Immigration and Customs for the International Traveler
Before you leave the United States, read this important
note!
What do I need to know about Immigration and Customs?
What if I am traveling with my child?
What are landing cards?
What should I
expect in the Immigration Hall?
What should I expect in the
Customs Hall?
What should I know before I
go on my trip?
My friend told me that Immigration and Customs was easy for her, but
someone else said it was miserable. Why would it be so different?
Are Immigration and Customs the same here in the US as in
other countries?
What should I know before I go on my trip?
What should I do about my foreign-made things I take on my trip? How do the
Customs agents know I bought it before I left?
Before you leave the United States
When you enter a foreign country, be aware that you have no entitlement to enter
that country, not even if you have a visa obtained in advance. You can be denied entry if you are carrying any contraband or
materials deemed harmful to that country. Examples of innocent-looking thing are
alcohol and tobacco when entering Islamic countries or printed material critical
of local government.
Almost without exception, Immigration officers will deny entry to anyone who
looks as if they will be looking for work or will become dependant on welfare or charity
while in the country. For this reason you must have evidence of enough funds to
support yourself while visiting and you are usually required to have an onward
or return ticket in your possession at the point of entry. Visit the
State
Dept. web site for specific entry requirements of most countries in the
world.
We specifically warn you against bringing anything that might make it appear
as though you might be looking for work. Do not pack a resume or tools of your
trade in your luggage. There are people who have been denied entry simply
because they had a resume in their luggage.
It cannot be emphasized enough: In advance of your trip educate yourself
on the laws of the country you plan to visit, particularly entry requirements,
and follow local law.
Hearty thanks to Gene for bringing our attention to the issue of
denial of entry due to possession of a resume in the luggage of a tourist.
What do I need to know about Immigration and Customs?
First, these are two separate law enforcement agencies. Immigration officers are concerned with
people crossing a border.
Customs officers are concerned with things crossing a border. The two services
work hand-in-hand, for obvious reasons.
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What if I am traveling with my child?
If both biological or adoptive parents are not traveling with a child, the
adult passenger must have a notarized letter from the absent parent(s) giving
permission for the child to travel. If the parent has sole custody or the other
parent is deceased, the adult passenger must carry papers proving those facts.
Research this topic well in advance of your trip, as you may have to have these
papers translated and consularized by local authorities. You are well advised to
visit the web page for the American embassy or consulate of the country you plan
to visit and read their visitor information pages carefully. I cannot emphasize
enough the necessity of thoroughly checking destination country regulations and
requirements in advance of your trip.
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What are landing cards?
Just as your plane is approaching your destination, the flight attendants
will probably pass out "landing cards". Fill yours out before leaving the
aircraft, for convenience. Landing cards usually ask for your name, nationality,
local address (use your hotel) and flight number. Immigration officials use
landing cards to collect statistics about visitors. You will turn in your
filled-out landing card to the Immigration officer.
What should I
expect in the Immigration Hall?
When you arrive in a new country you are directed first to Immigration then
Customs. Usually in the immigration hall there are two sets of lines, one for
citizens of that country and the other for non-citizens. In the European
Union, there are lines for EU citizens and non-EU citizens.
You will approach a booth where an Immigration officer will look at
your passport and, perhaps, interview you briefly. The questions are designed to
identify people coming into the country under false pretenses. Answer all questions honestly and succinctly. The Immigration officer
might (or might not) stamp your passport, then send you on your way to Customs.
Here's a tip: Request a dated entry and exit stamp, if one is not entered
automatically. Why? You may, some day, be asked to reconstruct the dates of
international travel. You or a family member may need a military or security
clearance, for example. If you are a blood donor, you will need to track the
amount of time you have spent outside the United States and in what countries.
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What should I expect
in the Customs Hall?
In the Customs hall there are large baggage carousels, just as there are in
any baggage claim area in any airport. In larger airports there are notice
boards directing you to the proper carousel for your incoming flight. Grab a
trolley and wait. Eventually, when you start to think hell has indeed frozen
over, your bags will appear. It is now time to go through Customs.
In most large, international airports, you state your intention to declare or
not declare dutiable items simply by walking through the proper doorway.
Typically, the "nothing to declare" line is green, the
"declare" line is red. By setting foot in the green line you are
making the legal statement that you have nothing to declare. If, in fact, you do
have something to declare, you go into the red line and discuss your situation
with a Customs officer who will access your duty. Pay up, then you're on your
way.
You may also be selected, randomly, for hand-inspection of your luggage. One
method of ensuring the selection is random is with a machine. You press a button
on the machine, and a light indicates your having been randomly selected.
There are usually Customs officers in the green line observing the crowds and
looking for people with certain indicators typical of smugglers. Any of these agents may stop
you, inspect your luggage and, if you are found with declarable goods, you will
be subject to a penalty as well as the duty.
If you have any doubts about declaring goods, ask a Customs officer before
entering the green line. Better yet, research the local Customs laws before
leaving home.
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My friend told me that Immigration and Customs was easy for her, but
someone else said it was miserable. Why would it be so different?
Seasoned travelers will tell you that your experience with Immigration and
Customs can vary widely, even on the same day of the week and the same flight.
The lines swell with the arrival of several jumbo jets at once and ebb as the
crowd pushes through. One trip your jet might be the only international flight
to arrive in several hours, giving you the red carpet treatment through
Immigration and Customs. Next time, you find yourself standing in a long line.
