## Visiting the United States

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Regulations for Nonresidents

CONTENTS

Your Declaration

Written Declaration, Family Declaration

Your Exemptions

Personal Effects

Alcoholic Beverages

Tobacco Products

Vehicles

Household Effects

Professional Equipment

## Documentary Requirements for Entry

Gift Exemptions

Wedding Gifts, Gifts Sent By Mail

Duty-Free Shops

Other Exemptions/Duty Calculations

In Transit Through the United States

Articles Free of Duty Under Trade Agreements

Articles Subject to Duty

U.S. Insular Possessions

Shipping Household Goods to the United States

Prohibited and Restricted Articles

> Biological Materials, Books, Videotapes, Computer Programs, Cassettes,
> Artifacts/Cultural Property, Firearms and Ammunition, Food Products,
> Fruits, Vegetables, Plants, Meats, Poultry, Livestock, Hunting
> Trophies, Medicines/Narcotics, Merchandise from Embargoed Countries,
> Money and Monetary Instruments, Pets, Trademarked Articles, Fish and
> Wildlife

Visas

Questions About Sales Tax

A Final Word

## YOUR DECLARATION

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) declarations, Form 6059B, are
distributed on vessels and airplanes and are available in the following
languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese,
Polish, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. Fill out your declaration before
you arrive to expedite your CBP clearance. You must complete the
information requested on the front of the declaration. You are not
required to itemize foreign merchandise for personal use---for example,
clothing, toiletries, portable radios---if they are within the
exemptions allowed for arriving non-residents. You must, however,
declare the value of any foreign gifts, business articles, or items not
for your own use that you have brought with you to the United States.

You may declare these articles orally at the time of your inspection.
The CBP officer may, however, ask you to list them on the back of your
declaration form. Persons arriving by land transportation will make an
oral declaration of all foreign articles within the allowable
exemptions.

## Written Declaration

When making your written declaration, you must list all foreign goods
accompanying you other than your personal effects, along with their
price or value. This includes gifts for other people, articles carried
for someone else, articles for sale, and commercial samples. You are not
required to list wearing apparel, articles of personal adornment,
toiletries, and similar personal effects that you owned abroad and have
brought for your own use.

The purchase price of foreign articles you declare must be stated in
U.S. dollars. If you don't know the price, say so. If the article was a
gift, state the fair value, in U.S. dollars, in the country where it was
acquired. Misinformation can result in delays and even penalties.

## Family Declaration

The head of a family may make a joint declaration for all members
residing in the same household and traveling together to the United
States.

## YOUR EXEMPTIONS

For CBP clearance purposes, a traveler is considered either a *returning
resident* of the United States or a *nonresident*. In addition to
visitors, nonresident status also applies to:

-   Persons emigrating to the United States;

-   Children born abroad who have never resided in the United States,
    and

-   Persons who left the United States after establishing residency with
    no intention of reestablishing U.S. residency.

U.S. residents stationed or working abroad may also claim nonresident
status when returning to the United States for a short visit provided
all articles, except gifts and items consumed during their visit, are
exported upon the leaving the United States.

Articles brought into the United States are subject to duty and internal
revenue tax unless they are prohibited entry, but *visitor*s or
*nonresidents*, are allowed certain exemptions and privileges. These
include:

## Personal Effects

Wearing apparel, jewelry, toiletries, hunting and fishing equipment,
cameras, portable radios, and similar personal effects are exempt from
duty if they are for personal use, they belong to you, and they
accompany you into and out of the United States.

## Alcoholic Beverages

Nonresidents who are at least 21 years old may bring in, free of duty
and internal revenue tax, up to one liter of alcoholic beverage---beer,
wine, liquor---for personal use. Quantities above the one-liter
limitation are subject to duty and internal revenue tax.

In addition to federal laws, you must also meet *state* alcoholic
beverage laws, which may be more restrictive than federal laws. This
means that if the state in which you arrive permits less liquor, wine,
or beer than you have legally brought into the United States, that
state's laws apply to your importation of alcoholic beverages for
personal use.

**United States postal laws prohibit shipping of alcoholic beverages by
mail.**

## Tobacco Products

You may include in your personal exemption not more than 200 cigarettes
(one carton) or 50 cigars or two kilograms (4.4 lbs.) of smoking
tobacco, or proportional amounts of each. An additional 100 cigars may
be brought in under your gift exemption.

