Crossing the BorderRocky Point AZ Mexico Border ~ Downtown Puerto PenascoCustoms Know Before You Go! Introduction Joint Declaration Exemptions Items from Certain Countries U.S. Mail Shipments Absinthe (Alcohol) Pledge to Travelers INTRODUCTION The CBP’s primary mission is preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States, while also facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. This mission is vitally important to the protection of America and the American people. CBP officers inspect all persons arriving at a U.S. port of entry. It is CBP policy to treat you in a courteous, professional manner. Very few travelers actually violate the law, but an examination of your baggage or your vehicle may be required, which, by law, we are allowed to do. You may be asked questions on the nature of your citizenship, your trip, and about anything you are bringing back to the United States that you did not have with you when you left. If your baggage is selected for an examination, you will be responsible for placing it on the exam station and opening it. After the exam is completed, you will be asked to repack and close the baggage. If you feel your examination is not conducted in a professional manner, please ask to speak to a CBP supervisor. 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. The information contained within this brochure may change routinely. Please visit the travel section of the CBP website at http://www.cbp.gov/ for the most up-to-date traveler information. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mission Statement WHEN YOU RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES Keep your sales slips. DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRY TO THE UNITED STATES Are currently exempt from passport requirements. However, it is highly recommendedthat a U.S. Citizen be prepared to present documentation such as valid or expired U.S. passport, U.S. birth certificate, or Naturalization certificate to avoid delays. The proposed timeline is as follows: December 31, 2006: Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. For more information, please visit the State Department travel website a http://www.travel.state.gov/ or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website at http://www.dhs.gov/. To apply for a passport, U.S. citizens can visit http://www.travel.state.gov/ or call the U.S. Passport Office at 1-877-4USA-PPT or TDD/TYY: 1-888-874-7793. Foreign nationals should contact their respective governments to obtain passports. U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) must provide one of the following: I-551, Permanent Resident Card (Green card), Generally, a valid unexpired passport and visa. However, certain classes may require specific supporting documentation such as an employment petition, student authorization, or approval notice. Nationals of countries authorized to participate in the *Visa Waver program are required to present an unexpired machine-readable passport. For additional information refer to the State Department at http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html. Travel from outside the Western Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia) A valid, unexpired U.S. passport I-551, Permanent Resident Card (Green card), Generally, a valid, unexpired passport and visa. However, certain classes may require specific supporting documentation such as an employment petition, student authorization, or approval notice. *Visa Waiver Program – Participating Countries There are some exceptions that may exist in regards to the above listed information. For more information on documentation requirements, contact your consulate or embassy for further instructions. WHAT YOU MUST DECLARE 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 did not buy the item yourself—for example, if it is a gift—get an estimate of its fair retail value in the country where you received it. If you bought something on your trip and wore or used it on the trip, it’s still dutiable. You must declare the item at the price you paid or, if it was a gift, at its fair market value. Children and infants are allowed the same exemption as adults, except for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. REGISTER ITEMS BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE UNITED STATES To make things easier, you can register certain items with CBP before you depart— including watches, cameras, 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 (CBP Form 4457). It shows that you had the items with you before leaving 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 register items with CBP at the international airport from which you’re departing. Keep the certificate for future trips. DUTY-FREE EXEMPTION Exemptions The duty-free exemptions ($200, $800, or $1,600) apply if: Tobacco Products 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 previously exported, the resident would be permitted to import the 200 previously exported cigarettes tax free under the exemption and the resident would be charged duty and tax on the remaining 200 foreign-made cigarettes. The tobacco exemption is available to each adult. Except for information and informational materials, no traveler (whether traveling legally under an Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) license or traveling illegally without an OFAC license) may import Cuban origin goods, including Cuban cigars, unless authorized to do so by a specific license issued by OFAC. Alcoholic Beverages While Federal regulations do not specify a limit on the amount of alcohol you may bring back for personal use, unusual quantities are liable to raise suspicions that you are importing the alcohol for other purposes, such as for resale. 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 releasing 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 recommend that you check with the state governmen 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. Tips for frequent travelers For example, if your personal exemption is $800 and you leave the United States, come back, leave again, and then come back again, all on the same trip, you can lose your exemption, since you have technically violated the “once every 30 days” rule. Therefore, if you know that your trip will involve these swing-backs, you can choose to save your personal exemption until the end of your trip. 