Customs Rules for Returning Residents
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
CONTENTS
Your Declaration
Oral, written, family
Warning--Penalties
Underevaluation, failure to declare
Your Exemptions
$400, $600, $1200, $25
Cigars, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages
Time limitations
Gifts
Mailed to friends and relatives
Accompanying you
Other Articles: Free of Duty or Dutiable
Duty-free products from developing countries
Personal belongings mailed home
Foreign-made articles taken abroad
Vehicles, airplanes, boats taken abroad
Household effects
Flat rates of duty
Payment of duty
Various rates of duty
Prohibited and Restricted Articles
Prohibited items
Artifacts (see Cultural Property)
Automobiles
Biological materials
Books, records, computer programs and cassettes
Ceramic tableware
Cultural property (pre-Columbian)
Drug paraphernalia
Firearms, ammunition
Food products, fruits and vegetables
Gold
Meats, livestock, poultry
Medicine containing narcotics, fraudulent drugs
and medical devices
Merchandise from Cambodia (Kampuchea), Cuba,
Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, and Vietnam
Money and other monetary instruments
Pets
Plants
Textiles
Trademarked articles
Wildlife and fish
Customs Pointers
Traveling back and forth across the border
"Duty-free" shops, sales slips
Packing your baggage, photographic film
Shipping hints: mail, express, freight
Unaccompanied tourist purchases
Storage charges
Notice to California residents
Location of Customs Offices
Your Declaration
You must declare all articles acquired abroad and in your
possession at the time of your return. This includes:
* Articles that you purchased.
* Gifts presented to you while abroad, such as wedding or
birthday presents.
* Articles purchased in duty-free shops.
* Repairs or alterations made to any articles taken abroad
and returned, whether or not repairs or alterations were
free of charge.
* Items you have been requested to bring home for another
person.
* Any articles you intend to sell or use in your business.
In addition, you must declare any articles acquired in
the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam and not
accompanying you at the time of your return.
The price actually paid for each article must be stated on
your declaration in U.S. currency or its equivalent in country
of acquisition. If the article was not purchased, obtain an
estimate of its fair retail value in the country in which it
was acquired.
Note: The wearing or use of any article acquired abroad
does not exempt it from duty. It must be declared at the price
you paid for it. The Customs officer will make an appropriate
reduction in its value for significant wear and use.
Oral Declaration
Customs declaration forms are distributed on vessels and
planes and should be prepared in advance of arrival for
presentation to the Immigration and Customs inspectors. Fill
out the identification portion of the declaration form. You may
declare orally to the Customs inspector the articles you
acquired abroad if the articles are accompanying you and you
have not exceeded the duty-free exemption allowed (see pages
5-7). A Customs officer may, however, ask you to prepare a
written list if it is necessary.
Written Declaration
A written declaration will be necessary when:
* The total fair retail value of articles acquired abroad
exceeds your personal exemption (see pages 5-7).
* More than one liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages,
200 cigarettes (one carton), or 100 cigars are included.
* Some of the items are not intended for your personal or
household use, such as commercial samples, items for sale
or use in your business, or articles you are bringing home
for another person.
* Articles acquired in the U.S. Virgin Islands, American
Samoa, or Guam are being sent to the U.S.
* A customs duty or internal revenue tax is collectible on
any article in your possession.
* A Customs officer requests a written list.
* If you have used your exemption in the last 30 days.
Family Declaration
The head of a family may make a joint declaration for all
members residing in the same household and returning together
to the United States. Family members making a joint declaration
may combine their personal exemptions (see pages 5-7), even if
the articles acquired by one member of the family exceeds the
personal exemption allowed.
Infants and children returning to the United States are
entitled to the same exemptions as adults (except for alcoholic
beverages). Children born abroad, who have never resided in the
United States, are entitled to the customs exemptions granted
nonresidents.
Visitors to the United States should obtain the leaflet
Customs Hints for Visitors (Nonresidents).
Military and civilian personnel of the U.S. Government
should obtain the leaflet Customs Highlights for Government
Personnel for information about their customs exemptions when
returning from an extended duty assignment abroad.
WARNING!
If you understate the value of an article declare, or if
you otherwise misrepresent an article in your declaration, you
may have to pay a penalty in addition to payment of duty. Under
certain circumstances, the article could be seized and
forfeited if the penalty is not paid.
It is well known that some merchants abroad offer
travelers invoices or bills of sale showing false or
understated values. This practice not only delays your customs
examination, but can prove very costly.
If you fall to declare an article acquired abroad, not
only is the article subject to seizure and forfeiture, but you
will be liable for a personal penalty in an amount equal to the
value of the article the United States. In addition, you may
also be liable to criminal prosecution.
Don't rely on advice given by persons outside the Customs
Service. It may be bad advice which could lead you to violate
the customs laws and incur costly penalties.
If in doubt about whether an article should be declared,
always declare it first and then direct your question to the
Customs inspector. If in doubt about the value of an article,
declare the article at the actual price paid (transaction
value).
Customs inspectors handle tourist items day after day and
become acquainted with the normal foreign values. Moreover,
current commercial prices of foreign items are available at all
times and the-spot comparisons of these values can be made.
Play it safe--avoid customs penalties
Your Exemptions
In clearing U.S. Customs, a traveler is considered either
a "returning resident of the United States" or a "nonresident."
Generally speaking, if you leave the United States for
purposes of traveling, working or studying abroad and return to
resume residency in the United States, you are considered a
returning resident by Customs.
