, and Mr .

Smith buys $600 worth of clothing, they can combine

their individual $800 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 and tobacco

products .

$200 Exemption

If you cannot claim other exemptions because:

• You have been out of the country more than once

in a 30-day period or because

• You have not 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 discussed earlier, these items must be

for your personal or household use .

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 . For instance, 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 duti-

able for the full value of $300 .

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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 mil-

liliters (5 fl . oz .) of perfume containing alcohol .

Note that unlike other exemptions, family members

may not combine their individual $200 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 exemp-

tion of $400 .

Also, duty on items you mail home to yourself will be

waived if the value is $200 or less . (See the sections on

Gifts and Sending Items Back to the United States . )

$800 Exemption

If you are arriving from anywhere other than a U .S .

insular possession (U .S . Virgin Islands, American

Samoa, or Guam) you may bring back $800 worth of

items duty free, as long as you bring them with you .

This is called accompanied baggage .

For Caribbean Basin or Andean countries, your exemp-

tion is also $800 . These countries include:

Antigua and Barbuda

Guatemala

Aruba

Guyana

Bahamas

Haiti

Barbados

Honduras

Belize

Jamaica

Bolivia

Montserrat

British Virgin Island

Netherlands Antilles

Colombia

Nicaragua

Costa Rica

Panama

Dominica

Peru

Dominican Republic

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Ecuador

Saint Lucia

El Salvador

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Grenada

Trinidad and Tobago

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Know Before You Go

You may include two liters of alcoholic beverages with

this $800 exemption, as long as one of the liters was

produced in one of the countries listed above (see sec-

tion on Sending Purchases from Insular Possessions

and Caribbean Basin or Andean Countries) .

Depending on what items you’re bringing back from

your trip, you could come home with more than $800

worth of gifts or purchases and still not be charged

duty . For instance, say you received a $700 bracelet as

a gift, and you bought a $40 hat and a $60 color print .

Because these items total $800, you would not be

charged duty, since you have not exceeded your duty-

free exemption . If you had also bought a $500 painting

on that trip, you could bring all $1,300 worth of mer-

chandise home without having to pay duty, because

fine art is duty-free .

$1,600 Exemption

If you return directly or indirectly from a U .S . insular

possession (U .S . Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or

Guam), you are allowed a $1,600 duty-free exemption .

If you travel to a U .S . insular possession and to one

or more of the Caribbean Basin or Andean countries

listed above, let’s say on a Caribbean cruise, you may

bring back $1,600 worth of items without paying duty,

but only $800 worth of these items may come from

the Caribbean Basin or Andean country or countries .

Any amount beyond $800 will be dutiable unless you

acquired it in one of the insular possessions . For exam-

ple, if you were to travel to the U .S . Virgin Islands and

Jamaica, you would be allowed to bring back $1,600

worth of merchandise duty free, as long as only $800

worth was acquired in Jamaica .

Also, you may include 1,000 cigarettes as part of the

$1,600 exemption, but at least 800 of them must have

been acquired in an insular possession . Only 200 ciga-

rettes 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 .

Know Before You Go

15

Similarly, you may include five liters of alcoholic bev-

erages 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 Sending

Purchases from Insular Possessions and Caribbean

Basin countries) .

For Frequent Travelers

If you cross the U .S . border into a foreign country and

reenter the United States more than once in a short

time, you may not want to use your personal exemp-

tion until you have returned to the United States for

the last time . This is due to the “once every 30 days

rule”—you can only apply your personal exemption

once every 30 days .

So as an example, you go to Canada, buy a liter of liquor,

reenter the United States, then go back to Canada and

buy $900 worth of merchandise and more liquor . You

would probably want to save your $800 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 CBP officer that you want to pay duty on the liquor,

even though you could bring it in duty free .

Duty-Free or Reduced Rates

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 oth-

erwise 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 look for it

on the CBP Web site .

Similarly:

• Many products of Caribbean and Andean

countries are exempt from duty under the

Caribbean Basin Initiative, Caribbean Basin

Trade Partnership Act, Andean Trade Preference

Act and the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug

Eradication Act .

16

Know Before You Go

• Many products of certain sub-Saharan African

countries are exempt from duty under the

African Growth and Opportunity Act .

• Most products of Israel, Jordan, Chile and

Singapore may also enter the United States

either free of duty or at a reduced rate under the

U .S . free trade agreements with those countries .

Check www.cbp.gov 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 .

Additional information on these programs can be

found on the CBP Web site at www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/

trade_programs/international_agreements/special_trade_pro-

grams/

Household Effects

Household effects are duty-free . These include such

items as furniture, carpets, paintings, tableware, ste-

reos, linens, and similar household furnishings; tools

of the trade, professional books, implements, and

instruments .

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, duty is usually waived on personal

effects more than one year of age . All vehicles are

dutiable .

Know Before You Go

17

Increased Duty Rates

Items from Certain Countries

Under what is known as its “301” authority, the

United States may impose a much higher than nor-

mal duty rate on products from certain countries .

Currently, the United States has imposed a 100 percent

rate of duty on certain products of Austria, Belgium,

Denmark, Finland, France, The Federal Republic of

Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the

Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the Ukraine .

If you should bring more of any of these products

back with you than fall within your exemption or flat

rate of duty, (see below) you will pay as much in duty

as you paid for the product or products .

While most of the products listed are not the type of

goods that travelers would purchase in sufficient quan-

tities to exceed their exemption, diamonds from the

Ukraine are subject to the 100 percent duty and might

easily exceed the exemption amount .

For information on countries that may become subject

to a higher than normal duty rate, check the Department

of Commerce Web site at www.commerce.gov.

Determining Duty

The CBP officer will place the items that have the high-

est 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 only to those purchases that

accompany you on your return to the United States .

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Know Before You Go

The following is an example of the different rates if you

acquire goods valued at $3,500 from various different

places:

Country

Total

Personal

Flat duty

Various

declared

exemption

rate

duty

value

(duty free)

rates

U .S . insular

$3,500

$1,600

$1,000 at

$900

possessions

1 .5 percent

Caribbean

$3,500

$800

$1,000 at

$1,700

Basin

3 percent

countries

Other

$3,500

$800

$1,000 at

$1,700

countries or

3 percent

locations

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 exemp-

tion . The best example of this is liquor . If 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 3 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 value of merchandise subject to a flat duty

rate for a family of four traveling together would be

$4,000 .

Tobacco Products

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 United States,” or “U .S .

Tax Exempt For Use Outside the United States .”

Know Before You Go

19

For example, a returning resident is eligible for the

$800 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 previ-

ously 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 foreign-made cigarettes .

