APHIS Factsheet

Plant Protection and Quarantine October 2012

Mexican Land 

Border Import Guide: 

Agricultural Items for 

Personal Use 

Are you crossing the border from Mexico into the 

United States? If so, are you carrying any meats, 

fruits, vegetables, living plant material, soil, live 

animals, or plant and animal products? Be aware of 

such items because you may unknowingly be carrying 

damaging plant and animal pests and diseases that 

pose a major threat to U.S. food crops and livestock. 

As a traveler, you must declare upon entry into the 

United States any agricultural items to the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and 

Border Protection (CBP). Failure to declare agricultural 

items contained in your baggage, hand luggage, or 

vehicle—regardless of origin—may cause travel delays 

and result in spot fines of up to $1,000. 

The following is a partial list of fruits and vegetables 

that are allowed entry into the United States from 

Mexico for personal consumption, but only after they 

have passed inspection and have been found free 

of any pests or diseases:

•	 Aloe vera leaves

•	 Avocados—without seeds (no avocados are 		

 admitted into California)

•	 Bananas

• 	 Berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and 

 strawberries)

• 	 Cabbage

• 	 Corn and corn smut galls

• 	 Dates

• 	 Garlic

• 	 Grapes

• 	 Herbs (cilantro, mint, rosemary, sage, and

 watercress)

• 	 Jicama

• 	 Lemons, Persian limes, and sour limes—all

 lemons/limes must be washed; no leaves or stems

• 	 Lettuce and spinach

• 	 Melons (cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon)

• 	 Nuts (acorns, almonds, cocoa beans, chestnuts,

coconuts [without husks or milk], peanuts, pecans, 

piñon [pinenut], and walnuts)

• 	 Onions (including green onions and chives)

• 	 Peppers (bell, chili, and jalapeno peppers; 	 	

manzano peppers are not allowed)

• 	 Pineapples

• 	 Potatoes, yams, and sweet potatoes (cooked only)

• 	 Prickly pears (nopales pad or tuna fruit; pitaya are

not allowed) 

• 	 Sugarcane “chews”—peeled without nodes

• 	 Tamarind bean pods

• 	 Tomatoes and tomatillos

This list of admissible products is subject to change. 

For more information or for a complete list, please 

visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) online fruit 

and vegetable import requirements database at www.

aphis.usda.gov/favir. Under the “Country” search,

type “Mexico” and select a particular commodity for

more information. Open the Commodity Import Report 

(CIR) to see the detailed import requirements for the 

item selected.

Live Plants and Seeds

Plants and seeds imported for propagation require 

a phytosanitary certificate from the Government of

Mexico. The import of any soil is prohibited.

Meats and Animal Products

The following types of meats and animal products are 

allowed to be imported: canned shelf-stable pork, 

canned shelf-stable poultry, beef, and thoroughly 

cooked poultry. Other meats, animal products, animal 

trophies, and scientific or research samples may 

require an import permit, government certification, 

or transport to an APHIS-approved establishment 

for additional treatment to prevent the introduction of 

animal diseases. APHIS-approved establishments will 

treat materials against anthrax and other diseases. 

Live Birds

To import pet or wild/game birds, please visit 

www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/area_offices/ 

to obtain contact information for local USDA offices 

responsible for imported birds. All imported birds, 

including chickens, are subject to quarantine in a 

USDA facility. 

Additional Information

Remember, you must declare all agricultural items, 

including fruits and vegetables, meat and animal 

products, live animals, plant and plant products, and 

seeds, even if the items are listed as admissible in 

this publication. 

If you have any questions about importing a specific 

agricultural item into the United States, use the 
information below to contact an APHIS technical 

specialist:

•	 For plants and plant products, including fruits and

 vegetables, call (301) 851-2046 or toll free at (877)

 770-5990, or email permits@aphis.usda.gov. 

•	 For soil, live plant pests, biological control agents,

 or noxious weeds, call (866) 524-5421, or email 

 pest.permits@aphis.usda.gov.

•	 For animal products or byproducts, call (301) 851-

		 3300, or email AskNCIE.Products@aphis.usda.

 gov.

In addition, APHIS’ Web site contains a wealth of 

useful information for travelers at www.aphis.usda.gov/

travel.

 

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

This publication supersedes Program Aid No. 1466, “Mexican Land 

Border,” which was originally published in March 2008.