Cigars of Cuban origin are prohibited entry, if you have any questions
on this subject please check with the CBP attaché at the American
Embassy.

## 

## Vehicles

You may temporarily import an automobile, trailer, airplane, motorcycle,
boat, or similar vehicle for the transportation of yourself, your
family, and your guests. **The vehicle must be free of soil and plant
material.**

Motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment for personal use may be
imported for up to one year. The vehicle must be imported in connection
with your arrival, and it must be owned by you or on order before you
depart from abroad.

A vehicle cannot be sold in the United States unless it complies with
U.S. laws governing motor vehicles. The laws governing motor vehicle
safety apply to all vehicles other than motorcycles if their date of
entry into the United States is less than 25 years after the date of
manufacture. Motor vehicle safety laws also apply to motorcycles
manufactured after January 1, 1969.

Federal law also requires that motor vehicles beginning with the 1969
model year, and motorcycles manufactured after December 31, 1977, meet
all air-pollution control standards. Finally, federal cost savings
standards relating to imported vehicles must also be complied with.
Nonresident visitors to the United States are exempt from the foregoing
standards *provided that* the vehicle is imported for a period not to
exceed one year and the vehicle is for personal use.

If you plan to emigrate to the United States and import your car
permanently, or if you intend to sell your vehicle, please request a
copy of the CBP pamphlet, *Importing or Exporting a Car.*

## Household Effects

You may import furniture, dishes, linens, libraries, artwork, and
similar household furnishings free of duty. To be eligible for the
duty-free exemption, the articles must have either been available for
your use, or used in a household where you were a resident member, for
one year. The year of use need not be continuous, nor does it need to be
the year immediately proceeding the date of importation. Household
effects from the country where these effects were used and meeting the
above criteria may be entered into the United States within 10 years
after your last arrival in the United States.

Household effects may not be entered under your duty-free exemption if
they are for another person or for sale.

All food items in your household effects must be declared.

## Professional Equipment

A person immigrating to the United States may enter professional
equipment free of duty if it was owned and used abroad; this includes
professional books and tools of trade, occupation, or employment.
Theatrical scenery, properties, or apparel and articles for use in any
manufacturing establishment are not eligible for this exemption.

## DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRY

## Travel from within the Western Hemisphere (North, Central or South America, Caribbean, and Bermuda)

*U.S. citizens must provide the following:*

*U.S. citizens:*

-   Are currently exempt from passport requirements. However, it is
    highly recommended that 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.

**Important Note:** The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will
require all travelers to and from the Americas, the Caribbean, and
Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted form of documentation to
enter or reenter the United States. The program will be rolled out in
phases. The proposed timeline is as follows:

-   December 31, [2005]{.underline}: Requirement applied to all travel
    (air/sea) to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central America and
    South America.

-   December 31, [2006]{.underline}: Requirement applied to all air and
    sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.

-   December 31, [2007]{.underline}: Requirement extended to all air,
    sea and land border crossings.

For more information, please visit the State Department's travel website
at www.[travel.state.gov]{.underline} or the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security's web site at [www.dhs.gov](http://www.dhs.gov/). To apply for
a passport, U.S. citizens can visit www.[travel.state.gov]{.underline}
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 (Green card),

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-   Temporary Residence Stamp (ADIT stamp) contained in a passport or on
    Form I-94, or

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-   Immigrant Visa (passport required unless otherwise noted)

*Visitors/Non-immigrants must provide one of the following:*

-   Valid passport and visa, or

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-   Valid passport only, if Visa Waver Program or Guam Visa Waver
    Program eligible

-   Mexicans may provide a valid DSP-150 (BCC) in lieu of a valid
    passport and visa

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-   Canadians must provide proof of Canadian citizenship or an oral
    declaration and ID

## Travel from the Eastern Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia)

*U.S. citizens must provide one of the following:*

-   Valid, unexpired U.S. passport

*U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) must provide one of the
following:*

-   Valid unexpired passport or U.S. travel document and I-551 (Green
    card),

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-   Temporary Residence Stamp (ADIT stamp) contained in a passport or on
    Form I-94, or

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-   Immigrant Visa (passport required unless otherwise noted).

