United States: Prohibited or Restricted

DUTY FREE Alcohol: (Age 21 and older) 1 liter of alcoholic beverage Tobacco: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 2 kg of tobacco or proportionate amounts of each Other: A non-resident may bring gifts totaling $100 in value duty free. Any gift items over that amount will be dutiable. The gift allowance may only be claimed once every six months and is only available to non-residents who intend to stay in the United States for more than 72 hours. Residents may bring back items for personal or household use or intended to be given as gifts up to the value of $800 and if you are returning from an overseas stay of at least 48 hours.; but all items must be declared. You must not have used all of your exemption allowance, or used any part of it, in the past 30 days. You may bring back $200 worth of items free of duty and tax if: you have been out of the country more than once in a 30-day period or because you have not been out of the country for at least 48 hours For more detailed information, see the Customs and Border Patrol exemption page. Note: Items should not be gift-wrapped, since they must be available for customs' inspection. Check with customs' representatives in the entry and exit points, as some states have specific requirements. PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED Prohibited Absinthe, biological materials, most seeds, fruits, and plants (including endangered species of plants and vegetables and their products) Agricultural items Cuban cigars Firearms and ammunition (with some exceptions for collectors or hunters. Consult Customs); Fully automatic weapons and semi-automatic "assault" type weapons  Hazardous articles (fireworks, dangerous toys, toxic materials) Liquor-filled candy Lottery tickets Meat and poultry products Merchandise from embargoed countries; generally, you may not bring in any goods from the following (if not followed by an asterisk or where specified that the embargo only applies to diamonds): Cuba, Iran*, Iraq*, Serbia and Montenegro*, North Korea*, Burma (Myanmar), Angola, Liberia and Sierra Leone (diamonds only) and Sudan. For more information on embargoes and current prohibitions, visit the Office of Foreign Assets Control website ) Narcotics and certain drugs with a high potential for abuse (Rohypnol, GHB, and Fen-Phen) and associated paraphernalia "Piratical" copies of copyrighted articles-produced without the authorization of the copyright owner Pornographic material, obscene articles and publications Products made by convicts or forced labor Seditious and treasonable materials Switchblade knives Restricted Cultural Artifacts and Cultural PropertyRequire documents such as export permits and receipts CurrencyPersons carrying more than $10,000 (U.S. or foreign equivalent, or a combination of the two) in coin, currency, traveler's checks or bearer instruments such as money orders, personal or cashier's checks, stocks or bonds, are required BY LAW to FILE a report on Form 4790 with the United States Customs Service Firearms An approved ATF Form 6-Part I (5330.3A) is required to import all firearms, ammunition, and implements of war into the United States or any possession. The ATF Form 6 should be submitted approximately 60 days prior to the intended importation. You do not need an ATF permit if you can demonstrate that you are returning with the same firearms or ammunition that you took out of the United States. To prevent problems when returning, you should register your firearms and related equipment by taking them to any CBP office before you leave the United States. Food, Plant and Animals ProductsMany fruits and vegetables are either prohibited from entering the United States or require an import permit (for commercial importers) or a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin. Every fruit or vegetable must be declared to a CBP Officer. Check with the U.S. Department of Agriculture at www.aphis.usda.gov regarding Plant Protection and Quarantine Permits .   Many prepared foods are admissible. However, almost anything containing meat products, such as bouillon, soup mixes, etc., is not admissible. As a general rule, condiments, vinegars, oils, packaged spices, honey, coffee and tea are admissible. Because rice can often harbor insects, it is best to avoid bringing it into the United States. General List of Approved Products This list covers products from all areas except Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Bamboo - dried poles only Beads made of seeds - (but not jequirity beans) Breads, cakes, cookies, and other bakery goods Candies, confectionery, chocolates Cheeses - fully cured hard cheese only Coconuts - (but husks or milk must be removed) Coffee - roasted beans only Dried foods - including polished rice, beans, and tea Fish Flower bulbs (*) Flowers (*) Fruits - canned or dried products only Herbarium plants - (but not witchweed) Herbs - dried, for medicinal use Mushrooms Nuts - (but not chestnuts or acorns or nuts with outer husks) Sauces - canned or processed Seaweed Seeds - (but not avocado, bamboo, barberry, coconuts, corn, cotton, currant, elm, hibiscus, lentil, mahonia, mango, pearl