Know Before 

You Go

U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection Regulations 

for U.S. Residents

Know Before You Go i

Know Before You Go

U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection Regulations for 

U.S. Residents

Introduction..................................................1

When You Return to the United States....................2

Documentary Requirements for Entry....................3

What You Must Declare............................................7

Joint Declaration.............................................................8

Register Items Before You Leave the United States..8

Duty-Free Exemption...............................................9

Exemptions............................................................9

Tobacco Products.................................................10

Alcoholic Beverages..............................................11

$200 Exemption...................................................12

Tips for frequent travelers..................................13

$800 Exemption..................................................13

Travel to More Than One Country.....................14

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

Gifts..........................................................................15

Duty-Free or Reduced Rates....................................17

Items from Certain Countries............................17

Personal Belongings.............................................18

Household Effects................................................18

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

Determining Duty....................................................19

Paying Duty..............................................................20

Sending Goods to the United States........................21
ii Know Before You Go

Unaccompanied Baggage..........................................21

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

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

Freight Shipments.................................................23

Unaccompanied Purchases from Insular 

Possessions and Caribbean Basin Countries............24

Duty-Free Shops.......................................................27 

Prohibited and Restricted Itemss............................27

Absinthe (Alcohol)...............................................28

Automobiles..........................................................28

Biologicals.............................................................29

Ceramic Tableware..............................................30

Cultural Artifacts and Cultural Property

(Art/Artifacts)......................................................30

Dog and Cat Fur....................................................31

Drug Paraphernalia..............................................32

Firearms................................................................32

Fish and Wildlife..................................................33

Food Products (Prepared)...................................34

Fruits and Vegetables...........................................36

Game and Hunting Trophies...............................36

Gold........................................................................37

Meats, Livestock, and Poultry..............................37

Medication............................................................38

Merchandise from Embargoed Countries..........39

Pets........................................................................40

Plants and seeds....................................................42

Soil.........................................................................42

Textiles and Clothing...........................................43

Trademarked and Copyrighted Articles.............43

Money and Other Monetary Instruments...............45

Photographic Film...................................................45

Customer Service Programs....................................45

Pledge to Travelers ........................................................46

Other Travel-related Information..........................47
Know Before You Go 1

Introduction

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS). On March 1, 2003, CBP combined 

the inspectional workforces and broad border authorities of the U.S. Customs Service, U.S. Immigration 

and Naturalization Service, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service and the entire U.S. Border Patrol.

The CBP 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. 

“Duty” and “dutiable” are words you will find frequently throughout this brochure: Duty is the amount of 

money you pay on items coming from another country. 

It is similar to a tax, except that duty is collected only 

on imported goods. Dutiable describes items on which 

duty may have to be paid. Most items have specific duty 

rates, which are determined by a number of factors, 

including where you got the item, where it was made, 

and what it is made of.

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 
2 Know Before You Go

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 www.cbp.gov for the most upto-date traveler information.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

Mission Statement

We are the guardians of our Nation’s borders. We are 

America’s frontline.

We safeguard the American homeland at and beyond 

our borders.

We protect the American public against terrorists and 

the instruments of terror. 

We steadfastly enforce the laws of the United States 

while fostering our Nation’s economic security through 

lawful international trade and travel.

We serve the American public with vigilance, integrity 

and professionalism.

When You Return to the 

United States

When you come back, you will need to declare everything you brought back that you did not take with you 

when you left the United States. If you are traveling by 

air or sea, you may be asked to fill out a CBP declaration 

form. This form is almost always provided by the airline or cruise ship. You will probably find it easier and 

faster to fill out your declaration form and clear CBP if 

you do the following:

• Keep your sales slips.

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

• Read the signs in the arrival area. They contain 

helpful information about how to clear CBP.
Know Before You Go 3

Be aware that under U.S. law, CBP officers are authorized to examine luggage, cargo, and travelers. Under 

the search authority granted by the U.S. Congress, every 

person who crosses a U.S. border may be searched and 

questioned about their travel. To stop the flow of illegal 

drugs and other contraband into our country, your 

cooperation is appreciated. If you are one of the very 

few travelers selected for a search, you will be treated 

in a courteous, professional, and dignified manner. If 

you are searched and you believe that you were not

treated in such a manner, or if you have any concerns 

about the search for any reason whatsoever, we want to 

hear from you. For contact information, please see the section on Customer Service Programs.

Documentary Requirements for 

Entry to the United States

Travel from Mexico or Canada within the 

Western Hemisphere (North, Central or 

South America, Caribbean and Bermuda)

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: Requirement applied to all 

travel (air/sea) to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, 

Central America and South America.