The tobacco exemption is available to each adult . Except

for information and informational materials, no travel-

er (whether traveling legally under an Office of Foreign

Asset Control license or traveling illegally without an

OFAC license) may import Cuban-made goods, includ-

ing Cuban cigars .

Alcoholic Beverages

One liter (33 .8 fl . oz .) of alcoholic beverages may be

included in your exemption if:

• You are 21 years old.

• It is for your own use or as a gift.

• 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

20

Know Before You Go

for resale . CBP officers are authorized by the Bureau

of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to

make on-the-spot determinations that an importation

is for commercial purposes, and may require you to

obtain a permit to import the alcohol before releas-

ing it to you . If you intend to bring back a substantial

quantity of alcohol for your personal use, you should

contact the port through which you will be re-entering

the country, and make prior arrangements for entering

the alcohol into the United States .

Also, you should be aware that state laws might 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 CBP, even though it may be

more restrictive than federal regulations . We recom-

mend 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 $800 or $1,600

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 $800

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 .

Paying Duty

If you owe duty, you must pay it when you arrive in

the United States . You can pay it in any of the follow-

ing ways:

• U.S. currency. Foreign currency is not acceptable.

• Personal check in the exact amount, drawn on

a U .S . bank, made payable to U .S . Customs and

Know Before You Go

21

Border Protection . You must present identifica-

tion, such as a passport or driver’s license . CBP

does not accept checks bearing second-party

endorsements .

• Government check, money order or traveler’s

check if the amount 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 Items Back to the

United States

Unaccompanied baggage is anything you do not bring

back with you . 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 three categories: U .S . mail, express shipments and

freight .

U.S. Mail Shipments

Shipping through the U .S . mail, including parcel post,

is a cost-efficient way to send items to the United States .

The U .S . Postal Service sends all foreign mail shipments

to CBP for examination . CBP officers then return pack-

ages that do not require duty to the U .S . 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 .

Packages that contain fruits, vegetables, meat or other

items of agricultural interest are inspected to ensure

they meet the requirements of the U .S . Department of

Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service .

CBP agriculture specialists enclose a Mail Interception

Notice, PPQ Form 287, to document any agriculture

items that are removed from the package . The package

is then returned to the U .S . Postal Service for delivery .

Information on importing agriculture items is located

on the U .S . Department of Agriculture Web site at www.

aphis.usda.gov.

22

Know Before You Go

If the package does require payment of duty, CBP

attaches a form called a mail entry, CBP Form 3419Alt,

which indicates 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 small handling fee .

Commercial goods, or 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 .

Generally, informal entries are personal packages or

commercial items worth less than $2,000 . CBP employ-

ees may not prepare formal entries for you; only you or

a licensed customs broker may prepare one . For more

information on this subject, please see the brochure U.S.

Import Requirements.

If you believe you have been charged an incorrect

amount of duty on a package mailed from abroad, you

may file a protest with CBP . 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 (CBP Form 3419Alt) .

Send the letter and the form to the CBP office that

issued the mail entry, located on the lower left-hand

corner of the form .

The other way to protest duty is to refuse delivery of

the package . Then 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 CBP and will

hold your package until the protest is resolved .

For additional information on international mailing,

please see the brochure International Mail Imports, or

visit www.cbp.gov.

Express Shipments

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 clear-

ing your merchandise through customs and charges a

Know Before You Go

23

fee for its service . Some travelers have found this fee to

be higher than they expected .

Freight Shipments

Cargo, whether duty is owed or not, must clear cus-

toms at the first port of arrival in the United States . If

you choose, you may have your freight sent, while it is

still in CBP custody, to another port for 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 CBP or for having it

forwarded to another port . Note, that regulated agri-

culture shipments must be inspected at the first port

of arrival with few exceptions .

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 mer-

chandise through CBP . 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 CBP

charge .

There are several ways a traveler can find a broker:

• Phone book, in the Yellow Pages under "Customs

Brokers,"

• Internet, search for "Customs Brokers," or

• CBP Web site - under "ports" button on bottom

of each page, click the state of interest and click

on a city within the state . Under each city is a

listing of brokers . Click "view list" for a listing of

brokers in that area .

The phone book listings as well as the Internet listings

are limited to brokers that submit the information . It

is not all-inclusive .

The listing of brokers on the CBP Web site is updated

on a regular basis . Listed brokers have a current permit

in that port . This list is the only broker information

provided by CBP .

24

Know Before You Go

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 broker

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 CBP . 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, meaning if the merchandise is worth

less than $2,000 . You must give the person a letter that

authorizes that person to act as your unpaid agent .

Once you have done this, that person may fill out the

CBP 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 CBP”

at the port of entry, and the person should bring the

letter with them when they go to clear your package .

CBP 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 expensive storage fees .

Gifts

Gifts you bring back

Gifts you bring back for your personal use 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 have brought back for

others .

Gifts intended for business, promotional or other com-

mercial purposes may not be included in your duty-free

exemption .

Also note that by federal law, alcoholic beverages,

tobacco products and perfume containing alcohol and

Know Before You Go

25

worth more than $5 retail may not be included in the

gift exemption .

Gifts you mail

Gifts worth up to $100 may be sent, free of duty and

tax, to 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 .

Unless returning to the United States from an insular

possession, you don’t have to declare gifts you sent

while you were on your trip, since they won’t be

accompanying you .

Gifts for more than one person

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 recipi-

ent’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;”

• Total value of the consolidated package;

• Recipients’ names; and

• Nature and value of the gifts inside.

For example, tennis shoes, $50; shirt, $45; toy

car, $15 .

For instance:

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 .

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Know Before You Go

If any item is worth more than the $100 gift allowance,

the entire package will be dutiable .

Can I send a gift to myself?

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 .

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 .

If a package is subject to duty

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 pre-

pay duty . The recipient must pay duty when a package

is received in the United States .

For more information about mailing packages to the

United States, visit “Sending Goods to the United States”

at www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/send_to_us.xml.

Sending Purchases from Insular

Possessions, Caribbean Basin

and Andean 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 are not carrying

the goods with you when you return . If your unac-

companied purchases are from an insular possession or

a Caribbean Basin country and are being sent directly

Know Before You Go

27

from those locations to the United States, you may enter

them as follows:

•

Up to $1,600 in goods will be duty-free under

your personal exemption if the merchandise is

from an insular possession .

•

Up to $800 in goods will be duty-free if it is

from a Caribbean Basin and Andean country .

•

An additional $1,000 in 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 more than $2,600 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 . For example, linen tablecloths will

not have the same duty rates as handicrafts or

plastic toy trucks .