However, U.S. residents living abroad temporarily are
entitled to be classified as nonresidents, and thus receive
more liberal Customs exemptions, on short visits to the United
States, provided they export any foreign-acquired items at the
completion of their visit.
Residents of American Samoa, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin
Islands, who are American citizens, are also considered as
returning U.S. residents.
Articles acquired abroad and brought into the United
States are subject to applicable duty and internal revenue tax,
but as a returning resident you are allowed certain exemptions
from paying duty on items obtained while abroad.
$400 Exemption
Articles totaling $400 (based on the fair retail value of
each item in the country where acquired) may be entered free of
duty, subject to the limitations on liquors, cigarettes, and
cigars, if:
* Articles were acquired as an incident of your trip for
your personal or household use.
* You bring the articles with you at the time of your return
to the United States and they are properly declared to
Customs. Articles purchased and left for alterations or
other reasons cannot be applied to your $400 exemption
when shipped to follow at a later date. The 10% flat rate
of duty does not apply to mailed articles (See pages
24-26.) Duty is assessed when received.
* You are returning from a stay abroad of at least 48 hours.
Example: A resident who leaves United States territory at
1:30 p.m. on June 1st would complete the required 48-hour
period at 1:30 p.m. on June 3rd. This time limitation does
not apply if you are returning from Mexico or the Virgin
Islands of the U.S.
* You have not used this $400 exemption, or any part of it,
within the preceding 30-day period. Also, your exemption
is not cumulative. If you use a portion of your exemption
on entering the United States, then you must wait for 30
days before you are entitled to another exemption other
than a $25 exemption. (See page 7.)
* Articles are not prohibited or restricted. See page 15.
Cigars and Cigarettes: Not more than 100 cigars and 200
cigarettes (one carton) may be included in your exemption.
Products of Cuban tobacco may be included if purchased in Cuba,
see page 20. This exemption is available to each person
regardless of age. Your cigarettes, however, may be subject to
a tax imposed by state and local authorities.
Liquor: One liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages
may be included in this exemption if:
* You are 21 years of age or older.
* It is for your own use or for use as a gift.
* It is not in violation of the laws of the state in which
you arrive.
Note: Most states restrict the quantity of alcoholic
beverages you may import, and you must meet state alcoholic
beverage laws in addition to federal ones. If the state in
which you arrive permits less liquor than you have legally
brought into the United States, that state's laws prevail.
Information about state restrictions and taxes should be
obtained from the state government as laws vary from state to
state.
Alcoholic beverages in excess of the one-liter limitation
are subject to duty and internal revenue tax.
Shipping of alcoholic beverages by mail is prohibited by
United States postal laws. Alcoholic beverages include wine and
beer as well as distilled spirits.
$600 and $1200 Exemptions
If you return directly or indirectly from a U.S. insular
possession--American Samoa, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin
Islands--you may receive a customs exemption of $1200 (based
upon the transaction value of the articles in the country where
acquired). You may also bring in 1,000 cigarettes, but only 200
of them may have been acquired elsewhere.
If you are returning from any of the following 24
beneficiary countries, your customs exemption is $600, based
upon fair market value:
Antigua and Barbuda Grenada Panama
Aruba Guatemala Saint Christopher/Kitts
Bahamas Guyana and Nevis
Barbados Haiti Saint Lucia
Belize Honduras Saint Vincent and
Costa Rica Jamaica the Grenadines
Dominica Montserrat Trinidad and Tobago
Dominican Republic Netherlands Virgin Islands,
El Salvador Antilles British
Nicaragua
In the case of the $1200 exemption, up to $600 worth of
the merchandise may have been obtained in any of the
beneficiary countries listed above, or up to $400 in any other
country. For example, if you traveled to the U.S. Virgin
Islands and Jamaica and then returned home, you would be
entitled to bring in $1200 worth of merchandise duty-free. Of
this amount, $600 worth may have been acquired in Jamaica.
In the case of the $600 exemption, up to $400 worth of
merchandise may have been acquired in other foreign countries.
For instance, if you travel to England and the Bahamas, and
then return home, your exemption is $600, $400 of which may
have been acquired in England.
$25 Exemption
If you cannot claim the $400, $600, or $1200 exemptions,
because of the 30-day or 48-hour minimum limitations, you may
bring in free of duty and tax articles acquired abroad for your
personal or household use if the total fair retail value-does
not exceed $25. This is an individual exemption and may not be
grouped with other members of a family on one customs
declaration.
You may include any of the following: 50 cigarettes, 10
cigars, 150 milliliters (4 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages, or
150 milliliters (4 fl. oz.) of alcoholic perfume. Cuban tobacco
products brought directly from Cuba may be included.
Alcoholic beverages cannot be mailed into the United
States. Customs enforces the liquor laws of the state in which
you arrive. Because state laws vary greatly as to the quantity
of alcoholic beverages which can be brought in, we suggest you
consult the appropriate state authorities.
If any article brought with you is subject to duty or tax,
or if the total value of all dutiable articles exceeds $25, no
article may be exempted from duty or tax.
Gifts
Bona fide gifts of not more than $50 in fair retail value
where shipped can be received by friends and relations in the
United States free of duty and tax, if the same person does not
receive more than $50 in gift shipments in one day. The "day"
in reference is the day in which the parcel(s) are received for
customs processing. This amount is increased to $100 if shipped
from the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam. These
gifts are not declared by you upon your return to the States.