• December 31, 2006: Requirement applied to all air 

and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.
4 Know Before You Go

• December 31, 2007: 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 or the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security’s website at www.

dhs.gov. To apply for a passport, U.S. citizens can visit 

www.travel.state.gov or call the U.S. Passport Office at 1-

877-4USA-PPT or TDD/TYY: 1-888-874-7793. Foreign 

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),

• Machine-Readable Immigrant Visa endorsed with a 

CBP Admission Stamp,

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

• Valid Reentry Permit, or

• Unexpired Immigrant Visa. (Passport required 

unless otherwise noted).

Visitors/Non-immigrants must provide one of 

the following:

• Generally, a valid unexpired passport and visa., or 

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.Valid, unexpired passport 

only, if Visa Waiver Program or Guam Visa Waiver 

Program eligible
Know Before You Go 5

• Nationals of countries authorized to participate in 

the Guam Visa Waiver Program are required to 

present an unexpired passport.

• Mexicans may provide a valid DSP-150 (BCC) in 

lieu of a valid passport and visa

 Generally, Canadians Nationals must show ID but 

are exempt from passport and visa requirements. 

However presentation of a Canadian passport, birth 

certificate, Naturalization certificate or other supporting documentation will facilitate the inspection 

and is strongly encouraged.

Travel from outside the Western 

Hemisphere (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia) 

U.S. citizens must provide:

• A valid, unexpired U.S. passport• 

U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) must 

provide one of the following:

• I-551, Permanent Resident Card (Green card),

• Reentry Permit

• Machine-Readable Immigrant Visa endorsed with a 

CBP Admission Stamp

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

• Unexpired Immigrant Visa. Passport required 

unless otherwise noted.

Visitors/Non-immigrants:

• 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.
6 Know Before You Go

• 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

• Nationals of countries authorized to participate in 

the Guam Visa Waiver Program are required to 

present an unexpired passport.

• Mexicans may provide a valid DSP-150 (BCC) and a 

valid passport

• Canadians must provide a valid, unexpired passport.

* Visa Waiver Program – 

 Participating Countries

Andorra

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Brunei

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Monaco

The Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Portugal

San Marino

Singapore

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden
Know Before You Go 7

Switzerland

United Kingdom

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

• Items you purchased and are carrying with you 

upon return to the United States.

• Items you received as gifts, such as wedding or 

birthday presents.

• Items you inherited.

• Items you bought in duty-free shops, on the ship, 

or on the plane.

• Repairs or alterations to any items you took abroad 

and then brought back, even if the repairs/alterations were performed free of charge.

• Items you brought home for someone else.

• Items you intend to sell or use in your business.

• Items you acquired— 

whether purchased or received as gifts in the U.S. Virgin 

Islands, American Samoa, Guam, or in a Caribbean 

Basin Economic Recovery Act country ( see section 

on $600 exemption for a list of these countries) that 

are not in your possession when you return. In other 

words, if you acquired items in any of these island 

nations and asked the merchant to send them to you, 

you must still declare them when you go through customs. This differs from the usual procedure for mailed 

items, which is discussed in the section on Sending 

Goods to the United States.

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

what you actually paid for each item. The price must 
8 Know Before You Go

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.

Joint Declaration

Family members who live in the same home and 

return together to the United States may combine their 

personal exemptions. This is called a joint declaration. For 

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

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

Smith buys $600 worth of clothing, they can combine 

their $800 exemptions on a joint declaration and not 

have to pay duty. 

Children and infants are allowed the same exemption 

as adults, except for alcoholic beverages and tobacco 

products.

REGISTER ITEMS BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE 

UNITED STATES

If your laptop computer was made in Japan—for 

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

you brought it back into the United States, unless you 

could prove that you owned it before you left on your 

trip. Documents that fully describe the item—such as 

sales receipts, insurance policies, or jeweler’s appraisals—are acceptable forms of proof. 

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 
Know Before You Go 9

at the international airport from which you’re departing. Keep the certificate for future trips.

Duty-Free Exemption

The duty-free exemption, also called the personal exemption, is the total value of merchandise you may bring 

back to the United States without having to pay duty. 

You may bring back more than your exemption, but 

you will have to pay duty on it. In most cases, the personal exemption is $800, but there are some exceptions 

to this rule, which are explained below.

Exemptions

Depending on the countries you have visited, your 

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

There are limits on the amount of alcoholic beverages, 

cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products you may 

include in your duty-free personal exemption. The differences are explained in the following section.

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

apply if:

• The items are for your personal or household use or 

intended to be given as bonafide gifts.