To take advantage of the duty-free exemption for unac-

companied tourist purchases from an insular possession

or a Caribbean country:

Step 1 . At place and time of purchase, ask your mer-

chant to hold your item until you send him or her a

copy of CBP Form 255 (Declaration of Unaccompanied

Articles), which must be affixed to the package when

it is sent .

Step 2 . (a) On your declaration form (CBP Form 6059B),

list everything you acquired on your trip, except the

things you already sent home as gifts . You must also

complete a separate Declaration of Unaccompanied Articles form

(CBP Form 255) for each package or container that will be sent

to you after you arrive in the United States . This form may be

available where you make your purchase . If not, ask a

CBP officer for one when you clear the customs area .

28

Know Before You Go

Step 3 . When you return to the United States, the CBP

officer will: (a) collect duty and tax on the dutiable

goods you have brought with you; (b) check to see

that your list of unaccompanied articles, which you

indicated on the CBP Form 255, agrees with your sales

receipts; (c) validate the CBP Form 255 as to wheth-

er your purchases are duty-free under your personal

exemption ($1,600 or $800) or whether they are sub-

ject to a flat rate of duty .

Step 4 . Two copies of this three-part CBP Form 255

will be returned to you . Send the yellow copy of the

CBP Form 255 to the foreign shopkeeper or vendor

holding your purchase, and keep the other copy for

your records .

Step 5 . When the merchant gets your CBP Form 255, he

or she will put it in an envelope and attach the enve-

lope securely to the outside wrapping of the package or

container . The merchant must also mark each package

“Unaccompanied Purchase .” Please remember that each pack-

age or container must have its own CBP Form 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 U .S . Postal

Service will deliver it after it clears customs . If you owe

duty, the Postal Service will collect the duty along with

a postal handling fee . If a freight service transports your

package, they will notify you of its arrival so you can

go to the CBP office holding the shipment and complete

the entry procedure . If you owe duty or tax, you can

pay it at that time . You could also hire a customs bro-

ker to do this for you . However, be aware that brokers

are not CBP employees, and they charge fees for their

services .

If freight or express packages from your trip are

delivered before you return and you have not made

arrangements to pick them up, CBP will authorize their

placement 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 .

Know Before You Go

29

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

The term “duty-free” shops confuses many travelers .

Travelers often think that what they buy in duty-free

shops will not 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 be subject to duty .

Articles purchased in American duty-free shops are also

subject to U .S . duty if you bring them into the United

States . Therefore, 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

CBP has been entrusted with enforcing hundreds of

laws for 40 other government agencies, such as the

U .S . Fish and Wildlife Service, the U .S . Department

of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention . These agencies require that unsafe items

are not allowed to enter the United States . CBP officers

are always at ports of entry and assume the responsibil-

ity of protecting America from all threats .

The products CBP prevent from entering 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 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 CBP about the items you plan to bring

30

Know Before You Go

back to be sure they’re not prohibited or restricted .

Prohibited means the item is forbidden by law to enter

the United States . Examples of prohibited items are

dangerous toys, cars that don’t protect their occupants

in a crash, bush meat, 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

of restricted items include firearms, certain fruits and

vegetables, animal products, animal by products, and

some animals .

Absinthe (Alcohol)

The importation of absinthe is subject to the U .S . Food

and Drug Administration regulations (21 C .F .R . 172 .510

and the Department of the Treasury’s Alcohol and

Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau regulations (27 C .F .R .

Parts 13 .51, 5 .42(a), and 5 .65 . The absinthe content

must be “thujone free” (that is, it must contain less than

100 parts per million of thujone); the term “absinthe”

cannot be the brand name; the term “absinthe” can-

not stand alone on the label; and the artwork and/or

graphics cannot project images of hallucinogenic, psy-

chotropic or mind-altering effects . Absinthe imported

in violation of these regulations is subject to seizure .

Alcoholic Beverages

In addition to U .S . laws, the laws of the state in which

you first arrive in the United States will govern the

amount of alcohol you may bring with you, and wheth-

er you need a license . If you plan to bring alcoholic

beverages with you, before you depart, you should

contact the state’s applicable alcoholic beverage control

board to determine what you need to do to comply

with that state’s laws and regulations .

Automobiles

Automobiles imported into the United States must meet

the fuel-emission requirements of the Environmental

Protection Agency and the safety, bumper, and theft-

prevention standards of the U .S . Department of

Transportation . Trying to import a car that doesn’t

meet all the requirements can be difficult . (See the CBP

brochure, Importing a Car)

Know Before You Go

31

Almost all cars, vans, sport utility vehicles and so on

that are bought in foreign countries must be modi-

fied to meet American standards, except most late

model vehicles from Canada . Passenger vehicles that

are imported on the condition that they be modified

must be exported or destroyed if they are not modified

acceptably . Also under these circumstances, the vehicle

could require a bond upon entry until the conditions

for admission have been met .

And even if the car does meet all federal standards,

it might be subject to additional EPA requirements,

depending on what countries it was driven in . You are

strongly encouraged to contact EPA and DOT before

importing a car .

Information on importing vehicles can be obtained

from visiting the Environmental Protection Agency

Web site at www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/factmtop.htm. You

may also find importation information from the

U .S . Department of Transportation, Office of Vehicle

Safety Compliance at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/

FAQ%20Site/pages/page2.html.

Copies of the brochure Importing or Exporting a Car can

be obtained by writing to U .S . Customs and Border

Protection, P .O . Box 7407, Washington, DC 20044;

or visiting www.cbp.gov. The EPA Automotive Imports Fact

Manual can be obtained by writing to the Environmental

Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460; or by visit-

ing www.epa.gov.

Cars being brought into the United States temporarily,

by nonresidents, (for less than one year) are exempt

from these restrictions . It is illegal to bring a vehicle

into the United States and sell it if it was not formally

entered on a CBP Form 7501 .

Biologicals

You may need a U .S . Department of Agriculture permit

and/or a Centers for Diesease Control and Prevention

permit to import biological specimens including bac-

terial cultures, culture medium, excretions, fungi,

arthropods, mollusks, tissues of livestock, birds, plants,

viruses, or vectors for research, biological or pharma-

32

Know Before You Go

ceutical use . Permit requirements are located under

“Permits” on the USDA Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov

and CDC permit information can be found at www.cdc.

gov/od/eaipp/

Ceramic Tableware

Although ceramic tableware is not prohibited or restrict-

ed, you should know that such tableware made in

foreign countries may contain dangerous levels of lead

in the glaze, which can seep into foods and beverages .

The U .S . 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 .

Cultural Artifacts and Cultural Property

Most countries have laws that protect their cultural

property . Art/artifacts/antiquities; archaeological and

ethnological material are also terms used to describe

this material . These 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 United States .