Gifts accompanying you are considered to be for your
personal use and may be included within your exemption. This
includes gifts given to you by others while abroad and those
you intend to give to others after you return. Gifts intended
for business, promotional or other commercial purposes may not
be included.
Perfume containing alcohol valued at more than $5 retail,
tobacco products, and alcoholic beverages are excluded from the
gift provision.
Gifts intended for more than one person may be
consolidated in the same package provided they are individually
wrapped and labeled with the name of the recipient.
Be sure that the outer wrapping of the package is marked
1) unsolicited gift, 2) nature of the gift, and 3) its fair
retail value. In addition, a consolidated girl parcel should be
marked as such on the outside with the names of the recipients
listed and the value of each gift. This will facilitate customs
clearance of your package.
If any article imported in the gift parcel is subject to
duty and tax, or if the total value of all articles exceeds the
bona fide gift allowance, no article may be exempt from duty or
tax.
If a parcel is subject to duty, the United States Postal
Service will collect the duty plus a handling charge in the
form of "Postage Due" stamps. Duty cannot be prepaid.
You, as a traveler, cannot send a "gift" parcel to
yourself nor can persons traveling together send "gifts" to
each other. Gifts ordered by mail from the United States do not
qualify under this duty-free gift provision and are subject to
duty:
Other Articles: free of duty or dutiable
Duty preferences are granted to certain developing
countries under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
Some products from these countries have been exempted from duty
which would otherwise be collected if imported from any other
country. For details, obtain the leaflet GSP & The Traveler
from your nearest Customs office. Many products of certain
Caribbean countries are also exempt from duty under the
Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI). Most products of Israel may
enter the United States either free of duty or at a reduced
duty rate. Check with Customs.
The U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement was implemented on
January 1, 1989. U.S. returning residents arriving directly or
indirectly from Canada are eligible for free or reduced duty
rates as applicable, on goods originating in Canada as defined
in the Agreement.
Personal belongings of United States origin are entitled
to entry free of duty. Personal belongings taken abroad, such
as worn clothing, etc., may be sent home by mail before you
return and receive free entry provided they have not been
altered or repaired while abroad. These packages should be
marked "American Goods Returned." When a claim of United States
origin is made, marking on the article to so indicate
facilitates customs processing.
Foreign-made personal articles taken abroad are dutiable
each time they are brought into our country unless you have
acceptable proof of prior possession. Documents which fully
describe the article, such as a bill of sale, insurance policy,
jeweler's appraisal, or receipt for purchase, may be considered
reasonable proof of prior possession.
Items such as watches, cameras, tape recorders, or other
articles which may be readily identified by serial number or
permanently affixed markings, may be taken to the Customs
office nearest you and registered before your departure. The
Certificate of Registration provided will expedite free entry
of these items when you return. Keep the certificate as it is
valid for any future trips as long. as the information on it
remains legible.
Registration cannot be accomplished by telephone nor can
blank registration forms be given or mailed to you to be filled
out at a later time.
Automobiles, boats, planes, etc., or other vehicles taken
abroad for noncommercial use may be returned duty free by
proving to the Customs officer that you took them out of the
United States. This proof may be the state registration card
for an automobile, the Federal Aviation Administration
certificate for an aircraft, a yacht license or motorboat
identification certificate for a pleasure boat, or a customs
certificate of registration obtained before departure.
Dutiable repairs or accessories acquired abroad for
articles taken out of the United States must be declared on
your return.
Warning: Catalytic-equipped vehicles (1976 or later model
years) driven outside the United States, Canada, or Mexico will
not, in most cases, meet EPA standards when brought back to the
U.S. As unleaded fuel generally is not available in other
countries, the catalytic converter will become inoperative and
must be replaced. Contact Environmental Protection Agency,
Washington, D.C. 20460, for details and exceptions. (See page
16.)
Your local Customs office has the following leaflets which
will be of interest--Importing a Car and Pleasure Boats. You
may purchase Customs Guide for Private Flyers from your local
Government Printing Office bookstore. Consult your local
telephone book under "U.S. Government."
Household effects and tools of trade or occupation which
you take out of the United States are duty free at the time you
return if properly declared and entered.
All furniture, carpets, paintings, tableware, linens, and
similar household furnishings acquired abroad may be imported
free of duty, if:
* They are not imported for another person or for sale.
* They have been used abroad by you for not less than one
year or were available for use in a household in which you
were resident member for one year. This privilege does not
include articles placed in storage outside the home. The
year of use need not be continuous nor does it need to be
the year immediately preceding the date of importation.
Shipping time may not be included in the computation of
the one year. in use. For information on freight
shipments, see page 25.
Items such as wearing apparel, jewelry, photograph
equipment, tape recorders, stereo components, and vehicles are
considered as personal articles and cannot be passed free of
duty as household effects.
Articles imported in excess of your customs exemption will
be subject to duty unless the items are entitled to free entry
or prohibited.
The inspector will place the items having the highest rate
of duty under your exemption, and duty will be assessed on the
lower-rated items.
After deducting your exemptions and the value of any
articles duty free, a fiat 10 percent rate of duty will be
applied to the next $1,000 worth (fair retail value) of
merchandise. Any dollar amount of an article or articles over
$1,000 will be dutiable at the various rates of duty applicable
to the articles.
Articles to which the flat rate of duty is applied must be
for your personal use or for use as gifts and you cannot
receive this fiat rate provision more than once every 30 days,
excluding the day of your last arrival.