• They are in your possession, that is, they accompany you when you return to the United States. Items 

to be sent later may not be included in your $800 

duty-free exemption. Exceptions apply for goods 

sent from Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands

• They are declared to CBP. If you do not declare 

something that should have been declared, you risk 

forfeiting it. If in doubt, declare it. 

• You are returning from an overseas stay of at least 

48 hours. For example, if you leave the United 

States at 1:30 p.m. on June 1, you would complete 

the 48-hour period at 1:30 p.m. on June 3. This 

time limit does not apply if you are returning from 

Mexico or from the U.S. Virgin Islands. (See also 

the section on the $200 exemption.)
10 Know Before You Go

• You have not used all of your exemption allowance, 

or used any part of it, in the past 30 days—for 

example, if you go to England and bring back $150 

worth of items—you must wait another 30 days 

before you are allowed another $800 exemption. 

(See the section on the $200 exemption.)

• The items are not prohibited or restricted as discussed in the section on Prohibited and Restricted 

Items. Note the embargo prohibitions on products 

of Cuba. 

Tobacco Products

Travelers may import previously exported tobacco 

products only in quantities not exceeding the amounts 

specified in exemptions for which the traveler qualifies. 

Any quantities of previously exported tobacco products 

not permitted by an exemption will be seized and 

destroyed. These items are typically purchased in dutyfree stores, on carriers operating internationally, or in 

foreign stores. These items are usually marked “Tax 

Exempt. For Use Outside the United States,” or “U.S. 

Tax Exempt For Use Outside the United States.” 

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 foreignmade 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 
Know Before You Go 11

goods, including Cuban cigars, unless authorized to do 

so by a specific license issued by OFAC.

Alcoholic Beverages

One liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages may be 

included in your exemption if:

• You are 21 years old.

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

• It does not violate the laws of the state in which 

you arrive. 

Federal regulations allow you to bring back more than 

one liter of alcoholic beverage for personal use, but, 

as with extra tobacco, you will have to pay duty and 

Internal Revenue Service tax. 

While Federal regulations do not specify a limit on the 

amount of alcohol you may bring back for personal use, 

unusual quantities are liable to raise suspicions that you 

are importing the alcohol for other purposes, such as 

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 government before 

you go abroad about their limitations on quantities 

allowed for personal importation and additional state 

taxes that might apply.
12 Know Before You Go

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.

$200 Exemption

If you can not claim other exemptions because you 

have been out of the country more than once in a 30-

day period or because you have not been out of the 

country for at least 48 hours, you may still bring back 

$200 worth of items free of duty and tax. As with the 

exemptions discussed earlier, these items must be for 

your personal or household use. 

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. 
Know Before You Go 13

Tips for frequent travelers

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

reenter the United States more than once in a short 

time, you may not want to use your personal exemption until you have returned to the United States for the 

last time. Here’s why:

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 States.

$800 Exemption

If you are returning directly from any one of the following 30 Caribbean Basin or Andean countries, your 

exemption is $800:

Antigua and Barbuda Haiti

Aruba Netherlands Antilles

Bahamas Nicarargua
14 Know Before You Go

Barbados Honduras

Belize Jamaica

Bolivia Montserrat

British Virgin Islands Netherlands Antilles

Colombia Nicaragua

Costa Rica Panama

Dominica Peru

Dominican Republic Saint Kitts Nevis

Ecuador Saint Lucia

El Salvador Saint Vincent and the

Grenada Grenadines

Guatemala Trinidad and Tobago 

Guyana 

 

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).

Travel to More Than One Country

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

more of the Caribbean Basin or Andean countries listed 

above, for example, on a Caribbean cruise, you may 

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

but only $800 worth of these items may come from the 

Caribbean Basin or Andean country(ies). Any amount 

beyond $800 will be dutiable unless you acquired it in 

one of the insular possessions. 

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. 

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 
Know Before You Go 15

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

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

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

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

You may include 1,000 cigarettes as part of this exemption, but at least 800 of them must have been acquired 

in an insular possession. Only 200 cigarettes may have 

been acquired elsewhere. For example, if you were 

touring the South Pacific and you stopped in Tahiti, 

American Samoa, and other ports of call, you could 

bring back five cartons of cigarettes, but four of them 

would have to have been bought in American Samoa.

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).

GIFTS

Gifts you bring back from a trip abroad are considered 

to be for your personal use. They must be declared, 

but you may include them in your personal exemption. This includes gifts people gave you while you 

were out of the country, such as wedding or birthday 

presents, and gifts you have brought back for others. 

Gifts intended for business, promotional, or other com-
16 Know Before You Go

mercial purposes may not be included in your dutyfree exemption.