millet, potato, rice, sorghum, and wheat) Shamrocks - without root or soil Soup and soup mixes - (but not those containing meat) Spices - dried (but not curry leaves) Straw animals, hats, baskets, and other souvenirs - (but not items stuffed with straw) Vegetables - canned or processed Foreign-made trademarked articlesMay be limited as to the quantity which may be brought into the United States if the American owner of the registered trademark has recorded it with U.S. Customs. The types of articles usually of interest to travelers are: 1) lenses, cameras, binoculars, optical goods; 2) tape recorders, musical instruments; 3) jewelry, precious metalware; 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. The article must be for your personal use and not for sale Game and Hunting TrophiesIf you plan to import game or a hunting trophy, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before you leave at (800) 358-2104. Currently, 14 ports of entry are designated to handle game and trophies; other ports must get approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to clear your entry. Depending on the species you bring back, you might need a permit from the country where the animal was harvested. Regardless of the species, you are required to fill out a Fish and Wildlife Form 3-177, Declaration for Importation or Exportation. Trophies may also be subject to inspection by CBP for sanitary purposes.  Gold Gold coins, medals, and bullion, formerly prohibited, may be brought into the United States. However, under regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, such items originating in or brought from Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Serbia, and Sudan are prohibited entry. Copies of gold coins are prohibited if not properly marked by country of issuance Meats, livestock, poultry and their by-products (such as sausage, pate') The regulations governing meat and meat products are very strict. You may not import fresh, dried, or canned meats or meat products from most foreign countries into the United States. Also, you may not import food products that have been prepared with meat. The regulations on importing meat and meat products change frequently because they are based on disease outbreaks in different areas of the world. APHIS, which regulates meats and meat products as well as fruits and vegetables, invites you to contact them for more information on importing meats. You can call (301) 734-7830. MedicinesA traveler requiring medicines containing habit-forming drugs or narcotics (e.g. cough medicine, diuretics, heart drugs, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, depressants, stimulants, etc.) should: Declare all drugs, medicinals, and similar products to the appropriate CBP official; Carry such substances in their original containers. Carry only the quantity that might normally be used by an individual having a health problem requiring such drugs or medicine: Have either a prescription or written statement from your personal physician that the medicine is being used under a doctor's direction and is necessary for your physical well-being while traveling. PetsDogs must be free of evidence of diseases that could be communicable to humans. Puppies must be confined at a place of the owner’s choosing, which can be a private residence, until they are three months old and then they must be vaccinated against rabies. The puppy will then have to stay in confinement for another 30 days following the vaccination. Dogs older than three months must get a rabies vaccination at least 30 days before they come to the United States and must be accompanied by a valid rabies vaccination certificate if coming from a country that is not rabies-free. This certificate should identify the dog, show the date of vaccination, the date it expires (there are one-year and three-year vaccinations), and be signed by a licensed veterinarian. If the certificate does not have an expiration date, CBP will accept it as long as the dog was vaccinated 12 months or less before coming to the United States. Dogs coming from rabies free countries do not have to be vaccinated. Cats must be free of evidence of diseases communicable to humans when they are examined at the port of entry. If the cat does not seem to be in good health, the owner may have to pay for an additional examination by a licensed veterinarian. As a rule, both cats and dogs must be free of fleas and ticks, and have a health certificate that was issued by the country of residence. Birds may be imported as pets as long as you comply with APHIS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife requirements. Birds may only be imported through ports of entry where a USDA port veterinarian is on duty; and you must make arrangements in advance to have the bird examined by a USDA port veterinarian at the first U.S. port of entry. There is a minimum user fee for this service. Wildlife and fish 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; and Products and articles manufactured from wildlife and fish. Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security