*Visitors/Non-immigrants must provide one of the following:*

-   Valid passport and visa, or

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-   Valid passport only, if Visa Waiver Program or Guam Visa Waiver
    Program eligible

-   Mexicans must provide a valid passport with either a visa or a valid
    DSP-150 (BCC)

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-   Canadians must provide a valid passport

There are some slight exceptions that may exist regarding the above
listed information. For further instructions on documentation
requirements, contact your consulate or embassy.

## GIFT EXEMPTIONS

As a nonresident, you are allowed up to \$100 worth of merchandise, free
of duty and internal revenue tax, as gifts for other people. To claim
this exemption, you must remain in the United States for at least 72
hours, and the gifts must accompany you.

This \$100 gift exemption, or any part of it, can be claimed only once
every six months. You may include 100 cigars within the gift exemption,
but alcoholic beverages may not be included. The cigars may not be of
Cuban origin.

Family members may not group their gift exemptions. For example, a
husband and wife are bringing a \$200 gift to a friend in the United
States. Only one family member will be allowed to claim the \$100 gift
exemption, the remaining \$100 would be dutiable at the flat rate of
duty. However, the husband and wife could each bring in a \$100 gift,
and each would be granted the gift exemption as long as all other CBP
requirements are met.

If you've used your gift exemption and then return to the United States
before the six-month period has ended, you may still bring in up to
\$200 worth of merchandise free of duty for your personal or household
use. Any of the following may be included in this \$200 exemption: 50
cigarettes, 100 cigars (non-Cuban), 150 milliliters of alcoholic
beverages, 150 milliliters of perfume containing alcohol, or equivalent
amounts of each. If you exceed any of these limitations, however, or if
the total value of all dutiable articles exceeds \$200, no exemption can
be applied.

Do not gift-wrap your articles because they must be available for CBP
inspection.

## 

## Wedding Gifts

No specific duty exemption for wedding gifts is granted to nonresidents.

## Gifts Sent by Mail

Persons in the United States may receive free of duty a gift mailed from
a foreign country, or from a Caribbean Basin beneficiary country, if the
shipment does not exceed \$100 in fair U.S. retail value. If the gift is
sent from the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam, the
duty-free exemption rises to \$200. You may send as many gifts as you
wish, but the U.S. recipient will have to pay duty if the gift parcels
received in one day total more than \$100 (or \$200) in fair U.S. retail
value. Gifts that exceed these amounts will be subject to duty based
upon their entire value.

Packages should be marked "Unsolicited Gift," with the donor's name,
nature of the gift, and the package's fair U.S. retail value clearly
written on the outside wrapper. When you arrive in the United States,
you are not required to declare any gifts sent from abroad.

All plant material and food items must be declared.

Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and perfumes containing alcohol
may not be included under the provision for gifts mailed from abroad.

## Duty-Free Shops

Articles purchased in duty-free shops, or on a plane or ship, are
subject to duty and other applicable restrictions and must be declared.
Articles bought in American duty-free shops are also subject to duty and
internal revenue tax if reentered into the United States.

## OTHER EXEMPTIONS/DUTY CALCULATION

**In Transit through the United States**

A nonresident transiting through the United States may have in his or
her possession dutiable articles not exceeding \$200 in value. These
articles may include up to four liters of dutiable alcoholic beverages
if the nonresident is taking these articles to a place outside the CBP
territory of the United States. The CBP territory of the United States
included the 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

## Articles Free of Duty Under Trade Agreements

The United States has trade agreements with some nations that affect the
duty status of certain goods from those nations, sometimes allowing the
goods to be entered duty-free. One such agreement of special interest to
travelers is the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), under which
certain items from developing countries are eligible for duty-free
treatment. An advisory list of the most popular tourist items according
this special duty-free status is contained in the pamphlet, *GSP and the
Traveler*, which can be found the CBP web site at www.cbp.gov.

The GSP program first went into effect in 1976, although its provisions
have expired several times since then. It has been extended through
December 31, 2006. Beyond that date, you should contact a CBP port of
entry or the CBP Attaché at American embassies abroad to verify the
status of these provisions.