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:

• Words “UNSOLICITED GIFT” and the words 

“CONSOLIDATED GIFT PACKAGE;”

• Total value of the consolidated package;

• Recipients’ names and

• Nature and value of the gifts inside. For example, 

tennis shoes, $50; shirt, $45; toy car, $15. For 

instance:

To John Jones—one belt, $20; one box of candy, 

 $5; one tie, $20.

To Mary Smith—one skirt, $45; one belt, 

$15; one pair slacks, $30.

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. 
Know Before You Go 17

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

The United States gives duty preferences—that is, free 

or reduced rates—to certain developing countries 

under a trade program called the Generalized System of 

Preferences (GSP). Some products that would otherwise 

be dutiable are not when they come from a GSP country. 

For details on this program, as well as the complete list 

of GSP countries, please look for it on our website. 

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. 
18 Know Before You Go

Check with CBP or access the CBP website for further 

details.

Personal Belongings

Your personal belongings can be sent back to the 

United States duty-free if they are of U.S. origin and 

if they have not been altered or repaired while abroad. 

Personal belongings like worn clothing can be mailed 

home and will receive duty-free entry if you write the 

words “American Goods Returned” on the outside of 

the package.

Household Effects

Household effects include furniture, carpets, paintings, tableware, stereos, linens, and similar household 

furnishings. Tools of trade, professional books, implements, and instruments that you’ve taken out of the 

United States will be duty-free when you return. 

You may import household effects you acquired abroad 

duty-free if:

• You used them for at least one year while you 

were abroad.

• They are not intended for anyone else or for sale. 

Clothing, jewelry, photography equipment, portable 

radios, and vehicles are considered personal effects and 

cannot be brought in duty-free as household effects. 

However, duty is usually waived on personal effects 

over 1 year of age. All vehicles are dutiable.

Increased Duty Rates

Items from Certain Countries

The United States may impose a much higher than 

normal duty rate on products from certain countries. 

The United States Trade Representative is authorized 

to impose a different duty rate under what is know as 

its “301” authority. Currently, the United States has 

imposed a 100 percent rate of duty on certain products 

of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, The 
Know Before You Go 19

Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, 

Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden 

and the Ukraine. If you should bring more of any of 

these products back with you than fall within your 

exemption or flat rate of duty, (see below) you will 

pay as much in duty as you paid for the product or 

products.

While most of the products listed are not the type of 

goods that travelers would purchase in sufficient 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 www.commerce.gov. 

Determining Duty

If you’re bringing it back with you, you didn’t 

have it when you left, and its total value is 

more than your exemption, it is subject to 

duty. 

The CBP officer will place the items that have the highest rate of duty under your exemption. Then, after 

subtracting your exemptions and the value of any dutyfree items, a flat rate of duty will be charged on the 

next $1,000 worth of merchandise. Any dollar amount 

beyond this $1,000 will be dutiable at whatever duty 

rates apply. The flat rate of duty may only be used 

for items for your own use or for gifts. As with your 

exemption, you may use the flat-rate provision only 

once every 30 days. Special flat rates of duty apply to 

items made and acquired in Canada or Mexico. The 

flat rate of duty applies to only to those purchases that 

accompany you on your return to the United States.

The following is an example of the different rates if you 

acquire goods valued at $3,500 from various different 

places:
20 Know Before You Go

Country Total 

declared 

value

Personal 

exemption 

(dutyfree)

Flat duty 

rate

Various 

duty rates

U.S. insular 

possessions

$3,500 $1,600 $1,000 at 

1.5 percent

$900

Caribbean 

Basin 

countries

$3,500 $800 $1,000 at 

3 percent

$1,700

Other 

countries or 

locations

$3,500 $800 $1,000 at 

3 percent

$1,700

The flat duty rate will be charged on items that are 

dutiable but that cannot be included in your personal 

exemption, even if you have not exceeded the exemption. The best example of this is liquor: if you return 

from Europe with $200 worth of items, including two 

liters of liquor. One liter will be duty-free under your 

exemption; the other will be dutiable at 3 percent, plus 

any Internal Revenue Service tax.

Family members who live in the same household and 

return to the United States together can combine their 

items to take advantage of a combined flat duty rate, no 

matter which family member owns a given item. The 

combined value of merchandise subject to a flat duty 

rate for a family of four traveling together would be 

$4,000.

Paying Duty

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

the United States. You can pay it in any of the following ways:

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

• Personal check in the exact amount, drawn on 

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

Border Protection. You must present identification, 

such as a passport or driver’s license. CBP does not 

accept checks bearing second-party endorsements.
Know Before You Go 21

• Government check, money order, or traveler’s 

check if the amount does not exceed the duty owed 

by more than $50. 