Therefore, although they do not necessarily confer

ownership, you must have documents such as export

permits and receipts when importing such items into

the United States .

While foreign laws may not be enforceable in the United

States, they can cause certain U .S . laws to be invoked .

For example, under the U .S . National Stolen Property

Act, one cannot have legal title to art/artifacts/antiq-

uities 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 spe-

cifically may not be imported into the United States .

U .S . law may also restrict the importation of specific

categories of art/artifacts/antiquities . For example, U .S .

laws restrict the importation of:

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33

• Any pre-Columbian monumental and architec-

tural sculpture and murals from Central and

South American countries;

• Native American artifacts from Canada; Mayan

pre-Columbian archaeological objects from

Guatemala; pre-Columbian archaeological objects

from El Salvador and Peru; archaeological objects

like terracotta statues) from Mali; Colonial peri-

od objects such as paintings and ritual objects

from Peru;

• Byzantine period ritual and ecclesiastic objects

such as icons from Cyprus; and

• Khmer stone archaeological sculpture from

Cambodia .

Importation of items such as those listed above is

permitted only when an export permit issued by the

country of origin where such items were first found

accompanies them . 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 prospective purchasers to visit the State Department

cultural property Web site at http://exchanges.state.gov/

culprop/. This web site also has images representative of

the categories of cultural property for which there are

specific U .S . import restrictions .

Merchandise determined to be Iraqi cultural property or

other items of archaeological, historical, cultural, rare

scientific and religious importance illegally removed

from the Iraq National Museum, the National Library

and other locations in Iraq, since August 6, 1990, are

also prohibited from importation .

Defense Articles or Items with Military or

Proliferation Applications

Some items that have both commercial and military

or proliferation applications, or that are considered

defense articles, require a license before exporting

abroad . Such items may include software or tech-

34

Know Before You Go

nology, blueprints, design plans, and retail software

packages and technical information . If CBP officials

suspect that a regulated item or defense article has been

exported without a license, they may, for example, on

your return examine files and software on your laptop

computer as well as your baggage . A list of U .S . gov-

ernment agencies and departments with regulatory

authority over exports is available at www.bis.doc.gov/

about/reslinks.htm

Dog and Cat Fur

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 pro-

vision may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than

$10,000 for each separate knowing and intentional

violation, $5,000 for each separate gross negligent vio-

lation, or $3,000 for each separate negligent violation .

Drug Paraphernalia

It is illegal to bring drug paraphernalia into the United

States unless prescribed for authentic medical conditions

such as diabetes . CBP will seize any illegal drug para-

phernalia . Law prohibits the importation, exportation,

manufacture, sale or transportation of drug parapher-

nalia . If you are convicted of any of these offenses, you

will be subject to fines and imprisonment .

Firearms

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

(ATF) regulates and restricts firearms and ammunition

and approves all import transactions involving weap-

ons and ammunition . If you want to import or export

weapons or ammunition, 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 will not be able to import them unless

the ATF provides you with written authorization to do

so . If the firearm is controlled as a U .S . Munitions List

Know Before You Go

35

article and it is temporarily imported to the United

States, or it is temporarily exported, it may also require

a Department of State license .

You do not need an ATF permit if you can demon-

strate that you are returning with the same firearms or

ammunition that you took out of the United States . To

prevent problems when returning, you should register

your firearms and related equipment by taking them to

any CBP office before you leave the United States . The

CBP officer will register them on the same CBP Form-

4457 used to register cameras or computers . (See the

section on Register Items Before You Leave the United

States) .

For further information about importing weapons,

contact:

Or visit www.atf.gov/firearms

Many countries will not allow you to enter with a fire-

arm 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 .

Fish and Wildlife

Certain fish and wildlife, and products made from

them, are subject to import and export restrictions,

prohibitions, permits or certificates, as well as require-

ments . CBP recommends that you contact the U .S . Fish

and Wildlife Service or www.fws.gov/permits/SpeciesLists/

SpeciesLists.shtml 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; or

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• Products or articles manufactured from wildlife

or fish .

Endangered wildlife species, and products made from

them, generally may not be imported or exported .

You will need a permit from the FWS to import vir-

tually all types of ivory, unless it is from a warthog .

The FWS has many restrictions and prohibitions on

various kinds of ivory—Asian elephant, African ele-

phant, whale, rhinoceros, seal, pre-Endangered Species

Act, post-CITES (Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species) and many others—and urge you

to contact them before you acquire ivory in a foreign

country . You may contact the Management Authority

at 1 .800 .358 .2104 . Pressing Option 3 will provide you

with general information, and Option 4 will connect

you to the permits section . You can also get infor-

mation on permits at www.fws.gov/permits/importexport/

importexport.shtml.

You may import an object made of ivory if it is an

antique . To be an antique the ivory must be at least 100

years old . You will need documentation that authen-

ticates the age of the ivory . You may import other

antiques containing wildlife parts with the same condi-

tion, but they must be accompanied by documentation

proving they are at least 100 years old . Certain other

requirements for antiques may apply .

If you plan to buy such things as tortoiseshell jewelry,

or articles made from whalebone, ivory, skins or fur,

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 or visit www.fws.gov . Hunters

can get information on the limitations for importing

and exporting migratory game birds from this office

as well or from www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/intrnltr/mbta/

mbtintro.html.

The U .S . Fish and Wildlife Service has designated spe-

cific ports of entry to handle fish and wildlife entries . If

you plan to import anything discussed in this section,

please contact CBP . about designated ports and the bro-

chure Pets and Wildlife, which describes the regulations

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37

CBP enforces for all agencies that oversee the importa-

tion of animals .

Some states have fish and wildlife laws and regulations

that are stricter than federal laws and regulations . If you

are 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 wild

animals into the United States that were taken, killed,

sold, possessed or exported from another country if

any of these acts violated foreign laws .

Food Products (Prepared)

You may bring bakery items and certain cheeses into the

United States . The APHIS Web site features a Travelers

Tips section and Game and Hunting Trophies section

that offers extensive information about bringing food

and other products into the U .S . Many prepared foods

are admissible . However, bush meat made from African

wildlife and almost anything containing meat products,

such as bouillon, soup mixes, etc ., is not admissible .

As a general rule, condiments, vinegars, oils, packaged

spices, honey, coffee and tea are admissible . Because

rice can often harbor insects, it is best to avoid bringing

it into the United States .

Some imported foods are also subject to requirements

of the U .S . Food and Drug Administration .