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. If you imported the liquor duty free, you would lose the $800 exemption, because it is only available to you once every 30 days. In other words, all you have to do is tell the inspector that you want to pay duty the first (or second or third) time you come back to the United States if you know that you will be leaving again soon, buying goods or getting them as gifts, and then reentering before the end of 30 days. In such a case, you save money by waiting to use your exemption until the last time you reenter the United $200 Exemption Each traveler is allowed this $200 exemption, but, unlike the other exemptions, family members may not group their exemptions. Thus, if Mr. and Mrs. Smith spend a night in Canada, each may bring back up to $200 worth of goods, but they would not be allowed a collective family exemption of $400. Also, if you bring back more than $200 worth of dutiable items, or if any item is subject to duty or tax, the entire amount will be dutiable. 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 dutiable for the full value of $300. You may include with the $200 exemption your choice of the following: 50 cigarettes and 10 cigars and 150 milliliters (5 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages or 150 milliliters (5 fl. oz.) of perfume containing alcohol. $800 Exemption For Caribbean Basin or Andean countries, your exemption is also $800 : Antigua and Barbuda Ecuador Panama 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 section on Unaccompanied Purchases from Insular Possessions and Caribbean Basin or Andean Countries). 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 Goods to the United States.) Antiques that are at least 100 years old, and fine art may enter duty-free, but folk art and handicrafts are generally dutiable. This means that, depending on what items you’re bringing back from your trip, you could come home with more than $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 $1300 worth of merchandise home without having to pay duty, because fine art is duty-free. $1,600 Exemption Similarly, you may include five liters of alcoholic beverages in your duty-free exemption, but one of them must be a product of an insular possession. Four may be products of other countries (see section on Unaccompanied Purchases from Insular Possessions and Caribbean Basin countries). Travel to More Than One Country For example, 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. Keeping track of where your purchases occurred and having the receipts ready to show the CBP officers will help speed your clearing customs. GIFTS 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. By federal law, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and perfume containing alcohol and worth more than $5 retail may not be included in the gift exemption. Gifts for more than one person may be shipped in the same package, called a consolidated gift package, if they are individually wrapped and labeled with each recipient’s name. Here’s how to wrap and label a consolidated gift package. Be sure to mark the outermost wrapper with the: To John Jones—one belt, $20; one box of candy, $5; one tie, $20. If any item in the consolidated gift parcel is subject to duty and tax or worth more than the $100 gift allowance, the entire package will be dutiable. You, as a traveler, cannot send a “gift” package to yourself, and people traveling together cannot send “gifts” to each other. But there would be no reason to do that anyway, because the personal exemption for packages mailed from abroad is $200, which is twice as much as the gift exemption. If a package is subject to duty, the United States Postal Service will collect it from the addressee along with any postage and handling charges. The sender cannot prepay duty; the recipient must pay duty when a package is received in the United States. For more information about mailing packages to the United States, please contact your nearest CBP office and ask for our brochure International Mail Imports. DUTY-FREE OR REDUCED RATES Items from Certain Countries 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. 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 with 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. Check with CBP or access the CBP website for further details. Personal Belongings Household Effects You may import household effects you acquired abroad duty-free if: 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 over 1 year of age. All vehicles are dutiable. INCREASED DUTY RATES While most of the products listed are not the type of goods that travelers would purchase in sufficient quantities 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 website at http://www.commerce.gov/. DETERMINING DUTY The following is an example of the different rates if you acquire goods valued at $3,500 from various different places: 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. PAYING DUTY SENDING GOODS TO THE UNITED STATES Items mailed to the United States are subject to duty when they arrive. They cannot be included in your exemption, and duty on them cannot be prepaid. If you are mailing merchandise from the U.S. insular possessions or from Caribbean Basin In addition to duty and, at times, taxes, CBP collects a user fee on dutiable packages. Those three fees are the only fees CBP collects; any additional charges on shipments are for handling by freight forwarders, customs brokers, and couriers or for other delivery services. Some carriers may add other clearance charges that have nothing to do with customs duties. Note: Customs brokers are not CBP employees. Brokers’ fees are based on the amount of work they do, not on the value of the items you ship. Travelers sometimes find the fee to be high in relation to the value of the shipment. The most cost-effective option is to take your purchases with you if at all possible. UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE Packages that contain fruits, vegetables, meat or other items of agricultural interest are inspected to ensure that items meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine. The CBP agriculture specialist encloses a Mail Interception Notice, PPQ Form 287, to document any agriculture items that are removed from the package. The package is 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 http://www.aphis.usda.gov/. 