• In some locations, you may pay duty with credit 

cards, either MasterCard® or VISA®.

Sending 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 countries, 

you should follow different procedures than if you 

were mailing packages from any other country. These 

special procedures are described in the section on 

Unaccompanied Purchases. 

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

Unaccompanied baggage is anything you do not bring 

back with you. These may be items that were with 

you when you left the United States or items that you 

acquired (received by any means) while outside the 

United States. In general, unaccompanied baggage falls 

into the following three categories.
22 Know Before You Go

U.S. Mail Shipments

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

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

The Postal Service sends all foreign mail shipments to 

CBP for examination. CBP officers then return packages 

that do not require duty to the Postal Service, which 

sends them to a local post office for delivery. The local 

post office delivers them without charging any additional postage, handling costs, or other fees.

Packages that contain fruits, vegetables, meat or other 

items of agricultural interest are inspected to ensure 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 website at www.aphis.usda.

gov.

If the package does require payment of duty, CBP 

attaches a form called a mail entry, CBP Form3419Alt, 

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 
Know Before You Go 23

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 web site at www.cbp.gov.

Express Shipments

Packages may be sent to the United States by privatesector courier or delivery service from anywhere in the 

world. The express company usually takes care of clearing your merchandise through customs and charges a 

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

be higher than they expected.

Freight Shipments

Cargo, whether duty is owed on it or not, must clear 

customs at the first port of arrival in the United States. 

If you choose, you may have your freight sent, while 

it is still in CBP custody, to another port for clearance. 

This is called forwarding freight in bond. You, or someone 

you appoint to act for you, are responsible for arranging 

to clear your merchandise through CBP or for having it 

forwarded to another port. 

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. 
24 Know Before You Go

When a foreign seller entrusts a shipment to a broker 

or agent in the United States, that seller usually pays 

only enough freight to have the shipment delivered to 

the first port of arrival in the United States. This means 

that you, the buyer, will have to pay additional inland 

transportation, or freight forwarding charges, plus broker 

fees, insurance, and possibly other charges. 

If it is not possible for you to secure release of your 

goods yourself, another person may act on your behalf 

to clear them through CBP. You may do this as long as 

your merchandise consists of a single, noncommercial 

shipment (not intended for resale) that does not require 

a formal entry—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 

Caribbean Basin and Andean 

Countries

Unaccompanied purchases are goods you bought on 

a trip that are being mailed or shipped to you in the 

United States. In other words, you are not carrying the 

goods with you when you return. If your unaccompanied purchases are from an insular possession or a 

Caribbean Basin country and are being sent directly 

from those locations to the United States, you may 

enter them as follows:
Know Before You Go 25

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

personal exemption if the merchandise is from an 

insular possession.

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

a Caribbean Basin and Andean country.

• An additional $1,000 in goods will be dutiable at 

a flat rate if they are from an insular possession, or 

from a Caribbean Basin country. (See chart under 

Paying Duty.)

• If you are sending more than $2,600 from an 

insular possession or more than $1,800 from a 

Caribbean Basin country, the duty rates in the 

Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States 

will apply. The Harmonized Tariff Schedule 

describes different rates of duty for different commodities. For example, linen tablecloths will not 

have the same duty rates as handicrafts or plastic 

toy trucks.

To take advantage of the duty-free exemption for 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.
26 Know Before You Go

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

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

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

that your list of unaccompanied articles, which you 

indicated on the CBP Form 255, agrees with your 

sales 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 
Know Before You Go 27

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 

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

Travelers often think that what they buy in duty-free 

shops will not be dutiable when they return home and 

clear customs. But this is not true. Articles sold in a dutyfree shop are free of duty and taxes only for the country 

in which that shop is located. So if your purchases 

exceed your personal exemption, items you bought in a 

duty-free shop, whether in the United States or abroad, 

will almost certainly be subject to duty. 

Articles sold in foreign duty free shops are subject to 

U.S. duty and other restrictions, for example, only 

one liter of liquor is duty free, but you may include 

these items in your personal exemption. Articles sold 

in duty free shops are meant to be exported. They are 

not meant to be used, worn, eaten, drunk, etc., in 

the country where you purchased them. Articles purchased in American duty-free shops are also subject 

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

Therefore, if you buy liquor in a duty-free shop in New 

York before entering Canada and then bring it back into 

the United States, it may be subject to duty and Internal 

Revenue Service tax. 

Prohibited and Restricted Items

CBP has been entrusted with enforcing some 400 laws 

for 40 other government agencies, such as the U.S. 