Prior Notice for Food Importation

The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism

Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (Bioterrorism

Act or BTA), Public Law 107-188, established the

requirement that food items, imported (or offered for

import) for commercial use, including hand-carried

quantities, be properly reported to the U .S . Food and

Drug Administration prior to arrival of those items

in the United States . The FDA prior notification time-

frames (by transport mode) are two hours by land, four

hours by rail or air, eight hours by vessel and prior to

the “time of mailing” for international mail .

Food that was made by an individual in his/her person-

al residence, or food purchased by an individual from a

vendor that is sent by that individual as a personal gift

38

Know Before You Go

(for non-business reasons) to someone in the United

States is not subject to Bioterrorism Act requirements .

However, food that is sent to an individual in the

United States by a business is subject to special require-

ments of the U .S . Food and Drug Administration . For

instance, if you go to a food shop in England and buy

a gift basket, then take it to the post office or a courier

service to send to a friend, the shipment is not subject

to BTA requirements . But if you go to that same shop

and ask them to send the gift basket for you, the ship-

ment is subject to BTA requirements, and the vendor

will have to file Prior Notice . Many travelers are find-

ing that vendors will not ship food directly to U .S .

residents because the reporting requirements can be

time-consuming to complete .

In general, failure to provide complete, timely and

accurate prior notice for Bioterrorism Act regulated

items, can result in refusal of admission of the mer-

chandise, movement of the goods to an FDA registered

facility (at importer expense) and/or civil monetary

penalty liabilities for any party that was involved in the

import transaction .

For full details regarding the latest FDA requirements,

including those food items exempt from these require-

ments, access www.fda.gov/oc/bioterrorism/bioact.html.

Fruits and Vegetables

Bringing fruits and vegetables depends on a number

of factors . For instance, consider the apple you bought

in the foreign airport just before boarding and then

did not eat . Whether or not CBP will allow the apple

into the United States depends on where you got it and

where you are going after you arrive in the United

States . The same would be true for Mediterranean

tomatoes . Such factors are important because fresh

fruits and vegetables can introduce plant pests or dis-

eases into the United States .

One good example of problems imported fruits and

vegetables can cause is the Mediterranean fruit fly out-

break during the 1980s . The outbreak cost the state of

California and the federal government approximately

$100 million to get rid of this pest . The cause of the

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39

outbreak was one traveler who brought home one

contaminated piece of fruit . It is best not to bring fresh

fruits or vegetables into the United States . However, if

you plan to, contact either CBP or check the Permits

section on the USDA-APHIS Web site at www.aphis.usda.

gov/ppq/permits/plantproducts/index.html for a general

approved list on items that need a permit .

NOTE: The civil penalty for failing to declare agricul-

tural items at U .S . ports of entry will cost first time

offenders $300 . The penalty for the second violation

goes up to $500 . To avoid receiving a penalthy all agri-

cultural items and present them to Customs and Border

Protection for inspection so that an agriculture special-

ist can determine if it is admissible .

Game and Hunting Trophies

Information on bringing back your game or hunt-

ing trophy can be found at www.fws.gov/le/HuntFish/

HuntFishInfo.htm. Currently, 14 ports of entry are desig-

nated to handle game and trophies; other ports must

get approval from the U .S . 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 are required to

fill out a Fish and Wildlife Form 3-177, Declaration for

Importation or Exportation . That form can be found at

www.fws.gov/le/pdffiles/3-177-2.pdf

Trophies may also be subject to inspection by CBP for

sanitary purposes . General guidelines for importing

trophies can be found on under the APHIS Import

Authorization System (IAS) at www.aphis.usda.gov/import_

export/downloads/import_rum_trophy.pdf; or by writing to:

U .S . Department of Agriculture

APHIS, VS, NCIE Products Program

4700 River Road, Unit 40

Riverdale, MD 20737-1231

Or by calling 301 .734 .3277 .

Nonhuman primate trophy materials may require

a permit from the Centers for Disease Control and

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Know Before You Go

Prevention . Prospective importers of nonhuman pri-

mate trophy materials from nonhuman primates

should review the permit requirements and com-

plete an application form, following the Guidance for

Individuals Wishing to Import Non-Human Primate

Trophies, Skins or Skulls found at http://www.cdc.gov/od/

ohs/biosfty/IP_NHP_Guidance013004.pdf . Trophy materials

of other animals under import embargo because of

viral zoonotic infections, such as civets, Asian birds,

and African rodents, may be imported if the body has

been sufficiently processed to render it non-infectious .

Proper methods of accomplishing this include:

• Heating to an internal temperature of 70 degrees

Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit) or placing in

boiling water for a minimum of 30 minutes);

• Preservation in 2 percent formaldehyde;

• Chemically treating in acidic or alkaline solu-

tions (soaking in a solution below pH 3 .0 or

above pH 11 .5 for 24 hours); or

• The use of hypertonic salts.

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 . 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 tro-

phy through CBP . You should always call for guidance

before you depart .

Gold

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

Cuba, Iran, Burma (Myanmar) and most of Sudan are

Know Before You Go

41

prohibited entry . Copies of gold coins are prohibited if

not properly marked by country of issuance .

Haitian Animal Hide Drums

Haitian goat hide drums have been previously linked to

a case of cutaneous anthrax, and the CDC restricts entry

of animal hide drums from Haiti if they have not been

processed in a way that renders them non-infectious .

Travelers should be aware that untanned animal hide

drums from Africa may pose a similar but low risk for

cutaneous anthrax .

Meats, Livestock and Poultry

The regulations governing meat and meat products are

stringent . You may not import fresh, dried or canned

meats or meat products from most foreign countries

into the United States . Also, you may not import 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 contact them for more infor-

mation on importing meats . A list of countries and/or

regions with specific livestock or poultry diseases can

be found at www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/animals/ani-

mal_disease_status.shtml.

Medication

Rule of thumb: When you go abroad, take the medicines you will

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 do so . If you need medicines that contain potentially

addictive drugs or narcotics (e .g ., some cough medi-

cines, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antidepressants or

stimulants), do the following:

• Declare all drugs, medicinals, and similar prod-

ucts to the appropriate CBP official;

• Carry such substances in their original contain-

ers;

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• Carry only the quantity of such substances that

a person with that condition (e .g ., chronic pain)

would normally carry for his/her personal use;

and

• 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 interna-

tional land borders who are carrying a validly obtained

controlled substance (other than narcotics such as mar-

ijuana, 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, heroin, or LSD) but does

not have a prescription for the substance issued by a

U .S .-licensed practitioner (e .g ., physician, dentist, etc .)

who is registered with, and authorized by, the Drug

Enforcement Administration to prescribe the medica-

tion, the individual may not import more than 50

dosage units of the medication into the United States .