The flat rate of duty is 5% for articles purchased in the
U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam, whether the
articles accompany you or are shipped.
Example: You acquire goods valued at $ 2,500 from:
U.S. insular possessions:
Personal exemption (free of duty) .....up to $1,200
Flat duty rate at 5% ...................next $1,000
Various rates of duty ...............remaining $300
--------
Total .................................$ 2,500
Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act countries:
Personal exemption (free of duty) .....up to $600
Flat duty rate at 10% ................next $1,000
Various rates of duty .............remaining $900
-------
Total ...............................$ 2,500
Other countries or locations:
Personal exemption (free of duty) .....up to $400
Flat duty rate at 10% ................next $1,000
Various rates of duty ...........remaining $1,100
--------
Total ...............................$ 2,500
The flat rate of duty will apply to any articles which are
dutiable and cannot be included in your personal exemption,
even if you have not exceeded the dollar amount of your
exemption. Example: you are returning from Europe with $200
worth of articles which includes 2 liters of liquor. One liter
will be free of duty under your exemption, the other dutiable
at 10%, plus any internal revenue tax.
Members of a family residing in one household traveling
together on their return to the U.S. will group articles for
application of the fiat duty rate without regard as to which
member of the family may be the owner of the articles.
Payment of duty, required at the time of your arrival on
articles accompanying you, may be made by any of the following
ways:
* U.S. currency (foreign currency is not acceptable).
* Personal check in the exact amount of duty, drawn on a
national or state bank or trust company of the United
States, made payable to the "U.S. Customs Service."
* Government check, money orders or traveler's checks are
acceptable if they do not exceed the amount of the duty by
more than $50. [Second endorsements are not acceptable,
Identification must be presented; e.g. traveler's passport
or driver's license].
* In some locations you may pay duty with credit cards from
Discover, Mastercard and VISA.
Goods covered by an ATA Carnet: Residents returning to the
U.S. with goods covered by an ATA carnet are reminded to report
to a Customs Inspector upon their arrival. The inspector will
examine the covered goods against the carnet and certify the
appropriate reimportation counterfoil and voucher. The carnet
will serve as the customs control registration document and no
entry or payment of duty will be necessary as long as the goods
qualify as U.S. goods returned and are being brought back into
the United States within the validity period of the carnet.
Rates of Duty
Various rates of duty for some of the more popular items
imported by tourists are provided for use as an advisory guide
only. If you have dutiable articles not subject to a fiat rate
of duty, the Customs officer examining your baggage will
determine the rates of duty.
Rates of duty on imported goods are provided for in the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States. There are two
duty rates for each item, known as "column 1" and "column 2."
Column 1 rates are those applicable to most favored nations.
Column 2 rates are higher and apply to products from the
following countries.
Afghanistan Kampuchea North Korea*
Albania Laos Rumania
Bulgaria Latvia Union of Soviet
Cuba* Lithuania Socialist Republics
Estonia Mongolia Vietnam *
NOTE: The tariff duty status accorded to these countries
is subject to change. Please check with Customs for updated
information.
Products of the above listed column 2 countries are
dutiable at the column 2 rates of duty, even if purchased in or
sent from another country. Example: A crystal vase made in
Rumania and purchased in Switzerland would be dutiable at the
column 2 rate. If the article accompanies you, however, it may
be entered under your duty-free personal exemption or the flat
rate of duty allowance.
* Goods from, or products of, these countries are subject to
foreign assets controls, see page 20.
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
(Subject to federal excise taxes, which greatly exceed
Customs duties. These-taxes vary from approximately 15 cents
per liter for beer to more than $3.50 per proof liter for
distilled spirits, liquors, and cordials.)
Distilled Spirits
per proof liter
Brandy 10.6 to 89.8
Gin 13.2
Liqueurs 13.2
Rum 37
Tequila 33 to 60
Vodka 13.2 to 67.6
Scotch 5.3
Other whiskeys 6.6
Wine per liter
(33.814 fluid ounces)
Sparkling 30.9
Still 8.3 to 26.4
Beer 1.6
ANTIQUES produced prior Free
to 100 years before date of
entry are admitted duty-free.
Have proof of antiquity
obtained from seller.
AUTOMOBILES
Passenger 2.5%
BAGS
Hand, leather 5.3% to 10%
BEADS
Glass beads 8%
Imitation precious and
semi-precious stone
(not glass) 6%
Ivory* 4.7%
BINOCULARS (PRISM), OPERA
AND FIELD GLASSES Free
BOOKS Free
CAMERAS
Motion picture 4.5%
Still, over $10 each 3.0%
Cases**, leather 8%
Lenses, mounted 6.6%
CANDY
Sweetened chocolate bars 5.0%
Other 7.0%
CHESS SETS 4.64%
CHINA, other than tableware
Bone 6.6%
Non-bone 2.5% to 9%
CHINA TABLEWARE
Bone 8%
Non-bone, valued
not over $56 per set 26%
Non-bone, valued
over $56 per set 8%
CIGARETTE LIGHTERS
Pocket 7.2% to 10%
Table 4.8%
CLOCKS
Valued over $5 each 45 + 6.4%
CRYSTAL 6% to 20%
DOLLS
Stuffed Check with Customs
Other 12%
DRAWINGS
Done-by-hand Free
FIGURINES, china 9%
(By professional sculptor) 3.1%
FILM
Unexposed 3.7%
Exposed Free
** Cases imported with camera are classifiable with the
camera.