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

Agriculture. These other agencies have a need to know 

what people bring into the United States, but they are 

not always at ports of entry, guarding our borders. CBP 

officers are always at ports of entry—their primary mission is to safeguard America’s borders.
28 Know Before You Go

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)

The importation of Absinthe and any other liquors or 

liqueurs that contain Artemisia absinthium is prohibited.

Automobiles

Automobiles imported into the United States must meet 

the fuel-emission requirements of the Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) and the safety, bumper, and 

theft-prevention standards of the U.S. Department of 

Transportation (DOT). Trying to import a car that 

doesn’t meet all the requirements can be a frustrating 

experience for the following reasons. (See the CBP brochure, Importing a Car)

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 
Know Before You Go 29

must be exported or destroyed if they are not modified 

acceptably. Also under these circumstances, the vehicle 

could require a bond upon entry until the conditions 

for admission have been met.

And even if the car does meet all federal standards, 

it might be subject to additional EPA requirements, 

depending on what countries it was driven in. You are 

strongly encouraged to contact EPA and DOT before 

importing a car.

Information on importing vehicles can be obtained 

from visiting the Environmental Protection Agency 

website at 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, 

Washington, DC 20590, by telephone at 1.800.424.9393, 

or by visiting the DOT website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov. 

Copies of the brochure Importing or Exporting a Car can 

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

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

or visiting the CBP website at www.cbp.gov. The EPA 

Automotive Imports Fact Manual can be obtained 

by writing to the Environmental Protection Agency, 

Washington, DC 20460; or by visiting www.epa.gov. 

Cars being brought into the United States temporarily, 

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

from these restrictions. It is illegal to bring a vehicle 

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

entered on a CBP Form 7501.

Biologicals

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

to import biological specimens including bacterial cultures, culture medium, excretions, fungi, arthropods, 

mollusks, tissues of livestock, birds, plants, viruses, 

vectors for research, biological or pharmaceutical use. 

Permit requirements are located under “Permits” on 

the USDA website at www.aphis.usda.gov. For some 
30 Know Before You Go

permits you may have to contact the Centers for Disease 

Control at www.cdc.gov.

Ceramic Tableware

Although ceramic tableware is not prohibited or restricted, you should know that such tableware made in 

foreign countries may contain dangerous levels of lead 

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

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends 

that if you buy ceramic tableware abroad—especially 

in Mexico, China, Hong Kong, or India—you have it 

tested for lead release when you return, or use it for 

decorative purposes only.

Cultural Artifacts and Cultural Property 

(Art/Artifacts)

Most countries have laws that protect their cultural 

property: art/artifacts/antiquities; archaeological and 

ethnological material are also terms that are used. Such 

laws include export controls and/or national ownership of cultural property. Even if purchased from a 

business in the country of origin or in another country, 

legal ownership of such artifacts may be in question if 

brought into the United States. Therefore, although they 

do not necessarily confer ownership, you must have 

documents such as export permits and receipts when 

importing such items into the United States. 

While foreign laws may not be enforceable in the United 

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

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

Act, one cannot have legal title to art/artifacts/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 
Know Before You Go 31

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

It is illegal in the United States to import, export, 

distribute, transport, manufacture, or sell products 

containing dog or cat fur in the United States. As of 

November 9, 2000, the Dog and Cat Protection Act of 

2000 calls for the seizure and forfeiture of each item 

containing dog or cat fur.

The Act provides that any person who violates any 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.
32 Know Before You Go

Drug Paraphernalia

It is illegal to bring drug paraphernalia into the United 

States unless they have been prescribed for authentic 

medical conditions such as diabetes. CBP will seize any 

illegal drug paraphernalia. Law prohibits the importation, exportation, manufacture, sale, or transportation 

of drug paraphernalia. If you are convicted of any of 

these offenses, you will be subject to fines and imprisonment. 

Firearms

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 

(ATF) regulates and restricts firearms and ammunition; 

and approves all import transactions involving weapons and ammunition. If you want to import or export 

weapons or ammunition, you must do so through a 

licensed importer, dealer, or manufacturer. Also, if 

the National Firearms Act prohibits certain weapons, 

ammunition, or similar devices from coming into the 

country, you will not be able to import them unless the 

ATF provides you with written authorization to do so.

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 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 
Know Before You Go 33

should contact officials at that country’s embassy to 

learn about its regulations. 

Fish and Wildlife

Certain fish and wildlife, and products made from 

them are subject to import and export restrictions, 

prohibitions, permits or certificates, and quarantine 

requirements. We recommend that you contact the U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service before you depart if you plan 

to import or export any of the following: 

• Wild birds, land or marine mammals, reptiles, fish, 

shellfish, mollusks, or invertebrates.

• Any part or product of the above, such as skins, 

tusks, bone, feathers, or eggs.