If the U .S . resident has a prescription for the controlled

substance issued by a DEA registrant, more than 50 dos-

age 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 sub-

stances may also violate state laws . As a general rule,

the FDA does not allow the importation of prescription

drugs that were purchased outside the United States .

Please see their Web site for information about the

enforcement policy for personal use quantities .

Warning: The U .S . Food and Drug Administration

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

Know Before You Go

43

for use in the United States, they may not legally enter

the country and will be confiscated, even if they were

obtained under a foreign physician’s prescription .

Additional information about traveling with and

importing medication can be found at www.fda.gov/ora/

import/traveler_alert.htm.

Merchandise from Embargoed Countries

Generally, you may not bring in any merchandise from

Cuba, Iran, Burma (Myanmar) or most of Sudan . The

Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U .S . Department

of Treasury enforces economic sanctions against these

countries . To bring in merchandise from these coun-

tries, you will first need a specific license from the

Office of Foreign Assets Control . Such licenses are rarely

granted . You can write to the Office of Foreign Assets

Control, Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC

20220, or visit their Web site at www.treas.gov/ofac.

Exceptions:

• You may, however, bring from any of these

countries information and informational materials—

books, magazines, films, posters, photographs,

microfilms, tapes, CDs, records, works of art, etc .

Blank tapes and blank CDs are not informational

materials .

• Allowed importations of merchandise from Iran

include foodstuffs intended for human consump-

tion, carpets and other textile floor coverings,

and gifts of up to $100 (U .S .) in value .

• Allowed importations of merchandise from

Sudan include gifts of up to $100 (U .S .) in value .

• Importations of merchandise from Sudan are

generally allowed if acquired directly from

these parts of Sudan: Southern Sudan, Southern

Kordofan/Nuba Mountains State, Blue Nile State,

Abyei, Darfur, and certain marginalized areas in

and around Khartoum. (Note that such merchan-

dise may not be commercially shipped through

44

Know Before You Go

Khartoum, Port Sudan or other areas of Sudan

that remain subject to sanctions .)

There are non-comprehensive embargo programs

administered by Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets

Control with respect to the following regions, coun-

tries or entities: Western Balkans; Belarus, Cote

d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq

(for cultural property), Liberia (Former Regime of

Charles Taylor), Sierra Leone, Syria, Zimbabwe, and

Persons Undermining the Sovereignty of Lebanon or its

Democratic Processes and Institutions .

OFAC also administers programs that target individuals

and entities wherever they are located . Those programs

currently relate to foreign narcotics traffickers, foreign

terrorists, and Weapons of Mass Destruction prolifera-

tors . See OFAC’s Website for a list of those persons and

entities .

There are some travel restrictions with respect to cer-

tain embargoed countries . You should check www.treas.

gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/ to determine which

countries are subject to travel restrictions before mak-

ing any plans to visit these countries .

Pets

If you plan to take your pet abroad or import one on

your return, please review a copy of the CBP brochure

Pets and Wildlife . You should also check with state,

county and local authorities to learn if their restric-

tions and prohibitions on pets are stricter 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 are subject to inspection at ports of entry and may

be denied entry into the United States if they have evi-

dence of an infectious disease that can be transmitted

to humans . If a cat appears to be ill, further examina-

tion by a licensed veterinarian at the owner's expense

might be required at the port of entry .

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45

Cats are not required to have proof of rabies vaccination

for importation into the United States . However, some

states require vaccination of cats for rabies, so it is a

good idea to check with state and local health authori-

ties at your final destination .

All pet cats arriving in the state of Hawaii and the terri-

tory of Guam, even from the U .S . mainland, are subject

to locally imposed quarantine requirements .

Dogs must also be free of evidence of diseases that

could be communicable to humans . A general certifi-

cate of health is not required by CDC for entry of pet

dogs into the United States, although some airlines

or states may require them . Dogs must have a certifi-

cate showing they have been vaccinated against rabies

greater than or equal to 30 days prior to entry into

the United States . This certificate should identify the

dog, show the date of vaccination, 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, CBP 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 .

These requirements apply equally to service animals

such as Seeing Eye dogs .

Dogs not accompanied by proof of rabies vaccination,

including those that are too young to be vaccinated

(i .e . less than 3 months of age), may be admitted if

the importer completes a confinement agreement (see

below) and confines the animal until it is considered

adequately vaccinated against rabies (the vaccine is not

considered effective until 30 days after the date of vac-

cination) . Spanish, French and Russian translations of

form CDC 75 .37 are available, but must be completed

in English .

Confinement agreements may be found at www.cdc.

gov/ncidod/dq/pdf/animal/dog_quarantine_notice_08-04-06-

cdc7537.pdf or through your quarantine officer at the

port of entry .

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Know Before You Go

Dogs that are too young to be vaccinated (i .e . less than

3 months of age) must be kept in confinement until

they are old enough to be vaccinated, and then con-

fined for at least 30 days after the date of vaccination .

Birds may be imported as pets as long as you comply

with APHIS and U .S . Fish and Wildlife requirements .

ADVISORY: Until further notice, there is a temporary

ban on the importation of pet birds from coun-

tries/regions affected with highly pathogenic Avian

influenza subtype H5NI . See http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

import_export/animals/animal_import/animal_imports_hpai.

shtm.

All non-U .S . origin pet birds imported into the United

States (except from Canada) are required to be quaran-

tined for 30 days in a USDA animal import quarantine

facility at the owner's expense . A reservation at the

facility must be made in advance by contacting the

USDA port veterinarian at one of the special ports of

entry listed below . A cost estimate for the quarantine

will be provided at that time . Once the reservation is

made and payment is received in full for all quaran-

tine services, the animal import quarantine facility

will issue a USDA import permit (VS Form17-129) .

This permit must accompany the bird while in transit .

The USDA defines pet birds as those that are imported

for personal pleasure of their individual owners and are

not intended for resale .

Document and Quarantine

Requirements:

• USDA import permit (VS Form17-129);

• Current Health Certificate issued by a full-time

salaried veterinarian of the agency responsible

for animal health of the national government in

the exporting country of origin;

• 30-day Quarantine in an USDA Animal Import

Center; and

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47

• Fish and Wildlife Services Certification (if neces-

sary).

USDA Quarantine Centers and

Ports of Entry

All non-U .S . origin pet birds must enter the country

and undergo quarantine at one of the following import

quarantine facilities .

These are the only ports of entry available for importing non-U.S.

origin pet birds.