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—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 employees may not prepare formal entries for you; only you or a licensed customs broker may prepare one. For more information on this subject, please 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 the CBP website at http://www.cbp.gov/. Express Shipments Freight Shipments Frequently, a freight forwarder in a foreign country will take care of these arrangements, including hiring a customs broker in the United States to clear the merchandise through 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. 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— in other words, if the merchandise is worth less than $2,000 and 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. UNACCOMPANIED PURCHASES FROM INSULAR POSSESSIONS AND To take advantage of the duty-free exemption for unaccompanied tourist purchases from an insular possession or a Caribbean country: Step 1. At place and time of purchase, ask your merchant to hold your item until you send him or her a copy of 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; (b) check off on the declaration those items you are not bringing with you–that is, the unaccompanied items. 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. 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 slips, invoices; (c) validate the CBP Form 255 as to whether your purchases are duty-free under your personal exemption ($1,600 or $800 ) or whether they are subject to a flat rate of duty. Two copies of this three-part CBP Form 255 will be returned to you. Step 4. 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. (When you make your purchase, it is very important to tell the merchant not to send your package to the United States until he or she gets the copy of form CBP Form 255.) Step 5. When the merchant gets your CBP Form 255, he or she will put it in an envelope and attach the envelope securely to the outside wrapping of the package or container. The merchant must also mark each package “Unaccompanied Purchase.” Please remember that each package or container must have its own 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 broker to do this for you. However, be aware that brokers are not CBP employees, and they charge fees for their services. Storage Charges: If freight or express packages from your trip are delivered before you return and you have not made arrangements to pick them up, 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. 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 Articles sold in foreign duty free shops are subject to U.S. duty and other restrictions, for PROHIBITED AND RESTRICTED ITEMS The products we need to 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 political interests. Sometimes the products that cause injury, or have the potential to do so, may seem fairly innocent. But, as you will see from the material that follows, appearances can be deceiving. Before you leave for your trip abroad, you might want to talk to CBP about the items you plan to bring back to be sure they’re not prohibited or restricted. Prohibited means the item is forbidden by law to enter the United States. Examples of prohibited items are dangerous toys, cars that don’t protect their occupants in a crash, or illegal substances like absinthe and Rohypnol. Restricted means that special licenses or permits are required from a federal agency before the item is allowed to enter the United States. Examples of restricted items include firearms, certain fruits, vegetables, and some animals. Absinthe (Alcohol) Automobiles Almost all cars, vans, sport utility vehicles, and so on that are bought in foreign countries must be modified 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 Information on importing vehicles can be obtained from visiting the Environmental Protection Agency website at http://www.epa.gov/, or by writing to Attn.: 6405J, Washington, DC 20460, or by telephone at 202.564.9240, for EPA forms call 202.564.9660. You may also contact the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (NEF 32) NHTSA, Copies of the brochure Importing or Exporting a Car can be obtained by writing to U.S. 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 Ceramic Tableware Cultural Artifacts and Cultural Property (Art/Artifacts) 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/antiquities that were stolen—no matter how many times such items may have changed hands. Articles of stolen cultural property from museums or from religious or secular public monuments originating in any of the countries party to the 1970 UNESCO Convention specifically may not be imported into the 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: 1) Any pre-Columbian monumental and architectural sculpture and murals from Central and South American countries; 2) 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 period objects such as paintings and ritual objects from Peru; 3) Byzantine period ritual and ecclesiastic objects such as icons from Cyprus; and 4) 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 website. This website 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. Dog and Cat Fur The Act provides that any person who violates any provision 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 violation, or $3,000 for each separate negligent violation. Drug Paraphernalia Firearms You do not need an ATF permit if you can demonstrate that you are returning with the same firearms or ammunition that you took out of the United States. 