* Ivory beads made from elephant ivory are prohibited. See
page 22.
FUR*
Wearing apparel 5.8%
Other 3.4%
FURNITURE
Wood chairs 3.4% to 5.3%
Wood furniture
other than chairs 2.5%
Bentwood 6.6%
GOLF BALLS 2.4%
GLOVES
Fur 5.8%
Horsehide or cowhide 14%
HANDKERCHIEFS,
linen, hemmed 10.7%
IVORY, manufactured 4.2%
Note: May be prohibited as endangered species.
See page 22.
JADE
Cut, but not set,
suitable for jewelry 2.1%
Other articles of jade 21%
JEWELRY, precious metal
Silver chief value, valued
not over $18 a doz. 27.5%
Other 6.5%
LEATHER
Flatgoods, wallets 4.7% to 8%
Other manufactures of Free to 5.6%
MUSIC BOXES 3.2%
PAINTINGS, done entirely
by hand Free
PEARLS
Loose or temporarily strung without clasp:
Natural Free
Cultured 2.1%
Imitation 8%
Permanently strung or
temporarily strung, with
clasp attached or separate 6.5% to 11%
PERFUME** 5%
POSTAGE STAMPS Free
PRINTED MATTER Free to 5.3%
RADIOS, solid state
radio receivers 6%
RECORDS
(PHONOGRAPH) 3.7%
* May be prohibited. See p. 22, Wildlife and Fish.
** Subject to federal excise tax of $3.566322 per liter.
SHAVERS, ELECTRIC 4.4%
SHELL ARTICLES* 3.4%
SHOES, Leather 2.5% to 20%
SKIS AND SKI EQUIPMENT 3.5% to 5.5%
SOUND RECORDINGS Free
STONES, Cut but not set
Diamonds Free
Others Free to 2.1%
SWEATERS--wool 7.5% to 17%
TAPE RECORDERS 3.9%
TOYS 7%
WATCHES
Mechanical type (depending on jewels) plus
Gold case 6.25 %
Gold bracelet 14%
Digital type 3.9 %
WEARING APPAREL
Cotton, not knit 3% to 32%
Cotton, knit 7.9% to 21%
Linen, not knit 3% to 12%
Manmade fiber, knit 16.2% to 34.6%
Manmade fiber, not
knit 7.6% to 52.9/Kg. + 21%
Silk, not knit 3% to 7.5%
Wool, knit 6% to 77.2/Kg. + 20%
Wool, not knit 9.8% to 30.4%
WOOD, CARVINGS AND
ARTICLES OF 5.1%
* May be prohibited. See p. 22, Wildlife and Fish.
NOTE: Duty rates are subject to change without notice by
statute. For further information call your nearest Customs
District office.
Prohibited and Restricted Articles
Because Customs inspectors are stationed at ports of entry
and along our land and sea borders, they are often called upon
to enforce laws and requirements of other Government agencies.
For example, the Department of Agriculture is responsible for
preventing the entry of injurious pest, plant, and animal
diseases into the United States. The Customs officer cannot
ignore the Agriculture requirements-the risk of costly damage
to our crops, poultry and livestock industry is too great.
Certain articles considered injurious or detrimental to
the general welfare of the United States are prohibited entry
by law. Among these are absinthe, liquor-filled candy (where
prohibited by state law), lottery tickets, narcotics and
dangerous drugs, obscene articles and publications, seditious
and treasonable materials, hazardous articles (e.g., fireworks,
dangerous toys, toxic or poisonous substances), and switchblade
knives (however, a one-armed person may import a switchblade
knife for personal use.)
Other items must meet special requirements before they can
be released. You will be given a receipt for any articles
retained by Customs.
Automobiles
Automobiles imported into the United States must conform
to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission requirements
and Department of Transportation (DOT) safety, bumper and theft
prevention standards. Other than models required to meet theft
prevention standards, vehicles may be entered conditionally to
be brought into conformity. Automobiles that do not meet theft
prevention standards will not be permitted entry into the
United States, even under bond.
Automobiles that do not meet EPA emission requirements can
only be imported by holders of conformity certificates from
EPA. These certificate holders are known as Independent
Commercial Importers (ICI). Individuals contemplating
purchasing a nonconforming vehicle should first make
arrangements with an ICI for importing and modifying the
vehicle to U.S. specifications.
Vehicles that do not meet DOT safety and bumper standards
must be imported by a DOT-registered party under a DOT bond of
one and one-half times the value of the vehicle. Bonds may be
difficult to obtain and can be expensive. Security deposits of
50% or more of the bond amount may be required.
Vehicles that do not conform to either EPA or DOT
standards must be imported by a company that is an ICI and
DOT-registered party with a separate DOT bond for one and
one-half times the value of the vehicle.
Prospective purchasers should be aware that almost all
automobiles purchased overseas are manufactured to European
specifications and will require modification. Vehicles imported
conditionally to be modified to U. S. specifications, and not
modified, or not modified acceptably, must either be exported
or destroyed under Customs supervision.
Further information on importing vehicles may be obtained
from the Environmental Protection Agency, Atm: EN-340F,
Washington, D.C. 20460, telephone (202) 2602504, and the
Department of Transportation, Office of Vehicle Safety
Compliance (NEF 32), Washington, D.C. 20590. Copies of the
Customs pamphlet Importing a Car and the EPA brochure Buying a
Car Overseas? Beware! may be obtained by writing the U.S.