**ARTICLES SUBJECT TO DUTY**

Imported articles that cannot be claimed under the exemptions discussed
above are subject to duty and tax. After deducting your exemptions and
the value of any duty-free articles, a flat rate of duty of 3 percent
will be applied to the next \$1,000 (fair retail value in the country of
acquisition) worth of merchandise. Any dollar amounts or articles above
\$1,000 will be dutiable at whatever duty rate(s) apply to the
merchandise.

Articles to which the flat rate of duty is applied must accompany you
and must be for your personal use or for use as gifts. You can receive
this flat-rate provision only once every 30 days, excluding the day of
your last arrival.

**U.S. Insular Possessions**

For articles acquired in the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or
Guam, the flat rate of duty is 1.5 percent whether the articles
accompany you or are shipped directly from these islands to the United
States. There are special procedures that must be followed for goods
shipped from these islands to qualify under this provision. These
procedures are described in the CBP pamphlet, *International Mail
Imports.*

Members of a family residing in the same household and traveling
together may group articles together for application of the \$1,000 flat
rate, regardless of which family member actually owns the articles.

Under the North American Free Trade Agreement, the flat rate of duty
decreases annually for qualifying merchandise from Canada and Mexico.

**SHIPPING HOUSEHOLD GOODS TO THE UNITED STATES**

Personal and household effects entitled to duty-free entry need not
accompany you to the United States; you may have them shipped to your
U.S. address at a later time if you choose.

A shipment of personal and/or household effects arriving in the United
States must be cleared through CBP at its first port of arrival. If this
is inconvenient, you may make arrangements with a foreign
freight-forwarder to have the effects sent in CBP's custody (called an
in-bond shipment) from the port of arrival to a more convenient port of
entry for clearance. *(Ask your moving company if they offer this
service.)*

You must complete CBP Form 3299, *Declaration for Free Entry of
Unaccompanied Articles*, to give to the CBP officer when the shipment is
cleared.

It is not necessary to employ a customs broker to clear your shipment.
You may do it yourself after you arrive in the United States, or you may
designate a relative or friend to represent you in Customs matters. If
you choose a broker, friend, or relative, you must give that person a
letter addressed to \"Officer in Charge of CBP\" authorizing that
individual to represent you as your agent on a one-time basis to clear
your shipment.

All shipments must be cleared within five working days after they arrive
in the United States. If a shipment is not cleared within that time, it
will be sent, at the owner\'s risk and expense, to a warehouse for
storage until clearance can be made. Should you attempt to bring in
merchandise that is prohibited by law, it will be seized and you may be
liable for a personal penalty. Restricted merchandise must be inspected
either by or for the agency that imposes the restrictions---the
Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the
Food and Drug Administration, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and
others. Only then will the shipment be released; it may be detained,
however, until conditions attached to the restrictions are met; such as,
making automotive modifications required under U.S. safety standards or
obtaining certain inoculations for pets. Travelers are provided a
receipt for detained articles until good clearance is established.
Articles may be auctioned off if not claimed within six months.

**PROHIBITED AND PROTECTED ARTICLES**

Because CBP officers are stationed at ports of entry at airports,
seaports, and along our land and sea borders, they are often called upon
to enforce laws and requirements of other U.S. government agencies. This
is done to protect public health and safety and to preserve domestic
plant and animal life.

Prohibited articles include, but at not limited to, lottery tickets;
narcotics and dangerous drugs; many fresh fruits; vegetables and meats;
live insects; propagative plants; obscene articles and publications;
seditious and treasonable materials; hazardous articles (e.g.,
fireworks, dangerous toys, toxic or poisonous substances); products made
by prison convicts or forced labor; and switchblade knives. The only
exception for the entry of "switchblade knives" is for a one-armed
traveler where the blade must be no longer than three inches.

**Biological Materials**

Unsterilized specimens of human and animal tissue---including blood,
bodily discharges and excretion, cultures of living bacteria, viruses or
similar organisms; animals suspected of being infected with a disease
transmissible to humans; and insects, snails, and bats may require an
import permit from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To
obtain a permit or further information write to the Office of Health and
Safety, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (F-05), 1600 Clifton
Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.

Biological materials produced from animals or animal products may
require an additional permit from the Animal Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Please
write to the USDA Import-Export Products Staff, APHIS, 4700 River Road,
Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231 or check the web site
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/import_export.htm, for further information
and an application for an import permit.

