As your overseas adventure comes to a close and you travel home, you will be asked to complete a customs declaration form, the first step in completing your Customs and Border Protection passport inspection and an interview with an officer. customs. (If you are driving across an international border, you will not be asked to complete the form, but you will have to tell a customs officer what you purchased while out of the country.)
When you arrive at Passport Control or an international border, a Customs and Border Protection officer will review your declaration form, examine your passport, and ask about your trip and the items you bring with you.
By planning ahead, you can help the customs inspection process go smoothly. Here are our top tips for getting through customs quickly.
Keep your packing list
The first step in determining which items to declare is to make a list of all the things you brought from home. A packing list will not only help you organize your suitcase at the beginning of your trip, but it will also help you when it comes time to fill out your customs declaration form.
Know the rules
Each country has different customs regulations. Please take the time to read these rules before your trip begins to find out what items you cannot bring back. The governments of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, for example, provide customs information to travelers on their websites.
Register valuable items
You can register high-value items, such as cameras, laptops, and watches, with your country’s customs agency before you travel. Taking this step will help provide Customs and Border Protection officers with proof of ownership for these items and save you time and trouble when you return home.
Save receipts
Bring an envelope or resealable plastic bag to store the receipt. Every time you buy something during your travels, keep the receipt in your envelope or purse. When it comes time to complete your customs declaration form, you will have a useful record of your purchases.
Avoid farms and agricultural stations while traveling
Customs officials are accused of preventing agricultural pests from entering the country. Any traveler who has visited a farm or agricultural station may be subject to additional checks, shoe disinfection, and other precautionary measures. If possible, skip the goat farm tour and save yourself time and trouble when you go through customs.
Leave food behind
Trying new foods is part of the fun of international travel. However, many countries restrict imports of fruits, vegetables, and meat products. Eat the food you bought on your trip before heading to the airport.
Pack carefully for your return trip
If possible, pack all the items you bought on your trip in just one or two places. This will make it easier to find them if the customs officer asks to see them. Of course, you should never put valuable items in your checked luggage. Instead, pack them in your carry-on bag so you can carry them with you at all times.
Declare everything
You must declare all items that you bring from your travels, whether they were purchased for yourself, as gifts, or for resale. This includes purchases in duty-free and duty-free stores. You must also declare any items that have been given to you or bequeathed to you. Alterations must also be declared, such as adaptation and repairs of the items that you took with you on your trip. Customs officials can confiscate items that you brought with you but did not declare, and you may be subject to a fine if you deliberately try to bring restricted items back to your home country.
You will have to pay customs duties and taxes on the items you bring with you if their total value exceeds your customs allowance.
The bottom line
While going through customs is an unavoidable process, there are things you can do to minimize the time you spend with the customs officer. Going through customs won’t be painful, as long as you plan ahead and prepare for your customs interview.