Customs Service, P.O. Box 7407, Washington, D.C. 20044, or the
Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 20460.
Biological Materials
Biological materials of public health or veterinary
importance (disease organisms and vectors for research and
educational purposes) require import permits. Write to the
Foreign Quarantine Program, U.S. Public Health Service, Center
for Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga. 30333.
Books, Records, Computer Programs and Cassettes
"Piratical" copies of copyrighted articles--unlawfully
made articles produced without the authorization of the
copyright owner--are prohibited from importation into the
United States. Piratical copies will be seized and destroyed,
unless the importer can demonstrate that he had no reasonable
grounds for believing his actions violated the law. Then, they
may only be returned to the country of export.
Ceramic Tableware
Some ceramic tableware sold abroad contains dangerous
levels of lead in the glaze that can leach into certain foods
and beverages served in them. The Food and Drug Administration
recommends that ceramic tableware, especially when purchased in
Mexico, the Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong or India, be
tested for lead release on your return or be used for
decorative purposes only.
Cultural Property
An export certificate issued by certain Latin American
countries may be required in order to import pre-Columbian
monumental and architectural sculpture and murals, whether they
are shipped directly or indirectly from the country of origin
to the United States. Currently, there are also import
restrictions on certain items from Peru, Bolivia, and El
Salvador. Customs also enforces the Convention on Cultural
Property Implementation Act. The regulations prohibit illicit
traffic in cultural property while allowing the exchange of
national treasures for legitimate scientific, educational, and
cultural purposes. For further information, contact the United
States Information Agency, Washington, D.C. (202)485-6612.
Drug Paraphernalia
The importation, exportation, manufacture, sale, and
transportation of drug paraphernalia are prohibited. Persons
convicted of these offenses are subject to fines and
imprisonment. As importations contrary to law, drug
paraphernalia may be seized by U.S. Custom.
Firearms and Ammunition
Firearms and ammunition are subject to restrictions and
import permits approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and
Firearms (ATF). Applications to import may be made only by or
through a licensed importer, dealer, or manufacturer. Weapons,
ammunition, or other devices prohibited by the National
Firearms Act will not be admitted into the United States unless
specifically authorized by ATF.
No import permit is required when it is proven that the
firearms or ammunition were previously taken out of the United
States by the person who is returning with such firearms or
ammunition. To facilitate reentry, persons may have them
registered before departing from the United States at any
Customs office or ATF field office. However, not more than
three nonautomatic firearms and 1,000 cartridges therefor, will
be registered for any one person. Quantities beyond these are
subject to the export licensing requirements of the Office of
Munitions Control, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520.
For further information, contact the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms, Department of the Treasury, Washington,
D.C. 20226; (202) 927-7977.
Residents of the United States carrying firearms or
ammunition with them to other countries should consult in
advance the customs officials or the respective embassies of
those countries as to their regulations.
Food Products
Bakery items and all cured cheeses are admissible. The
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service leaflet,
Travelers Tips, provides detailed information on bringing food,
plant, and animal products into the U.S. Imported foods are
also subject to requirements of the Food and Drug
Administration.
Fruits and Vegetables
Most fruits and vegetables are either prohibited from
entering the country or require an import permit. Every fruit
or vegetable must be declared to the Customs officer and must
be presented for inspection, no matter how free of pests it
appears to be. Most canned or processed items are admissible.
Applications for import permits or requests for
information should be addressed to Quarantines, USDA-APHIS-PPQ,
Federal Bldg., Hyattsville, Md. 20782.
Gold coins, medals, and bullion, formerly prohibited, may
be brought into the United States, under regulations
administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, except
from Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea, Libya, Iraq, Haiti and Iran.
Copies of gold coins are prohibited if not properly marked by
country of issuance.
Meats, Livestock, Poultry
Meats, livestock, poultry, and their by-products (such as
sausage, pate), are either prohibited or restricted from
entering the United States, depending on the animal disease
condition in country of origin. Fresh meat is generally
prohibited from most countries. Canned meat is permitted if the
inspector can determine that it is commercially canned, cooked
in the container, hermetically sealed, and can be kept without
refrigeration. Other canned, cured, or dried meat is severely
restricted from most countries.
All prohibited importations will be seized and destroyed
unless the importer returns them immediately to their country
of origin.
You should contact USDA-APHIS-VS, Federal Building, 6505
Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, for detailed
requirements or call (301) 436-7885.
Medicine/Narcotics
Narcotics and dangerous drugs, including anabolic
steroids, are prohibited entry and there are severe penalties
if imported. A traveler requiring medicines containing
habit-forming drugs or narcotics (e.g., cough medicines,
diuretics, heart drugs, tranquilizers, sleeping pills,
depressants, stimulants, etc.) should:
* Have all drugs, medicinals, and similar products properly
identified;
* Carry only such quantity as might normally be carried by
an individual having some sort of health problem;
* Have either a prescription or written statement from your
personal physician that the medicinals are being used
under a doctor's direction and are necessary for your
physical wellbeing while traveling.
Warning
The Food and Drug Administration prohibits the
importation, by mail or in person, of fraudulent prescription
and non-prescription drugs and medical devices. These may
include unorthodox "cures" for medical conditions including
cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. While these drugs and
devices may be completely legal elsewhere, they may not have
been approved for use in the United States, even under a
prescription issued by a foreign physician. They may not
legally enter the United States and may be confiscated upon
arrival by mail.