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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20226; or call 202.927.8320; or visit http://www.atf.gov/. Many countries will not allow you to enter with a firearm even if you are only traveling through the country on the way to your final destination. If you plan to take your firearms or ammunition to another country, you should contact officials at that country’s embassy to learn about its regulations. Fish and Wildlife Endangered species of wildlife, and products made from them, generally may not be imported or exported. You will need a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to import virtually all types of ivory, unless it is from a warthog. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has so many restrictions and prohibitions on various kinds of ivory—Asian elephant, African elephant, whale, rhinoceros, seal, pre-Endangered Species Act, post-CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), and many others—that they urge you to contact them before you even think of acquiring ivory in a foreign country. You may contact them at 800.358.2104. 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 authenticates the age of the ivory. You may import other antiques containing wildlife parts with the same condition, 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 http://www.fws.gov/. Hunters can get information on the limitations for importing and exporting migratory game birds from this office as well. Ask for their pamphlet, Facts About Federal Wildlife Laws. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has designated specific ports of entry to handle fish and wildlife entries. If you plan to import anything discussed in this section, please contact CBP. CBP will tell you about designated ports and send you the brochure Pets and Wildlife, which describes the regulations CBP enforces for all agencies that oversee the importation of animals. Some states have fish and wildlife laws and regulations that are stricter than federal laws and regulations. If you 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 website features a Travelers Tips section and Game and Hunting Trophies section that offers extensive information about bringing food and other products into the country. Many prepared foods are admissible. However, 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 Food that was made by an individual in his/her personal residence, or food purchased by an individual from a vendor that is sent by that individual as a personal gift (for non-business reasons) to someone in the United States is not subject to BTA requirements. However, food that is sent to an individual in the United States by a business is subject to special requirements 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 shipment is subject to BTA requirements, and the vendor will have to file Prior Notice. Many travelers are finding 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 BTA regulated items, can result in refusal of admission of the merchandise, 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 BTA requirements, including those food items exempt from these requirements, access the FDA website at www.fda.gov/oc/bioterrorism/bioact.html. Fruits and Vegetables One good example of problems imported fruits and vegetables can cause is the Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak 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 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 Travelers Information section on the USDA-APHIS website for a general approved list on items that need a permit. Game and Hunting Trophies If you plan to import game or a hunting trophy, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before you leave at 800.358.2104. Currently, 14 ports of entry are designated 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. Trophies may also be subject to inspection by CBP for sanitary purposes. General guidelines for importing trophies can be found on APHIS website under Travelers Information; or by writing to USDA, APHIS, VS, NCIE Products Program, 4700 River Road, Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737- 1231; or by calling 301.734.3277. 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 trophy through CBP. You should always call for guidance before you depart. Gold Meats, Livestock, and Poultry 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 information on importing meats. You may write to USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services National Center for Import/Export (NCIE), 4700 River Road, Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; or call 301.734.7830. Medication U.S. residents entering the United States at international land borders, who are carrying a validly obtained controlled substance (other than narcotics such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or LSD), are subject to certain additional requirements. If a U.S. resident wants to bring in a controlled substance (other than narcotics such as marijuana, cocaine, 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 (DEA) to prescribe the medication, 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 dosage units may be imported by that person, provided all other legal requirements are met. Please note that only medications that can be legally prescribed in the United States may be imported for personal use. Be aware that possession of certain substances may also violate state laws. As a general rule, the FDA does not allow the importation of prescription drugs that were purchased outside the United States. Please see their website for information about the enforcement policy for personal use quantities. Warning: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits the importation, by mail or in person, of fraudulent prescription and nonprescription drugs and medical devices. These include unorthodox “cures” for such medical conditions as cancer, AIDS, arthritis, or multiple sclerosis. Although such drugs or devices may be legal elsewhere, if the FDA has not approved them for use in the United States, they may not legally enter the country and will be confiscated, even if they were obtained under a foreign physician’s prescription. For specifics about importing controlled substances, call 202.307.2414. For additional Merchandise from Embargoed Countries Generally, you may not bring in any goods from the following (if not followed by an asterisk or where specified that the embargo only applies to diamonds): Cuba, Iran*, Iraq*, Serbia and Montenegro*, North Korea*, Burma (Myanmar), Angola, Liberia and Sierra Leone (diamonds only) and Sudan. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of Treasury enforces this ban. *The embargo on Iranian goods has been revised to allow the importation of food stuffs intended for human consumption, carpets and other textile floor coverings. Please check with your local port for further details * Only certain 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 is prohibited. *There is a general lifting of the embargo on Serbia and Montenegro (exception relates to certain “Specially Designated Nationals” and “Blocked Persons” involving transactions prior to January 19, 2000). For more information visit OFAC website at http://www.treas.gov/offices/eotffc/ofac/. *The importation of merchandise from North Korea requires a letter of approval issued by the OFAC. You may, however, may bring in 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. If you want to import merchandise from any of these countries, you will first need a specific license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Such licenses are rarely granted. There are strictly enforced restrictions on travel to these countries. Therefore, before making plans to visit any of the countries on this list, you should write to the Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20220, or visit their website at www.treas.gov/ofac. Pets Importing animals is closely regulated for public health reasons and also for the well being of the animals. There are restrictions and prohibitions on bringing many species into the United States. Cats must be free of evidence of diseases communicable to humans when they are examined at the port of entry. If the cat does not seem to be in good health, the owner may have to pay for an additional examination by a licensed veterinarian. As a rule, both cats and dogs must be free of fleas and ticks, and have a health certificate that was issued by the country of residence. Dogs must also be free of evidence of diseases that could be communicable to humans. Puppies must be confined at a place of the owner’s choosing, which can be a private residence, until they are three months old and then they must be vaccinated against rabies. The puppy will then have to stay in confinement for another 30 days following the vaccination. Dogs older than three months must get a rabies vaccination at least 30 days before they come to the United States and must be accompanied by a valid rabies vaccination certificate if coming from a country that is not rabies-free. This certificate should identify the dog, show the date of vaccination, 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 Birds may be imported as pets as long as you comply with APHIS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife requirements. These requirements may include quarantining the birds at one of the three APHIS Animal Import Centers at your expense. You must make advance reservations at the quarantine facility. If you intend to import a bird, call the APHIS National Center for Import and Export at 301.734.8364 for more information. 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 invertebrates 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. 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 information write to USDA-APHIS-PPQ, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737; call 301.734.8645; or visit the APHIS website at www.aphis.usda.gov/travel/. Soil 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” accompany the shipment. There may be additional documentation required for textiles from other countries such as the African countries that require a visa to be placed on a commercial invoice in order to get dutyfree treatment. There may also be a certificate of eligibility document requirement to get dutyfree 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 Articles bearing marks that are counterfeit or inappropriately using a federally registered 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 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 substantially 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 copyrighted articles for the personal, non-commercial use of the importer and are not for sale or distribution. You may bring back genuine trademarked and copyrighted 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 trademark protection most commonly imported include handbags and accessories, and clothing. MONEY AND OTHER MONETARY INSTRUMENTS “Money” means monetary instruments and includes U.S. or foreign coins currently in circulation, currency, traveler’s checks in any form, money orders, and negotiable instruments or investment securities in bearer form. PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAMS Photos of the passenger service representatives are posted wherever the program is operating, to make it easy for you to recognize them if you need assistance. If you have a concern or need help understanding CBP regulations and procedures, ask to speak with the passenger service representative 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: Pledge to Travelers OTHER TRAVEL-RELATED INFORMATION 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 Baggage allowance – Ask the airline or steamship line on which you are traveling for more information. Contact the Transportation Security Administration at http://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 into that country, contact that country’s embassy, consular office, or tourist information office. U.S. Customs and Border Protection |
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