New York City

230-59 Rockaway Blvd ., Suite 101

Jamaica, NY 11413

Telephone (718) 553-1727 • Fax (718) 553-7543

Miami Animal Import Center

USDA-APHIS-VS

6300 NW 36 Street

Miami, FL 33122

Telephone (305) 526-2926 • Fax (305) 526-2929

Los Angeles

Los Angeles International Airport

11850 South La Cienega Blvd .

Hawthorne, CA 90250

Telephone (310) 725-1970

Fax (310) 725-9119

For additional information visit the APHIS Web site at

www.aphis.usda.gov/subjects/animal_health/index.shtml.

Other common pets such as rabbits, ferrets, hamsters,

gerbils and guinea pigs may be imported if they are

in good health . The importation of reptiles and inver-

tebrates is restricted; please contact the U .S . Fish and

Wildlife Service for additional guidance . Most species of

snails are not admissible . Contact APHIS for additional

information . All civets, African rodents and nonhuman

primates are prohibited except for science, education

and exhibition . These species cannot be imported as

pets . Contact CDC for additional information www.cdc.

gov/ncidod/dq/animal/index.htm.

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Plants and seeds

Some plants, cuttings, seeds that are capable of prop-

agation, unprocessed plant products and certain

endangered species are allowed into the United States

but require import permits and other documents; some

are prohibited entirely . Threatened or endangered spe-

cies that are permitted must have export permits from

the country of origin .

Every single plant or plant product including handicraft

items made with straw, must be declared to the CBP

officer and must be presented for CBP inspection, no

matter how free of pests it appears to be . For informa-

tion on importing plants or plant products visit www.

aphis.usda.gov/ppq/permits/plantproducts/index.html.

Soil

Soil is considered the loose surface material of the

earth in which plants, trees, and scrubs grow . In most

cases, the soil consists of disintegrated rock with an

admixture of organic material and soluble salts . Soil

is prohibited entry unless accompanied by an import

permit . Soil must be declared and the permit must be

verified .

Textiles and Clothing

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 or as gifts . If you have exceeded your

personal exemption, you may have to pay duty on the

items . Unaccompanied personal shipments (packages

that are mailed or shipped), however, may be subject to

limitations on amount .

On January 1, 2005, quotas for all countries that are

part of the World Trade Organization (WTO) were

eliminated . There are still some countries, like Vietnam,

that are not part of the WTO that have quotas in

place for commercial shipments . These countries may

require an additional document called a “visa” accom-

pany the shipment .

China could have limits on particular garments called

“safeguards .” It is recommended that you contact a CBP

import specialist in your area or at the port where you

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49

plan to import to determine what countries are subject

to quotas and what products from China are subject to

safeguards .

There may be additional documentation required for

textiles from other countries such as the African coun-

tries that require a visa to be placed on a commercial

invoice in order to get duty-free treatment . There may

also be a certificate of eligibility document require-

ment to get duty-free treatment under many of the

free trade agreements that are negotiated between the

United States and the foreign government . These are

not admissibility documents, but allow you to import

your garments duty-free, provided certain conditions

are met .

Trademarked and Copyrighted Articles

CBP enforces laws relating to the protection of trade-

marks and copyrights . Articles that infringe a federally

registered trademark or copyright or copyright pro-

tected by the Berne Convention for the Protection of

Literary and Artistic Works are subject to detention and/

or seizure . Infringing articles may consist of articles

that use a protected right without the authorization of

the trademark or copyright owner or articles that copy

or simulate a protected right .

Articles bearing marks that are counterfeit or inap-

propriately using a federally registered trademark are

subject to seizure and forfeiture . The importation of

articles intended for sale or public distribution bearing

counterfeit marks may subject an individual to a civil

fine if the registered trademark has also been recorded

with CBP . Articles bearing marks that are confusingly

similar to a CBP recorded registered trademark, and

restricted gray market articles (goods bearing genuine

marks not intended for U .S . importation for which CBP

granted gray market protection) are subject to detention

and seizure .

However, travelers arriving in the United States may

be permitted an exemption and allowed to import one

article of each type, which must accompany the person,

bearing a counterfeit, confusingly similar or restricted

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gray market trademark, provided that the article is for

personal use and is not for sale .

This exemption may be granted not more than once

every 30 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 only 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 by CBP to be clearly piratical of a protected

copyright, i .e ., unauthorized articles that are substan-

tially similar to a material protected by a copyright, are

subject to seizure . A personal use exemption for articles,

similar to that described above also applies to copy-

righted articles for the personal, non-commercial use of

the importer and are not for sale or distribution .

You may bring back genuine trademarked and copy-

righted articles (subject to duties) . Products subject to

copyright protection most commonly imported include

software on CD-ROMs, sound recordings, toys, stuffed

animals, clothing with cartoon characters, videotapes,

DVDs, music CDs and books . Products subject to trade-

mark protection most commonly imported include

handbags and accessories, and clothing .

Money And Other Monetary

Instruments

You may bring into or take out of the country, includ-

ing by mail, as much money as you wish . However, if

it is more than $10,000, you will need to report it to

CBP . Ask the CBP officer for the Currency Reporting

Form (FinCen 105) . The penalties for non-compliance

can be severe .

“Money” means monetary instruments and includes U .S .

or foreign coins currently in circulation, currency, trav-

elers’ checks in any form, money orders, and negotiable

instruments or investment securities in bearer form .

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51

Photographic Film

CBP will not examine film you bought abroad and

are bringing back unless the CBP officer has reason to

believe it contains prohibited material, such as child

pornography .

You will not be charged duty on film bought in the

United States and exposed abroad, whether it is devel-

oped or not . But film you bought and developed abroad

counts as a dutiable item .

CBP’s Pledge to Travelers

• We pledge to cordially greet and welcome you to

the United States .

• We pledge to treat you with courtesy, dignity

and respect .

• We pledge to explain the CBP process to you.

• We pledge to have a supervisor listen to your

comments .

• We pledge to accept and respond to your com-

ments in written, verbal or electronic form .

• We pledge to provide reasonable assistance due

to delay or disability .

If you have a concern or need help understanding

CBP regulations and procedures, ask to speak with the

supervisor on duty .

If you have any questions about CBP procedures,

requirements, or policies regarding travelers, or if you

have any complaints about treatment you received from

CBP officers or about your CBP processing, please write

to:

Customer Service Center

Office of Public Affairs, Room 3 .4-A

U .S . Customs and Border Protection

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20229

Or call 1 .877 .CBP .5511 (1 .877 .227 .5511) .

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Allegations of criminal or serious misconduct may

be reported to the Joint Intake Center by telephone

at 1.877.2INTAKE (1.877.246.8253), by email to Joint.

