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Getting Through Customs
Did you know it's illegal to carry foreign lottery tickets back into the United States? Even seasoned international travelers sometimes find Customs a little baffling. The restrictions and fees you might face will vary depending on the country you're returning to the United States from, but the following points should give you some idea of what you're allowed to carry into the United States--and how much it might cost you.
- No matter what your port of re-entry into the United States, you'll be asked to make a declaration (an accounting of goods acquired in your travels) when you pass through Customs on the way home. If you're carrying only a few hundred dollars worth of foreign goods, an oral declaration to a Customs agent will be enough. But you will have to make a written declaration (you'll be given a form) if you are carrying more than one liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigars. You will also have to fill out a Customs form if the total value of the goods purchased or received as a gift abroad exceeds your personal exemption.
- The amount of your exemption depends on what country you are returning from. In general, you will be allowed to pass through Customs without paying any duty if the total value of the goods you're importing is less than $400. Some exceptions exist, however. If you have been traveling through American Samoa, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, you are allowed to import $1,200 worth of goods duty-free. Your exemption is $600 if you are returning from most Caribbean nations (other than the U.S. Virgin Islands).
- Keep in mind that families can pool their exemptions. If you're returning from France by yourself, for instance, you are usually only allowed $400 worth of souvenirs. But if you're traveling with your spouse, you could bring back $500 in merchandise duty-free, as long as your spouse brings back goods that do not push the total value of your family's haul over $800.
- How much can you expect to pay for items exceeding your exemption? The rules are complicated, but in general, you will be assessed a duty of 10 percent of the total value of all items exceeding your exemption. For example, if your exemption is $400, and you buy or receive as a gift $600 worth of merchandise abroad, you will have to pay 10 percent of the $200 difference, or $20.
- Certain items are never allowed to be brought into the United States under any circumstances. A partial list of items that will be probably be confiscated by Customs includes: biohazards, historical artifacts, virtually all fresh food, lottery tickets, pornography and other obscene items, "seditious and treasonable" materials, explosives, illegal drugs, live animals (other than your own documented pets), and medicines not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Please remember that this guide is just that--a guide. Penalties for misrepresenting your foreign purchases or importing restricted goods range from confiscation to fines and even imprisonment. When in doubt, ask, and above all, be truthful. Complete United States Customs rules and regulations can be found online.
Related Links
Learn more about airport security.
Learn more about what you can't carry on a plane.
It's not necessarily illegal to transport pets on aircraft--but learn the rules first.
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