• Products or articles manufactured from wildlife or 

fish.

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. 
34 Know Before You Go

If you plan to buy such things as tortoiseshell jewelry, 

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

contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division 

of Law Enforcement, P.O. Box 3247, Arlington, VA 

22203-3247, or call 800.358.2104 or visit www.fws.

gov. Hunters can get information on the limitations for 

importing and exporting migratory game birds from 

this office as well. 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.
Know Before You Go 35

Prior Notice for Food Importation

The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism 

Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (Bioterrorism 

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

requirement that food items, imported (or offered for 

import) for commercial use, including hand-carried 

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

Drug Administration (FDA) prior to arrival of those 

items in the United States. The FDA prior notification 

timeframes (by transport mode) are two hours by land, 

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

to the “time of mailing” for international mail.

Food that was made by an individual in his/her 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 U.S. 

by a business is subject to special requirements of the 

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.
36 Know Before You Go

Fruits and Vegetables

Bringing fruits and vegetables can be complicated. For 

instance, consider the apple you bought in the foreign 

airport just before boarding and then did not eat? 

Whether or not CBP will allow the apple into the United 

States depends on where you got it and where you are 

going after you arrive in the United States. The same 

would be true for those magnificent Mediterranean 

tomatoes. Fresh fruits and vegetables can carry plant 

pests or diseases into the United States.

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.
Know Before You Go 37

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 timeconsuming delays in clearing your trophy through CBP. 

You should always call for guidance before you depart.

Gold 

Gold coins, medals, and bullion, formerly prohibited, 

may be brought into the United States. However, under 

regulations administered by the Office of Foreign 

Assets Control, such items originating in or brought 

from Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Serbia, and Sudan are 

prohibited entry. Copies of gold coins are prohibited if 

not properly marked by country of issuance. 

Meats, Livestock, and Poultry

The regulations governing meat and meat products are 

very strict. You may not import fresh, dried, or canned 

meats or meat products from most foreign countries 

into the United States. Also, you may not import food 

products that have been prepared with meat. 

The regulations on importing meat and meat products 

change frequently because they are based on disease 

outbreaks in different areas of the world. APHIS, which 

regulates meats and meat products as well as fruits 

and vegetables, invites you to contact them for more 

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.
38 Know Before You Go

Medication

Rule of thumb: When you go abroad, take the 

medicines you will need, no more, no less. 

Narcotics and certain other drugs with a high potential 

for abuse—Rohypnol, GHB, and Fen-Phen, to name a 

few—may not be brought into the United States, and 

there are severe penalties for trying to do so. If you 

need medicines that contain potentially addictive drugs 

or narcotics (e.g., some cough medicines, tranquilizers, 

sleeping pills, antidepressants, or stimulants), do the 

following:

• Declare all drugs, medicinals, and similar products 

to the appropriate CBP official.

• Carry such substances in their original containers.

• Carry only the quantity of such substances that 

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

would normally carry for his/her personal use.

• Carry a prescription or written statement from your 

physician that the substances are being used under 

a doctor's supervision and that they are necessary 

for your physical well being while traveling.

U.S. residents entering the United States at 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.
Know Before You Go 39

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 information about traveling with medication, contact your nearest FDA office 

or write to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 

Division of Import Operations and Policy, Room 12-8 

(HFC-170), 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

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. 
40 Know Before You Go

* 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 web site 

at www.treas.gov/ofac.

Pets

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

your return, please get a copy of the CBP brochure Pets 

and Wildlife. You should also check with state, county, 

and local authorities to learn if their restrictions and 

prohibitions on pets are stricter than federal requirements. 

Importing animals is closely regulated for public health 

reasons and also for the well being of the animals. 
Know Before You Go 41

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 coming from 

rabies-free countries do not have to be vaccinated.

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. 

In any case, birds may only be imported through ports 

of entry where a USDA port veterinarian is on duty; 

and you must make arrangements in advance to have 

the bird examined by a USDA port veterinarian at the 
42 Know Before You Go

first U.S. port of entry. There is a minimum user fee for 

this service of $23.00 based on an hourly rate of $76/

hour. For more information, contact the USDA, APHIS, 

Veterinary Services, National Center for Import and 

Export (NCIE), 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737; 

call 301.734.8364; or visit the APHIS web site at www.

aphis.usda.gov/travel/pets.html. 

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.

Plants and seeds

Some plants, cuttings, seeds that are capable of propagation, unprocessed plant products, and certain 

endangered species are allowed into the United States 

but require import permits; some are prohibited entirely. Threatened or endangered species that are permitted 

must have export permits from the country of origin. 

