United States of America customs
Apply for visa
Free import
• All travelers arriving from abroad must declare everything they acquired outside the United States (CBP Declaration Form 6059B). One declaration per family is enough.
• US residents returning after at least 48 hours abroad may bring in goods worth up to USD 800 duty-free, once every 30 days (the 48-hour rule does not apply when returning from Mexico or the US Virgin Islands). This can include up to 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars, and, for travelers aged 21 or older, 1 L of alcoholic beverages.
• US residents returning from American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands or the US Virgin Islands may bring in up to USD 1,600 (no more than USD 800 of it bought elsewhere), including up to 1,000 cigarettes (no more than 200 bought elsewhere) and, for travelers aged 21 or older, up to 5 L of alcoholic beverages (no more than 1 L bought elsewhere).
• US residents who do not qualify for the USD 800 exemption (for example, after a stay of less than 48 hours or if they used it within the last 30 days) may bring in goods worth up to USD 200, including no more than 50 cigarettes, 10 cigars, 150 ml of alcoholic beverages and 150 ml of perfume containing alcohol. If any item goes over these limits, duty is charged on everything, and family members cannot combine this exemption.
• Family members living in one household and traveling together may combine their USD 800 or USD 1,600 exemptions.
• Non-residents may bring in their personal effects duty-free. Adult visitors may also bring 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 2 kg of smoking tobacco (or a proportionate mix) and 1 L of alcoholic beverages for personal use.
• Non-residents staying at least 72 hours may bring gifts worth up to USD 100 (no alcohol or cigarettes, but up to 100 cigars), once every 6 months.
• Alcohol above the duty-free amount is subject to duty and federal tax, even if the rest of the exemption is not used. Large quantities may be treated as commercial imports.
Currency
• There is no limit on the amount of money you may bring in.
• If you arrive with more than USD 10,000 (or the equivalent in foreign currency) in cash, traveler's checks, money orders or bearer instruments, you must report it to CBP on FinCEN Form 105. The limit applies to the total carried by a family or group traveling together. The form can be filed electronically up to 72 hours before arrival.
Prohibited
• Narcotics and other illegal drugs, and drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for a medical condition)
• Absinthe that is not "thujone-free" (10 ppm or more of thujone) or that is labeled against US rules
• Most fresh, dried and canned meat and meat products from most countries, including soups and bouillon made with meat, and bush meat
• Products containing dog or cat fur
• Most goods from Cuba and Iran without a specific license from the US Treasury (OFAC). Books, films, music, artworks and other informational materials are exempt.
• Cuban-origin alcohol and tobacco (for example Cuban cigars and rum), even for personal use or when bought in another country
• Counterfeit and pirated goods, and fraudulent or counterfeit medicines and medical devices
• Sweets with a non-food object embedded in them, such as chocolate eggs with a toy inside
• Stolen cultural property and endangered wildlife species and products made from them
Restricted
• Declare all food, plants, seeds, soil, animals and animal products. Most fresh fruits, vegetables and plants need a permit, plants for planting need a phytosanitary certificate, and soil needs a USDA permit. Bakery items, certain cheeses, condiments, oils, packaged spices, honey, coffee and tea are generally allowed. Undeclared agricultural items are confiscated and can lead to fines.
• Travelers authorized to visit Cuba may bring back other Cuban goods for personal use in their accompanied baggage. The same applies to Cuban-origin goods bought in another country.
• Dogs need a receipt for the CDC Dog Import Form, must be at least 6 months old, have a microchip and look healthy on arrival. Dogs that have been in a country at high risk for dog rabies in the last 6 months need additional documents, and some may enter only through specific airports.
• Cats do not need proof of rabies vaccination under federal rules, but may be examined if they look ill. Pet birds (except from Canada) need a USDA import permit and a 30-day quarantine at a USDA facility in New York or Miami.
• Wildlife, ivory and products made from them need a permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and must generally be declared to it on arrival.
• Firearms and ammunition generally need an import permit from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). US residents may bring back firearms they took abroad if they registered them with CBP (Form 4457) before departure. State and local firearms laws also apply.
• Cultural artifacts and antiquities (for example pre-Columbian, Byzantine or Khmer objects) need an export permit from the country of origin.
• Biological materials (cultures, tissues, specimens) need a USDA and/or CDC permit.
• Untreated animal-hide drums from Haiti are restricted by the CDC.
• Visitors may bring their own medicines in the original container with a prescription or a doctor's letter in English, generally for no more than 90 days. US citizens may not generally import foreign-made medicines.