Good advice: Just go with the flow. Don't worry. Usually there are uniformed
officials directing the crowds. Ask a uniformed official if you have any questions.
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Are Immigration and Customs the same here in the US as in other countries?
Yes and no. Other countries usually require you to go through Immigration and
Customs at the very end of your journey. In other words, your plane may touch down in
Paris, let passengers off, then continue to Lyon. You would go through
Immigration and Customs in Lyon.
This is not the case in the United States. US federal law requires all
passengers to go through Immigration and Customs at the point they first touch
down on US soil. Even if you have connecting flights, your baggage will be
removed from the plane, you will claim it in the Customs Hall then you will
personally carry your own bags through Customs. (Note: Do not agree to carry
someone else's bags through Customs. You may be duped into carrying drugs or
other contraband. If someone looks as if they need assistance, find a uniformed
officer to help them.)
The only passengers who do not have to pass US Immigration and Customs when
the plane touches down on US soil are those in transit to another country. A passenger
flying from Paris to Toronto via New York will be escorted to a special Transit
Passengers Lounge in New York and asked to wait for the Toronto flight there.
If you are in your final US destination, you simply go out to the Arrivals Hall
where you are met by your greeters. If you have a connecting flight, look for airline baggage services just beyond Customs but before the Arrivals Hall.
Simply hand your checked bags back to the airline baggage personnel and it will
be placed on your connecting flight. You are now, legally, a domestic passenger
and are done with Immigration and Customs. Stow your passport in a secure place,
go out through the Arrivals Hall,
push your way through the throngs of people waiting for loved ones and then go
back into the airport departure concourse of the airport. You will probably have
to pass through the security check to get to the departure concourse. Don't be
surprised.
A word of wisdom: If you have a choice in flights returning to the United
States, try to pick one that touches down first in your final destination. That
way, any unexpected delays in Immigration and Customs will not cause you to miss a
connecting flight. If you are flying from Paris to Los Angeles, for example and
you have a choice between changing planes in either London or Chicago, take the
London connection so you will go through Immigration and Customs in Los Angeles. This is especially good advice for non-US citizens coming
here, as non-US citizens are subject to more delays in Immigration.
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What should I know
before I go on my trip?
US Customs publishes an excellent brochure called "Know
Before You Go" which spells out US customs laws in plain language. You
are well advised to read this brochure and plan your foreign and duty-free
purchases accordingly. Briefly, each returning passenger has a duty-free
allowance of $800. These duty-free allowances are combined for members of the
same household, so Mr and Mrs Jones traveling together would have a duty-free
allowance of $1600. If Baby Jones goes along, then the family has a combined duty-free
allowance of $2400. The Three Traveling Joneses could bring back $2400 in
foreign purchases and pay no duty.
Note that the duty free allowance was raised from $400 to $800 effective Nov
4, 2002. Full information may be found in the
US
Customs Fact Sheet.
There are limitations and exceptions to these duty-free allowances. Please
read "Know Before You Go" for complete details. Understanding US
Customs regulations before you leave for your trip could save you money, time
and embarrassment at the border.
Similarly, investigate the customs regulations
of your destinations in advance. A good source for this information is each
country's web site under "Information for Tourists". Check our
Foreign Embassies page
for links to foreign embassies in the United States. In general, countries in
which you are not a resident permit you to bring in goods for your personal use
(your clothes, toiletries, etc.), limited gifts and measured amounts of alcohol,
cigarettes and perfume. Your gift limit may be the same as the duty-free limit
for returning residents of that country. Do, please, check in advance.
What should I do about my foreign-made
things I take on my trip? How do the Customs agents know I bought it, and paid
duty, before I
left?
If you are taking any foreign-made goods with you on your trip, such as a
Japanese camera, then you need to either register it with US Customs before
leaving or take your original US-based purchase receipt with you.
If you bought the camera from a store in the US, you paid duty on the camera, as part of the purchase price, and there is no need to pay it again
when you return. If you purchased the camera overseas, then you either paid duty
on it when you brought it home, or brought it in duty-free. International airports have a US Customs office for departing
passengers and will assist you in completion of the CF-4455 form.
Take the camera with you to their office, fill out the CF-4455 form and keep
your copy with you on your trip. (Tip: paper-clip it in your passport.) When you
return from your trip and are passing through US Customs, this CF-4455 form is
evidence that you owned the camera in the United States before you left on
your trip, and are not required to pay duty. Without proof of prior ownership, either the CF-4455 or your original
US-based purchase receipt, you may be asked to pay duty
on the value of the camera. If you purchased your camera on a previous
international trip, and your original purchase receipt reflects that non-US
purchase, then you are very well advised to get the CF-4455 form.
Not only does the CF-4455 form protect you when you return to the United
States and pass US Customs, but it is an indication to other countries' customs
services that you intend to use the item while in their country then
bring it home and
not sell it, illegally, while you are there.
As preparation for your trip, check out the location of the US
Customs office for departing air passengers if you need to pre-register
foreign-made goods. You can go to a US
Customs office in a nearby major city, or complete this at the airport. Many
travelers find it convenient to take care of this in advance of the date of
their flight. Phone the US Customs office in advance for exact locations of
their offices and business hours.You must bring the actual item(s) to Customs and it must have a serial
number or other permanent, unique markings.
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08/09/2003
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