U.S. Customs

After passing through the immigration area, you will collect your baggage and pass through Customs. A customs inspector will ask you to declare what you have brought into the country, inspect your baggage, and review the customs form you filled out on the plane. Penalties for concealing declarable items can be severe, so be honest and make a full declaration.

You may bring items for personal use into the U.S. without paying “duty,” which is a fee. You must declare the amount of money you have with you, but you do not have to pay a duty on it. You may bring as much money as you want into the U.S., but you must file a report with the U.S. Customs official if you bring more than $10,000. You cannot bring certain items in to the U.S.; for a list of prohibited items, refer to the “Resources” at the end of this section.