How to Pass Through U.S. Customs Without Being Fined?

Passing through U.S. Customs without being fined refers to the process of entering the United States legally without violating any customs regulations or laws. To do so, travelers must follow all the rules and procedures set by U.S. Customs.

A Guide to Passing Through U.S. Customs Without Facing Fines

A forgotten piece of fruit or a handcrafted memento, for example, might actually cost you and cause months of travel disruption if you pack the wrong item in your bag.

Even the most experienced passengers occasionally display some level of stupidity, according to several U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) horror stories. That's primarily because of the complicated CBP laws and the agency's always-changing regulations regarding which foods, medicines, and even mementos and cultural artifacts are illegal to import into the United States from abroad.

CBP agents inspect luggage for contraband before exhausted overseas travelers may leave U.S. airports and before they can catch their planes home at "preclearance" customs checkpoints in foreign terminals. Some of the tests are completely arbitrary, while others are prompted by a specialized X-ray scanner or a detection dog trained to detect goods made from both plants and animals. The agent can fine you heavily ($300 is the starting point) and possibly trigger a chain of negative events that will make traveling difficult for months if an unlawful and undeclared item is found.

These pointers should assist you in navigating a challenging procedure and avoiding penalties when passing through U.S. customs.

Declare the following things on your customs form if you are transporting any of them:

• Foodstuffs and meat
• Typically, some foods cannot pass through customs
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Plants
• Seeds
• Meat

Do you ever wonder why these are illegal? Many of these things have the potential to spread illnesses or pests from unrelated environments. Food travel is frequently forbidden when visiting many island destinations, including domestic islands like Hawai'i.

Declaring it will allow it to be examined by an officer if you are unsure. Although this will take more time during screening, it will prevent confusion and potential fines.

Not only fruits and vegetables can catch you off guard, but it's also not simple to stay on top of all the dietary laws. Since meats are typically prohibited, cheese must be solid and free of meat in order to be consumed. Similarly, foods like soup mix and bouillon cubes that can include beef products are frequently off-limits. They may be examined by agents and permitted to go, although this is not always the case. Additionally, rice is not advised because it may hold insects.

Cultural and Artistic Riches:

The majority of pre-Columbian sculptures or murals from Central or South American nations are prohibited, which is unfortunate if you enjoy art and cultural riches. The same is true of Peruvian colonial art and Cambodian Khmer sculptures.

Most nations have regulations in place to safeguard their cultural property, claims CBP. Controls on exports and/or national ownership of cultural property are two examples of these laws. Foreign laws can trigger some U.S. laws even though they may not be enforceable in this country. No matter how many times these goods may have changed hands, under the U.S. National Stolen Property Act, one cannot claim legal possession to art, artifacts, or antiquities that were stolen.

Crafts and goods made from plants:

In order to ensure that it is pest-free, "every plant or plant product or handicraft item manufactured from straw," including hats or baskets, must also be declared to an officer. As a result, that bright sombrero you bought in Mexico may end up costing you considerably more than you anticipated.

Certain Retail Purchases and Mementos:

Items that are counterfeit, such as knockoff Prada or Gucci bags or pirated DVDs, are forbidden. Arriving with five Gucci bags would undoubtedly raise suspicion, therefore if you bought legitimate, trademarked goods, it is best to save the receipt and declare these items.

Medications on Prescription:

You do not have to declare prescription medication if you are a citizen of the United States, however, the CBP does demand that you have the medication in its original containers or that you travel with a copy of the prescription or a doctor's note. To put it another way, if you divide your prescription into daily divider containers or mix your pills into one container to conserve space, always carry identification of the medications with you. Avoid bringing in more medication than you may need as well; you may bring in up to 50 units of restricted medications without a prescription. All prescription drugs should be declared and the prescription or a doctor's letter (in English) should be with the foreign national when they enter the United States.

Additionally prohibited are controlled substances that cannot be legally obtained with a US prescription. Antidepressants and cough medicines are given more scrutiny since they may include opioids or medications with the potential for addiction. Anything with evidence of drug use on it will be examined, and it may be penalized or seized. The CBP states that bringing drug paraphernalia into the country is prohibited unless it is legitimately prescribed for a medical ailment like diabetes.

Check Again for Forbidden Products:

Many international airports have numerous signs reminding tourists to check their bags for prohibited items like fruit before going through customs inspection. Even amnesty bins are available for the disposal of certain items prior to the inspection point. However, there are fewer amnesty bins (or even trash cans) in U.S. arrival zones, which can result in more persons receiving fines. Before boarding, it's a good idea to conduct one final luggage check to make sure you didn't, for instance, stow an apple from the flight.

Prepare for Preapproval:

Preclearance facilities, which are standalone U.S. customs checks, are being used by an increasing number of international airports (Abu Dhabi, Aruba, Dublin, and Toronto, to name a few). Don't be misled: Even though you are 3,000 miles away from the US, the moment you cross that checkpoint, US Customs and Border Protection regulations take effect. Get ready.

• What occurs if you are discovered possessing a forbidden item at customs
• Market selling straw hats, backpacks, and sunglasses in Medellin, Colombia
• Take care when carrying home straw-made trinkets like sombreros or backpacks.
• Shutterstock
• Anticipate paying a fine

Many police officers may confiscate your belongings and release you after giving you a warning if you are polite and really sorry for any small violations. However, they will also record your information for future use. If you're caught again, you might have to pay up to $500 for each piece of fruit. The fines must typically be paid in cash or a check right once, however, certain airports may also take credit cards. They can also be submitted after the trip within a brief grace period.

Prepare for More Screenings on Upcoming Travels:

Prepare to undergo secondary customs screening when entering the United States from overseas for a while. To determine if you are a repeat offender, an X-ray machine will often scan your suitcase. Your paperwork may inform the customs officer stationed near the exit that your possessions need to be examined once you pass immigration. You might have made a declaration or received a fine in the past, making a random screening necessary. While going through these additional checks, you might see enormous X-ray machines and people packing up their bags as they leave the baggage claim area.

You can lose your TSA PreCheck and Global Entry status:

For a variety of reasons, Global Entry might be canceled, and even the smallest error can jeopardize your standing as a "trusted traveler." One of the causes is the failure to properly submit a customs declaration, even accidentally. If you have been punished for a forbidden item, the ability to appeal the loss of Global Entry can be time-consuming, may take months to complete and is rarely successful. If you applied for both programs at the same time, the cancellation of Global Entry may have an impact on your TSA PreCheck status; however, you can reapply for PreCheck on your own if necessary.

How to proceed if your Global Entry is lost?

There is some consolation if this does occur to you. The golden ticket is not limited to Global Entry. The Mobile Passport app is a program that is frequently quicker and simpler. Mobile Passport is a respectable option for Global Entry because it doesn't have the drawn-out enrollment process or the exorbitant wait periods for an in-person interview. And it's free, too. At customs inspection sites, travelers typically have designated arrival lanes and can frequently proceed through immigration more quickly than those utilizing Global Entry computers. Instead of waiting in line at a kiosk, customs queries can now be answered via the Mobile Passport app as the plane taxis to the gate.