Every single plant or plant product including handicraft 

items made with straw, must be declared to the CBP 

officer and must be presented for CBP inspection, no 

matter how free of pests it appears to be. For 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

Soil is considered the loose surface material of the 

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

cases, the soil consists of disintegrated rock with an 

admixture of organic material and soluble salts. Soil 

is prohibited entry unless accompanied by an import 

permit. Soil must be declared and the permit must be 

verified.
Know Before You Go 43

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) will 

be 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. 

China could have limits on particular garments called 

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

import specialist in your area or at the port where you 

plan to import to determine what countries are subject 

to quotas and what products from China are subject to 

safeguards.

There may be additional documentation required for 

textiles from other countries such as the African countries that require a visa to be placed on a commercial 

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

also be a certificate of eligibility document requirement to get duty-free treatment under many of the 

free trade agreements that are negotiated between the 

United States and the foreign government. These are 

not admissibility documents, but allow you to import 

your garments duty-free, provided certain conditions 

are met.

Trademarked and Copyrighted Articles

CBP enforces laws relating to the protection of trademarks and copyrights. Articles that infringe a federally 

registered trademark or copyright or copyright protected by the Berne Convention for the Protection of 

Literary and Artistic Works are subject to detention 

and/or seizure. Infringing articles may consist of arti-
44 Know Before You Go

cles that use a protected right without the authorization 

of the trademark or copyright owner or articles that 

copy or simulate a protected right.

Articles bearing marks that are counterfeit or inappropriately using a federally registered trademark are 

subject to seizure and forfeiture. The importation of 

articles intended for sale or public distribution bearing 

counterfeit marks may subject an individual to a civil 

fine if the registered trademark has also been recorded 

with CBP. Articles bearing marks that are confusingly 

similar to a CBP recorded registered trademark, and 

restricted gray market articles (goods bearing genuine 

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

granted gray market protection) are subject to detention 

and seizure.

However, travelers arriving in the United States may 

be permitted an exemption and allowed to import one 

article of each type, which must accompany the person, 

bearing a counterfeit, confusingly similar or restricted 

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.
Know Before You Go 45

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

You may bring into or take out of the country, including by mail, as much money as you wish. However, if 

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

CBP. Ask the CBP officer for the Currency Reporting 

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

can be severe. 

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

or foreign coins currently in circulation, currency, traveler’s checks in any form, money orders, and negotiable 

instruments or investment securities in bearer form.

Photographic Film

CBP will not examine film you bought abroad and 

are bringing back unless the CBP officer has reason to 

believe it contains prohibited material, such as child 

pornography.

You will not be charged duty on film bought in the 

United States and exposed abroad, whether it is developed or not. But film you bought and developed abroad 

counts as a dutiable item.

Customer Service Programs

CBP expanded its method of improving customer service to international travelers at major U.S. travel hubs. 

There are passenger service representatives available to 

travelers on a full-time basis at selected international 

airports, seaports, and land border ports of entry. The 

representatives’ major purpose is to help travelers clear 

CBP. 
46 Know Before You Go

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:

Customer Service Unit

Office of Field Operations

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20229

Or call 1.877.CBP 5511.

Allegations of criminal or serious misconduct may 

be reported to the Joint Intake Center by telephone 

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

Intake@dhs.gov, by fax to 202.344.3390, or by mail to:

P.O. Box 14475

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20044

Pledge to Travelers

• We pledge to cordially greet and welcome you to 

the United States.

• We pledge to treat you with courtesy, dignity, and 

respect.

• We pledge to explain the CBP process to you.

• We pledge to have a supervisor listen to your comments.

• We pledge to accept and respond to your comments 

in written, verbal, or electronic form.

• We pledge to provide reasonable assistance due to 

delay or disability.
Know Before You Go 47

Other Related–Travel 

Information

Frequently, we are asked questions that are not CBP 

matters such as the following:

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

Passport Agency. Please contact the Passport Agency 

nearest you for more information. Postal clerks also 

accept passport applications.

Baggage allowance – Ask the airline or steamship 

line on which you are traveling for more information. 

Contact the Transportation Security Administration at 

www.tsa.gov for a list of prohibited and permitted 

items.

Currency of other nations – Your local bank can be 

of assistance.

Foreign countries – For information about the country 

you will visit or about what articles may be imported 

into that country, contact that country’s embassy, consular office, or tourist information office.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Washington, D.C. 20229

No. 0000-0512

Revised April 2005
48 Know Before You Go

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20044

Please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

Web site at http:/www/cbp.gov.

TO REPORT DRUG SMUGGLING

1(800) BE ALERT

CBP Publication No. 0000-00512

Revised April 2005