**Books, Video Tapes, Computer Programs & Cassettes**

Pirated copies of copyrighted articles, such as unlawfully made
reproductions or articles produced without the copyright owner\'s
authorization, are prohibited from importation into the United States.
Pirated copies will be seized and destroyed.

**Artifacts/Cultural Property**

An export certificate is required by most Latin American countries to
export pre-Columbian artifacts, monumental and architectural sculpture,
or murals, whether shipped directly or indirectly from the country of
origin into the United States.

**Firearms & Ammunition**

If your travel to the United States is primarily for the purpose of
hunting or lawful sporting activities, firearms and ammunition may be
entered under the stipulation that such firearms and any remaining
unfired ammunition are taken out of the United States upon departure.\
\
If hunting or a sporting event is a secondary reason for coming to the
United States because the travelers will establish residence whether
temporarily or permanently, the firearms and ammunition are subject to
restrictions and import permits. Fully automatic weapons and
semi-automatic assault-type weapons are prohibited.

For complete information and to obtain the necessary permits to import
firearms, contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives; U.S. Department of Justice; Firearms and Explosives Import
Branch; Washington, D.C. 20226, USA.

**Food Products**

## Bakery items and all cured hard cheeses are admissible. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) publishes a pamphlet called *Travelers Tips,* which offers detailed information on bringing food, plant, and animal products into this country. Imported foods are also subject to requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 

## Prior Notice for Food Importations

The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response
Act of 2002 (Bioterrorism Act - 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 (FDA) prior to arrival of those
items in the United States. The FDA prior notification timeframes (by
transport mode) are 2 hours by land, 4 hours by rail or air, 8 hours by
vessel and prior to the \"time of mailing\" for international mail.

Food for an individual\'s personal use (for consumption by that
individual, his/her family or friends, and not for sale or other
distribution) or food that was made by an individual in his/her personal
residence and sent by that individual as a personal gift (for
non-business reasons) to an individual in the United States is not
subject to BTA requirements.

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 which are exempt from these requirements, please
consult the FDA web site address:
http//www.fda.goc/oc/bioterrorism/bioact.html.

## Note: Food and beverage goods sent by an individual to an individual no longer require the filing of prior notice. If the shipper is a business prior notice is required.

**Fruits, Vegetables, Plants**

Many fruits, vegetables, plants, cuttings, seeds, unprocessed plant
products, and certain endangered plant species are either prohibited
from entering the country or require an import permit. Endangered or
threatened species of plants and plant products, if not prohibited from
importation, will require an export permit from the country of origin.
Every single plant, plant product, fruit, or vegetable must be declared
to the CBP officer/CBP Agriculture specialist and must be presented for
inspection no matter how free of pests it appears to be. Most
commercially canned or processed items are admissible.

Applications for import permits or requests for information should be
addressed to: Permit Unit, USDA-APHIS-PPQ, 4700 River Rd., Unit 136,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, USA.

**Meats, Livestock, Poultry**

Meats, livestock, poultry and their by-products (e.g., sausage, pâté)
are either prohibited or restricted entry into the United States,
depending upon the animal disease condition in the country of origin.
Fresh meat is generally prohibited from most countries. Canned meat is
permitted if the inspector can determine that it is commercially canned,
cooked in the container, hermetically sealed, and can be kept without
refrigeration. Other canned, cured, or dried meat is severely
restricted.

Contact the USDA Import-Export Products staff, APHIS-VS, 4700 River Rd.,
Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231, USA, for detailed requirements.

**Hunting Trophies**

If planning to import game or a hunting trophy, check with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service first, at www.fsw.gov. Such items generally require
a license and only certain ports are designated to handle them. Hunting
trophies and hides must be shipped to a USDA-approved taxidermy service
for processing. Trophies may also be subject to an APHIS inspection for
sanitary purposes. General guidelines for importing game and trophies
may be found in APHIS publication *Travelers Tips*.

**Warning**: Many regulations govern the importation of animals and
animal parts. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in
extensive or expensive delays in clearing your trophy through CBP. In
addition, federal regulations do not authorize the importation of any
wildlife or fish into any state of the United States if that state\'s
laws or regulations are more restrictive than any applicable federal
treatment. Wild animals taken, killed, sold, possessed, or exported to
the United States in violation of any foreign laws are also not allowed
entry into the United States.