For additional information, contact your nearest FDA
office or write:
Food and Drug Administration
Import Operations Unit,
Room 12-8 (HFC- 131)
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Merchandise
The importation of goods from the following countries is
generally prohibited under regulations administered by the
Office of Foreign Assets Control: Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea,
Libya, Iraq, Haiti, and Iran.
These proscriptions do not apply to informational
materials such as pamphlets, books, tapes, films or recordings.
On June 5, 1992, the President issued an Executive Order
prohibiting the importation of goods from the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).
Specific licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets
Control are required to bring prohibited merchandise into the
United States; but they are rarely granted. Foreign visitors to
the United States may be permitted to bring in small articles
for personal use as accompanied baggage, depending upon the
goods' country of origin. A limited number of specific licenses
are being issued for articles assembled or processed in Haiti
using parts or materials previously exported from the United
States.
Travelers should be aware that there are severe
restrictions on travel and transportation transactions
involving Libya and Iraq. Spending money on travel-related
transactions involving Cuba, North Korea, and Vietnam is
closely controlled and monitored. Because of the strict
enforcement of prohibitions, anyone considering travel to any
of the countries listed above should contact the Office of
Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury, 1500
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20220 or call
202/622-2520.
Money and Other Monetary Instruments
There is no limitation in terms of total amount of
monetary instruments which may be brought into or taken out of
the United States nor is it illegal to do so. However, if you
transport or cause to be transported (including by mail or
other means) more than $10,000 in monetary instruments on any
occasion into or out of the United States, or if you receive
more than that amount, you must file a report (Customs Form
4790) with U.$. Customs (Currency & Foreign Transactions
Reporting Act, 31 U.S.C. 1101, et seq.). Failure to comply can
result in civil and criminal penalties. Monetary instruments
include U.S. or foreign coin in current circulation, currency,
traveler's checks in any form, money orders, and negotiable
instruments or investment securities in bearer form.
Pets
There are controls, restrictions, and prohibitions on
entry of animals, birds, turtles, wildlife, and endangered
species. Cats and dogs must be free of evidence of diseases
communicable to man. Vaccination against rabies is not required
for cats and dogs arriving from rabies-free countries.
Personally owned pet birds may be entered (limit of two if of
the psittacine family), but APHIS and Public Health Service
requirements must be met, including quarantine at any APHIS
facility at specified locations, at the owner's expense.
Advance reservations are required. Non-human primates, such as
monkeys, apes and similar animals, may not be imported. If you
plan to take your pet abroad or import one on your return,
obtain a copy of our leaflet, Pets, Wildlife, U.S. Customs.
You should check with state, county and municipal
authorities about any restrictions and prohibitions they may
have before importing a pet.
Plants
Plants, cuttings, seeds, unprocessed plant products and
certain endangered species either require an import permit or
are prohibited from entering the United States. Endangered or
threatened species of plants and plant products, if importation
is not prohibited, will require an export permit from the
country of origin. Every single plant or plant product must be
declared to the Customs officer and must be presented for
inspection, no matter how free of pests it appears to be.
Applications for import permits or requests for information
should be addressed to: Quarantines, USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Federal
Building, 6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, Md. 20782.
Textiles
Textile and apparel items which accompany you and which
you have acquired abroad for personal use or as gifts are
generally not subject to quantitative restrictions. However,
unaccompanied textile and apparel items may be subject to
certain quantitative restrictions (quotas) which require a
document called a "visa" or "export license" or exempt
certificate as appropriate from the country of production.
Check with Customs before you depart on your trip.
Trademarked Articles
Foreign-made trademarked articles may be limited as to the
quantity which may be brought into the United States if the
registered trademark has been recorded by an American trademark
owner with U.S. Customs.
The types of articles usually of interest to tourists are
1) lenses, cameras, binoculars, optical goods; 2) tape
recorders, musical instruments; 3) jewelry, precious metal-ware;
4) perfumery; 5) watches, clocks.
Persons arriving in the United States with a trademarked
article are allowed an exemption, usually one article of a type
bearing a protected trademark. An exempted trademark article
must accompany you, and you can claim this exemption for the
same type of article only once each 30 days. The article must
be for your personal use and not for sale. If an exempted
article is sold within one year following importation, the
article or its value is subject to forfeiture.
If the trademark owner allows a quantity in excess of the
aforementioned exemption for its particular trademarked
article, the total of those trademarked articles authorized may
be entered. Articles beating counterfeit trademarks, if the
amount of such articles exceeds the traveler's personal
exemption, are subject to seizure and forfeiture
Wildlife and Fish
Wildlife and fish are subject to certain import and export
restrictions, prohibitions, permits or certificates, and
quarantine requirements. This includes:
* Wild birds, mammals including marine mammals, reptiles,
crustaceans, fish, and mollusks.
* Any part or product, such as skins, feathers, eggs.
* Products and articles manufactured from wildlife and fish.
Endangered species of wildlife and products made from them
are prohibited from being imported or exported. All ivory and
ivory products--except antiques--made from elephant ivory are
prohibited. Ivory antiques may be imported provided they can be
documented as being 100 years old. (Certain other requirements
for antiques may apply.) If you contemplate purchasing articles
made from wildlife, such as tortoise shell jewelry, leather
goods, or other articles made from whalebone, ivory, skins, or
fur, please contact--before you go--the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240
which also 'prescribes the limits on migratory game birds,
prior to each hunting season. Ask for their pamphlet "Fish and
Wildlife."