• All travelers arriving from abroad must declare everything they acquired outside the United States (CBP Declaration Form 6059B). One declaration per family is enough.
• US residents returning after at least 48 hours abroad may bring in goods worth up to USD 800 duty-free, once every 30 days (the 48-hour rule does not apply when returning from Mexico or the US Virgin Islands). This can include up to 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars, and, for travelers aged 21 or older, 1 L of alcoholic beverages.
• US residents returning from American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands or the US Virgin Islands may bring in up to USD 1,600 (no more than USD 800 of it bought elsewhere), including up to 1,000 cigarettes (no more than 200 bought elsewhere) and, for travelers aged 21 or older, up to 5 L of alcoholic beverages (no more than 1 L bought elsewhere).
• US residents who do not qualify for the USD 800 exemption (for example, after a stay of less than 48 hours or if they used it within the last 30 days) may bring in goods worth up to USD 200, including no more than 50 cigarettes, 10 cigars, 150 ml of alcoholic beverages and 150 ml of perfume containing alcohol. If any item goes over these limits, duty is charged on everything, and family members cannot combine this exemption.
• Family members living in one household and traveling together may combine their USD 800 or USD 1,600 exemptions.
• Non-residents may bring in their personal effects duty-free. Adult visitors may also bring 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 2 kg of smoking tobacco (or a proportionate mix) and 1 L of alcoholic beverages for personal use.
• Non-residents staying at least 72 hours may bring gifts worth up to USD 100 (no alcohol or cigarettes, but up to 100 cigars), once every 6 months.
• Alcohol above the duty-free amount is subject to duty and federal tax, even if the rest of the exemption is not used. Large quantities may be treated as commercial imports.
Currency
• There is no limit on the amount of money you may bring in.
• If you arrive with more than USD 10,000 (or the equivalent in foreign currency) in cash, traveler's checks, money orders or bearer instruments, you must report it to CBP on FinCEN Form 105. The limit applies to the total carried by a family or group traveling together. The form can be filed electronically up to 72 hours before arrival.
Prohibited
• Narcotics and other illegal drugs, and drug paraphernalia (unless prescribed for a medical condition)
• Absinthe that is not "thujone-free" (10 ppm or more of thujone) or that is labeled against US rules
• Most fresh, dried and canned meat and meat products from most countries, including soups and bouillon made with meat, and bush meat
• Products containing dog or cat fur
• Most goods from Cuba and Iran without a specific license from the US Treasury (OFAC). Books, films, music, artworks and other informational materials are exempt.
• Cuban-origin alcohol and tobacco (for example Cuban cigars and rum), even for personal use or when bought in another country
• Counterfeit and pirated goods, and fraudulent or counterfeit medicines and medical devices
• Sweets with a non-food object embedded in them, such as chocolate eggs with a toy inside
• Stolen cultural property and endangered wildlife species and products made from them
Restricted
• Declare all food, plants, seeds, soil, animals and animal products. Most fresh fruits, vegetables and plants need a permit, plants for planting need a phytosanitary certificate, and soil needs a USDA permit. Bakery items, certain cheeses, condiments, oils, packaged spices, honey, coffee and tea are generally allowed. Undeclared agricultural items are confiscated and can lead to fines.
• Travelers authorized to visit Cuba may bring back other Cuban goods for personal use in their accompanied baggage. The same applies to Cuban-origin goods bought in another country.
• Dogs need a receipt for the CDC Dog Import Form, must be at least 6 months old, have a microchip and look healthy on arrival. Dogs that have been in a country at high risk for dog rabies in the last 6 months need additional documents, and some may enter only through specific airports.
• Cats do not need proof of rabies vaccination under federal rules, but may be examined if they look ill. Pet birds (except from Canada) need a USDA import permit and a 30-day quarantine at a USDA facility in New York or Miami.
• Wildlife, ivory and products made from them need a permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and must generally be declared to it on arrival.
• Firearms and ammunition generally need an import permit from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). US residents may bring back firearms they took abroad if they registered them with CBP (Form 4457) before departure. State and local firearms laws also apply.
• Cultural artifacts and antiquities (for example pre-Columbian, Byzantine or Khmer objects) need an export permit from the country of origin.
• Biological materials (cultures, tissues, specimens) need a USDA and/or CDC permit.
• Untreated animal-hide drums from Haiti are restricted by the CDC.
• Visitors may bring their own medicines in the original container with a prescription or a doctor's letter in English, generally for no more than 90 days. US citizens may not generally import foreign-made medicines.