**Medicine/Narcotics**

**Narcotics and dangerous drugs are prohibited entry. There are severe
civil and/or criminal penalties if imported.**

A traveler requiring medicines that contain habit-forming drugs or
narcotics (e.g., cough medicine, diuretics, heart drugs, tranquilizers,
sleeping pills, antidepressants, stimulants, etc.) should:

-   Have all drugs, medicines, and similar products properly identified.

-   Carry only such quantity as would normally be used by an individual
    having a health problem requiring the drugs or medicines.

-   Obtain either a prescription or written statement from your personal
    physician that the medicine is for use under a doctor\'s direction
    and that it is necessary for your physical well being while
    traveling.

-   Declare such drugs or medications to the CBP officer.

**Merchandise from Embargoed Countries**

The importation of merchandise or goods that contain components from the
following countries is generally prohibited under regulations
administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC): Cuba, Iran,
Iraq, North Korea, and Sudan. This list is subject to change depending
upon the international political climate and foreign policy concerns.

These restrictions do not apply to information and informational
materials; such as, books, magazines, films, posters, photographs,
microfilms, tapes, CDs, records, works of art, etc. Blank tapes and
blank CDs are not informational material.

Foreign visitors to the United States are advised to contact OFAC
regarding the importation of goods for their personal use that are not
imported for resale and are not in commercial quantities; bringing in
goods that originate in any of the countries listed above may require
authorization from OFAC. This authorization must be obtained before the
traveler arrives in the United States. For more information, visitors to
the United States may write to OFAC at: Office of Foreign Assets
Control; U.S. Department of the Treasury; 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW;
Washington, DC 20220, USA, or contact the American Embassy in their home
country.

**Money**

There is no limit on the total amount of monetary instruments that may
be brought into or taken out of the United States, nor is it illegal to
do so. However, if you transport or cause to be transported (including
by mail or other means) more than \$10,000 in negotiable monetary
instruments on any occasion into or out of the United States or if you
receive more than \$10,000, you must file a Report of International
Transportation of International Currency or Monetary Instruments (FinCen
105) with U.S. Customs and Border Protection denoted in the Currency and
Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, 31 U.S.C. 1101, et. seq. Failure to
comply can result in civil and criminal penalties, including seizure of
the currency or monetary instruments. Monetary instruments include U.S.
or foreign coin, currency, travelers' checks, money orders, and
negotiable instruments or investment securities in bearer form.

**Pets**

There are controls, restrictions, and prohibitions on the U.S. entry of
animals, birds, turtles, wildlife, and endangered species.

-   **Cats** must be free of evidence of diseases communicable to man
    when examined at the U.S. port of entry. If the animal is not in
    apparent good health, further examination by a licensed veterinarian
    may be required at the owner\'s expense. Cats must be free of ticks
    and fleas and a valid rabies vaccination certificate must accompany
    the animal. The certificate should identify the animal, the dates of
    vaccination and expiration, and bear the signature of a licensed
    veterinarian.

-   **Dogs** must be free of evidence of diseases communicable to man
    and must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days prior to
    arrival. The requirement does not apply to puppies less than 3
    months of age; puppies up to 3 months must be confined at the
    owner\'s expense, then immunized and confined for an additional 30
    days.)

> A valid rabies vaccination certificate must accompany the animal. The
> certificate should identify the animal, the dates of vaccination and
> expiration, and bear the signature of a licensed veterinarian. If no
> expiration date is specified, the certificate is acceptable if the
> date of vaccination is no more than 12 months prior to arrival in the
> United States. Vaccination against rabies is not required for dogs
> arriving from rabies-free countries.

-   **Personally owned pet birds** may be entered, but only two may be
    entered from the psittacine (parrot) family. APHIS and Public Health
    Service requirements must be met, which may include quarantine at
    the owner\'s expense at an APHIS facility at specified locations.
    Advance reservations are required for quarantines.

-   **Primates** such as monkeys, apes and similar animals may not be
    imported.

If you plan to take your pet abroad or import one on your return, obtain
a copy of our publication *Pets and Wildlife*.

You should check with state and local authorities about any restrictions
and prohibitions they may have before importing a pet. Hawaii, in
particular has strict quarantine requirements for pets.