If you plan to import fish or wildlife, or any product,
article or part, check with Customs or Fish and Wildlife
Service first, as only certain ports are designated to handle
these entries. Additional information is contained in our
leaflet Pets, Wildlife, U.S. Customs.
Federal regulations do not authorize the importation of
any wildlife or fish into any state of the United States if the
state's laws or regulations are more restrictive than any
applicable Federal treatment. Wild animals taken, killed, sold,
possessed, or exported to the United States in violation of any
foreign laws are not allowed entry into the United States.
Customs Pointers
Traveling Back and Forth Across Border
After you have crossed the United States boundary at one
point and you swing back into the United States to travel to
another point in the foreign country, you run the risk of
losing your customs exemption unless you meet certain
requirements. If you make a "swing back" don't risk your
exemptions--ask the nearest Customs officer about these
requirements.
"Duty-Free" Shops
Articles bought in "duty-free" shops in foreign countries
are subject to U.S. customs duty and restrictions but may be
included in your personal exemption.
Articles purchased in U.S. "duty-free" shops are subject
to U.S. customs duty if reentered into the U.S. Example: Liquor
bought in a "duty-free" shop before entering Canada and brought
back into the United States will be subject to duty and
internal revenue tax.
Note: Many travelers are confused by the term "duty-free"
as it relates to shops. Articles sold in duty-free shops are
free of duty and taxes only for the country in which that shop
is located. Articles sold in duty-free shops are intended for
export and are not to be returned to the country of purchase.
Thus, for example, if you were to buy a Hermes scarf in Orly
Airport's duty-free shop, the price you pay will not include
the tax you would have to pay if you bought that same scarf at
Hermes in Faubourg St. Honore. So if your purchases exceed your
personal exemption, that scarf may not be duty free for you.
Keep Your Sales Slips
You will find your sales slips, invoices, or other
evidence of purchase not only helpful when making out your
declaration, but necessary if you have unaccompanied articles
being sent from the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam
or any of the Caribbean Basin Countries listed p. 6.
Packing Your Baggage
Pack your baggage in a manner that will make inspection
easy. Do your best to pack separately the articles you have
acquired abroad. When the Customs officer asks you to open your
luggage or the trunk of your car, please do so without
hesitation.
Photographic Film
All imported photographic films, which accompany a
traveler, if not for commercial purpose, may be released
without examination by Customs unless there is reason to
believe they contain objectionable matter.
Films prohibited from entry are those that contain obscene
matter, advocate treason or insurrection against the United
States, advocate forcible resistance to any law of the United
States, or those that threaten the life of or infliction of
bodily harm upon any person in the United States.
Developed or undeveloped U.S. film exposed abroad (except
motion-picture film to be used for commercial purposes) may
enter free of duty and need not be included in your customs
exemption.
Foreign film purchased abroad and prints made abroad are
dutiable but may be included in your customs exemption.
Shipping Hints
Merchandise-acquired abroad may be sent home by you or by
the store where purchased. As these items do not accompany you
on your return, they cannot be included in your customs
exemption and are subject to duty when received in the United
States. Duty cannot be prepaid. There are, however, special
procedures to follow for merchandise acquired in and sent from
the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam or Caribbean
Basin countries. See page 6.
All incoming shipments must be cleared through U.S.
Customs. Customs employees cannot, by law, perform entry tasks
for the importing public, but they will advise and give
information to importers about customs requirements.
Customs collects customs duty (if any) as provided for in
the tariff schedule, certain Internal Revenue taxes and several
user fees amounting to less than one percent of the value. Any
other charges paid on import shipments are for handling by
freight forwarders, commercial brokers, or for other delivery
services. Some carriers may add other clearance charges that
have nothing to do with Customs duties.
Note: Custombrokers are not U.S. Customs employees. Fees
charged by the brokers are based on the amount of work done,
not on the value of the personal effects or of the tourist
purchase you shipped. The fee may seem excessive to you in
relation to the value of the shipment. The National Customs
Brokers & Forwarders Association is well aware of the
difficulties and excessive expense incurred by tourists
shipping items home. Their advice is "Ship the easy way--take
it with you in your baggage or send it by parcel post prepaid."
Mail Shipments (including parcel post) have proven to be
more convenient and less costly for travelers. Parcels must
meet the mail requirements of the exporting country as to
weight, size, or measurement.
The U.S. Postal Service sends all incoming foreign mail
shipments to Customs for examination. Packages free of customs
duty are returned to the Postal Service for delivery to you by
your home post office without additional postage, handling
costs, or other fees.
For packages containing dutiable articles, the Customs
officer will attach a mail entry showing the amount of duty to
be paid and return the parcel to the Postal Service. The duty
and a postal handling fee will be collected when the package is
delivered. In addition, there is a $5 Customs processing fee on
dutiable packages.
Formal entry may be required for some shipments (some
textiles, wearing apparel and small leather goods) regardless
of value. Customs employees cannot prepare this type of entry
for you. Only you or a licensed customs broker may prepare a
formal entry.
If you pay the duty on a package but feel that the duty
was not correct, you may file a protest. This protest can be
acted on only by the Customs office which issued the mail entry
receipt--Customs Form 3419--attached to your package. Send a
copy of this form with your protest letter to the Customs
office at the location and address shown on the left side of |