Intake@dhs .gov, by fax to 202 .344 .3390, or by mail

to:

U .S . Customs and Border Protection

P .O . Box 14475

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20044

DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry

Program

The Department of Homeland Security’s Traveler

Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP) provides a single

point of contact for individuals who have inquiries or

seek resolution regarding difficulties they experienced

during their travel screening at airports or train sta-

tions or crossing U .S . borders, including:

• Denied or delayed airline boarding;

• Denied or delayed entry into and exit from the

United States at a port of entry; or

• Continuously referred to secondary screening.

To initiate an inquiry, please log onto DHS TRIP’s inter-

active Web site at www.dhs.gov/trip.

You will be asked to describe your concerns and expe-

rience, provide contact information and be assigned a

case number to help you monitor the progress of your

inquiry .

After filing online, you will be asked to provide sup-

porting documentation within 30 days . DHS TRIP will

process your request after the supporting paperwork is

received . You may check the status of your request at

any time through the DHS TRIP Web site at www.dhs.

gov/trip.

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53

Other Travel-Related

Information

Planning for healthy travel: International travelers

can take a number of simple steps to avoid potential

health problems before and during travel . Contact your

physician, local health department, or private or public

agencies that advise international travelers at least 4 to

6 weeks before departure to schedule an appointment

to receive current health information on the countries

you plan to visit, obtain vaccinations and prophylactic

medications as indicated, and address any special needs .

Travel health information from the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention can be found at wwwn.cdc.gov/

travel/default.aspx

Animals also are susceptible to contracting diseases that

were brought back to the United States by unknow-

ing international travelers: diseases such as Exotic

Newcastle Disease and Avian Influenza that can deci-

mate local poultry populations; Swine Flu, Foot and

Mouth disease and other animal diseases .

Passports are issued by the U .S . Department of State

Passport Agency . Please contact the Passport Agency

nearest you for more information . Postal clerks also

accept passport applications . Additional information

can be found at www.travel.state.gov.

Baggage allowance: Ask the airline or steamship line on

which you are traveling for more information . Contact

the Transportation Security Administration at www.tsa.

gov for a list of prohibited and permitted items .

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 imported

or brought into that country, contact that country’s

embassy, consular office, or tourist information office .

Glossary Of Terms

Accompanied baggage – Baggage that you have with

you when you return to the United States .

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CBP – U .S . Customs and Border Protection was cre-

ated in 2003 by combining the U .S . Customs Service,

Immigration Inspection Service, Animal Plant and

Health Inspection Service, and the U .S . Border Patrol

into one border agency .

DHS – Department of Homeland Security is the parent

agency of CBP and also was created in 2003, after the

9/11 attacks on the United States .

Dutiable – Items on which duty may have to be paid .

Most items have specific duty rates, which are deter-

mined by a number of factors, including where you got

the item, where it was made, and what it is made of .

Duty-free – This is merchandise you may bring back to

the United States without having to pay duty .

Duty-free exemption – see Personal exemption .

Flat duty rate – When determining the duty of the

items a traveler brings with them upon their return to

the U .S .: after the personal exemption of $200, $800 or

$1,600; the next $1000 of merchandise will be charged

a flat rate of duty of 1 .5 percent or 3 percent .

GSP – The Generalized System of Preferences is a trade

program that gives duty preferences – that is a free

rate of duty – for certain goods in certain developing

countries .

Joint declaration – Family members who live in the

same home and return together to the United States

may combine their personal exemptions instead of each

family member filing an individual declaration .

Personal exemption – The total value of merchandise

you may bring back to the United States without having

to pay duty .

Prohibited items – Items that are not allowed into the

United States under any circumstances .

Restricted items – Items that are allowed into the

United States but have a condition for importation .

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55

They may be limited in number or may need a license

to bring into the United States .

Visa Waiver Program – The Visa Waiver Program

enables nationals of certain countries to travel to the

United States for tourism or business for stays of 90

days or less without obtaining a visa .

Helpful Web Sites:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

www.dhs.gov/

• DHS TRIP – www.dhs.gov/trip

U .S . Customs and Border Protection – www.cbp.gov/

Transportation Security Administration – www.tsa.

gov/

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

• I-551, Permanent Resident Card (“Green Card”) -

www.uscis.gov/graphics/services/residency/index.htm

U.S. State Department

• Passports – www.travel.state.gov/passport/pass-

port_1738.html

• Visas – www.travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

• Visa Waiver Program - www.travel.state.gov/visa/

temp/without/without_1990.html

• Cultural property – www.exchanges.state.gov/culprop/

United States Department of Agriculture/

APHIS

• Birds - www.aphis.usda.gov/subjects/animal_health/

index.shtml

• Plants and seeds - www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/permits/

plantproducts/index.html

• Importation of hunting trophies - www.aphis.usda.

gov/import_export/downloads/import_rum_trophy.pdf

• Hunting trophies - www.aphis.usda.gov/import_

export/downloads/import_rum_trophy.pdf

• List of countries and/or regions with specific

livestock or poultry diseases - www.aphis.usda.gov/

import_export/animals/animal_disease_status.shtml

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Permits - www.fws.gov/permits/

• Lists of animals needing import permits - www.

fws.gov/permits/SpeciesLists/SpeciesLists.shtml

• Importing game birds - www.fws.gov/migratory-

birds/intrnltr/mbta/mbtintro.html

• Hunting trophies - www.fws.gov/le/HuntFish/

HuntFishInfo.htm

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and

Explosives

• Firearms - www.atf.gov/firearms/index.htm

Department of Commerce - www.commerce.gov

Environmental Protection Agency

www.epa.gov

• Importing a vehicle - www.epa.gov/otaq/imports/

factmtop.htm.

U.S. Department of Transportation

• Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance - www.nhtsa.

dot.gov/cars/rules/import/FAQ%20Site/pages/page2.

html

Food and Drug Administration

• Food items exempt from bioterrorism require-

ments - www.fda.gov/oc/bioterrorism/bioact.html

• Medications - www.fda.gov/ora/import/traveler_alert.

htm

OFAC

• Country sanctions - www.treas.gov/offices/enforce-

ment/ofac/programs/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Traveler Health - wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx

• Animal Importation - wwwn.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/

animal/index.htm

• Quarantine Stations – www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dq/quar-

antine_stations.htm

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Notes

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Notes

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Notes

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U .S . Customs and Border Protection

Washington, D .C . 20229

To report suspicious activity call

1-800-BE ALERT

CBP Brochure No . 0000-0512

Revised May 2009

Know Before You Go

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20229

Questions? Visit help .cbp .gov or call

1-877-227-5511 or 703-526-4200

TO REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

1(800) BE ALERT

CBP Brochure No . 0000-0512

Revised May 2009