**Trademarked Articles**

Trademark owners often register their trademarks with the CBP, even when
the trademarked merchandise is foreign-made, in order to control the
importation of counterfeits. CBP imposes restrictions on the importation
of articles whose trademarks have been registered, and these
restrictions apply to purchases that accompany nonresident visitors.
Counterfeit articles with valid U.S. patents are also subject to
restrictions, even though they may not be registered with CBP.

Visitors are allowed an exemption, usually one article of each type
bearing a protected trademark. One-of-each-type means one pair of shoes,
one scarf, one coat, one handbag, one camera, one watch, or one bottle
of perfume, for example, regardless of whose trademark the articles bear
and regardless of whether the products are genuine, gray market, or
counterfeit.

Gray-market merchandise is genuine, legitimately manufactured,
noncounterfeit merchandise whose importation is restricted to a certain
number or quantity. Items that are new, intended as gifts, or imported
in such quantity as to be construed a commercial importation may likely
be gray-market items, so travelers are advised to restrict themselves to
one of each type. Items that are clearly personal effects---one\'s
clothing, for example---have no such restrictions.

As a visitor, you may claim this exemption for the same type of article
once every 30 days. If the exempted article is sold within the year
following importation, it is subject to forfeiture and you may be
assessed a financial penalty based upon its value.

**Fish & Wildlife**

Fish and Wildlife are subject to import and export restrictions,
prohibitions, permits, certificates, and quarantine requirements that
cover:

-   Wild birds, mammals, marine mammals, reptiles, crustaceans, fish,
    and mollusks;

-   Any part or product thereof, such as skins, feathers, eggs; and

-   Products and articles manufactured from wildlife and fish.

Endangered species of wildlife and products made from them are
prohibited from importation and exportation. All ivory and ivory
products made from elephant or marine ivory are generally prohibited.
Antiques containing wildlife parts may be imported provided they can be
documented as being at least 100-years old.

Federal regulations do not authorize the importation of any wildlife or
fish into any state of the United States if the state\'s laws or
regulations are more restrictive than any applicable federal treatment.
Wild mammals or birds taken, killed, sold, possessed, or exported to the
United States in violation of any foreign laws are also not allowed
entry into the United States.

If you contemplate importing articles made from wildlife such as
tortoise-shell jewelry, leather goods, articles made from whalebone,
ivory, skins, or furs, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Division of Law Enforcement, P.O. Box 3247, Arlington, VA
22203-3247, USA, http://www.fws.gov/r9dle/div_le.html, before you leave
for the U.S. Ask for their pamphlet *Fish and Wildlife.* Publications
from the Unit are available to all Service employees as well as to the
general public. For publications call 304.876.7203 or fax a request to
304.876.7689.

## Visas

Foreign citizens who wish to stay in the United States
temporarily---whether for tourism, business, study, or medical
reasons---must generally have a visa issued by the U.S Department of
State. To obtain a visa, or more information on this topic, contact the
American Embassy or American Consulate in your country of residence.

## Questions About Taxes

Foreign visitors to the United States frequently confuse the *state
sales tax* with the value-added tax (VAT). The state sales tax is a
small tax on purchases or services, calculated at the time of purchase,
which individual states assess and which the U.S. federal government
neither determines nor receives. The VAT, on the other hand, is a
national tax commonly applied in foreign countries that is included in
the actual sales price rather than at the time of purchase.

The United States does not have a VAT and the federal government cannot
refund state sales taxes. State taxes are generally not charged to
diplomats or employees of some international organizations who have been
issued a tax-exemption card. The card however must be presented at the
time of purchase in order to waive the sales taxes.

Also, many states do not charge tax on items shipped out of state. Ask
about state sales-tax policies in the state where you make your
purchases.

**A Final Word**

We at U.S. Customs and Border Protection have made every effort to
indicate essential requirements. All regulations of CBP and other
agencies cannot be covered in full, however, and regulations and
requirements are subject to change. If you have questions before you
depart for the United States, please contact the American Embassy or
consulate in your city or country, or write to any of the agencies
listed earlier in this pamphlet.

CBP: Protecting America

1-800-BE ALERT

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Washington, D.C. 20229

Please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Web site at
www.cbp.gov

CBP Publication No. 0000-0511 Revised February 2005