Customs and Declarations
Written by: Tara Schaurete
Do you have anything to declare? Before you bring back that souvenir of your trip abroad, it is worth knowing U.S. Customs regulations to avoid extra duty and the possible seizure of certain items.
When you arrive back in the U.S., you need to declare everything you have brought back that you did not have with you when you left including personal purchases, gifts to you and gifts for other people. Customs recommends that you keep the sales receipts for anything you bought and pack these items separately with you so that they are easy to retrieve if you need to present them to a Customs official.
As part of your declaration, you are eligible for an exemption of paying duty up to a certain limit (usually $600, $800, or $1,200 U.S.). Purchases above and beyond this limit will be subject to a duty tax but there are also restrictions on the amounts you can bring back of certain products duty-free that contain tobacco or liquor. Also be sure to remember that if you are under the legal age of majority (21), you cannot bring these products into the U.S. even if you are of legal age to purchase them in the foreign country you were visiting.
There are also prohibited and restricted items that you should be aware of when returning to the U.S. Trying to bring these items into the country can be illegal and can result in confiscation, serious fines and civil charges.
Prohibited means the item is forbidden by law to enter the United States, period. Examples are dangerous toys, art and artifacts that are the cultural property of another country, or illegal substances like absinthe (a liquor) and Rohypnol (a drug not approved by the FDA).
Restricted means that special licenses or permits are required from a federal agency before the item is allowed to enter the United States. Examples are firearms and certain fruits, vegetables, pets and textiles.
Every fruit or vegetable must be declared to a Customs officer and must be presented for inspection, no matter how free of pests it appears to be. This even includes the apple you may have saved from your meal on the plane so think carefully about what snacks you have with you. The same rules apply for fresh meats and their by-products. However, canned, cured or dried meat may be admissible though these products are often severely restricted. Bakery items and all cured cheeses are generally admissible.
Items made from animals or animal parts such as all ivory, tortoise shell jewelry, certain leather goods, whale bone or teeth, fur, skins, reptiles, birds, eggs, coral and all endangered species are usually restricted or prohibited. If you intend to bring any of these types of items back into the country it is recommended that you first contact the Fish and Wildlife Service through
href="http://www.learnoverseas.com/dolink.cfm?link=http://international.fws.gov/permits/permits.html">http://international.fws.gov/permits/permits.html to ensure that you can.
You also cannot bring back goods from embargoed countries. U.S. Customs can always provide you with an updated list of embargoed countries, and as there are also restrictions on travel to these areas, contact the Office of Foreign Assets Control
href="http://www.learnoverseas.com/dolink.cfm?link=http://www.treas.gov/ofac">www.treas.gov/ofac before you go.
As a final note about Customs, always remember that foreign-made personal articles taken abroad are subject to duty each time they are brought back into the U.S. unless you have acceptable proof of prior possession from before you left. This includes items such as your watch, camera, CD or MP3 player, PDA and laptop. Documents that fully describe the item (such as a bill of sale, insurance policy, jeweler's appraisal or receipt for purchase) may be considered reasonable proof of prior possession. Alternately, if the item has a serial number or marking, you can take it to the Customs office nearest you and they will issue you a Certificate of Registration that is valid for as long as you own the device.
For more information about U.S. Customs and what you need to declare, check out the Traveler Information section of their official website at
href="http://www.learnoverseas.com/dolink.cfm?link=http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/travel/travel.htm">www.customs.ustreas.gov/travel/travel.htm
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