Congress has recently made several changes in the laws that govern what travelers can and cannot bring into the United States with them after a trip abroad. Here is a snapshot of those changes.

Ker-ching, ker-ching

One change will put more money in your pocket and give you more to spend. The $600 exemption that applied to travelers returning directly from any one of the 30 Caribbean Basin or Andean countries has been eliminated—the $800 exemption now applies to all countries except U.S. insular possession (U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam).

If you return directly or indirectly from a U.S. insular possession, you are still allowed a $1,600 duty-free exemption.

Photo Credit: Gerald L. Nino

Commissioner Robert Bonner along with travel industry leaders, William Maloney from ASTA and Mark Brown from AAA, present helpful travel tips during the Know Before You Go events.

Passports

Another change that will affect a lot of U.S. citizens is the change in documentation used to establish identity and citizenship. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will soon require all travelers to and from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted form of documentation to enter or reenter the United States. The program will be rolled out in phases. The proposed passport requirement deadlines are:

• December 31, 2005: all air and sea travelers to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central America and South America.
• December 31, 2006: all air and sea travelers to or from Mexico and Canada.
• December 31, 2007: all air, sea and land border crossings.

  If you’ve got ‘em, smoke ‘em—overseas

  In the past, travelers could bring Cuban cigars into the United States if they were purchased during legal travel to Cuba. This is travel that is sanctioned and licensed by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Congress recently passed a law prohibiting the importation of all cigars from Cuba, no matter where they were purchased.

  Two if by land, eight if by sea?

  The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (BTA), requires that all food items being imported for commercial use, including hand-carried quantities, be reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prior to the arrival of those items in the United States. The FDA requires two hours of prior notification if the food shipment is coming by land, four hours by rail or air, eight hours by vessel and prior to the “time of mailing” for international mail.

  Food that was made by an individual in his or her personal residence, or food purchased by an individual from a vendor and sent as a personal gift to someone in the United States is not subject to BTA requirements. However, it is important to make sure the food items you may want to bring into the United States are permitted entry.

  More food

  There are always changes to the types of food products that can be brought into the United States. The most up-to-date information on the meats, fruits and vegetables that are barred from entry can be found on the CBP website at www.cbp.gov.

  Quotas

  In the past some unaccompanied personal shipments of textiles (packages that are mailed or shipped) had limitations on the quota, or quantity, that could be sent to the United States. On January 1, 2005, quotas for all countries that are part of the World Trade Organization (WTO) were eliminated.

  There are still some countries, like Vietnam, that are not part of the WTO that have quotas in place for commercial shipments. These countries may require that a visa accompany the shipment.

  Customer Service

  U.S. Customs and Border Protection has expanded its method of improving customer service to international travelers at major U.S. travel hubs. There are more passenger service representatives available to travelers on a full-time basis at selected international airports, seaports, and land border ports of entry.

  Every year Congress makes additional changes to the laws that govern travel and keep our citizens safe from terrorists, foreign plant diseases and insect pests. Travelers should request the brochure Know Before You Go by writing to:
  U.S. Customs and Border Protection
  Customer Service Center
  1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
  Washington, D.C. 20229

  The Know Before You Go brochure and the most current changes and information on travel can always be found at www.cbp.gov.

  Bon Voyage! EC

  Know Before You Visit Changes in the travel laws that affect foreign visitors Some of the new travel regulations also affect foreign visitors to the United States. One change is the total ban of Cuban cigars, even if they were directly purchased in Cuba. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will not only affect U.S. citizens, it will also affect visitors to the United States from the Western Hemisphere. All travelers from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Bermuda must have a passport or other accepted form of documentation to enter or reenter the United States. The program will be rolled out in phases. The proposed passport requirement deadlines are listed in the above article. Quotas On January 1, 2005, quotas for all countries that are part of the World Trade Organization (WTO) were eliminated. Countries that are not part of the WTO will continue to have quotas placed on commercial shipments. These countries may require that a visa accompany the shipment. Before you travel to the United States you should request the brochure Visiting the United States by writing to: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Customs Service Center 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20229 Additional information on banned imports such as all meats and some agricultural items can be found on the CBP website at www.cbp.gov.

  'Know Before You Go', 'Know Before You Visit' campaigns launched U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert C. Bonner launched traveler awareness campaigns at the JKF International Airport in New York on May 23 to kick-off the summer travel season. He was joined by Mark Brown, Executive Vice President of the American Automobile Association (AAA); and, William Maloney, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). He spoke about both campaigns, the "Know Before You Go" campaign aimed at U.S. citizens traveling abroad, and the "Know Before You Visit" campaign for foreign visitors traveling to the United States. "The United States remains a welcoming nation," said Bonner. "While CBP continues to prevent terrorists and their weapons from entering the United States, we are committed to keeping America's doors open and secure. By knowing the regulations and what to expect, international visitors can facilitate their entry and have a safe, secure, and enjoyable visit to the United States." CBP is the face of the nation for all who enter the United States, and at the same time has the responsibility of securing America's borders. Through its Pledge to Travelers, CBP officers and agents are committed to exemplary conduct in providing services to legitimate travelers, as well as using appropriate measures when dealing with technical immigration violations. For an efficient and trouble-free entry into the U.S., visitors are reminded to have proper documentation and information on U.S. entry requirements and procedures. In an effort to secure the travel continuum, mechanisms have been put in place to carry out the CBP's mission. Through programs such as US-VISIT, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, and requirements for machine-readable passports, CBP is able to expedite and process travelers in a secure environment. Travel regulations for international visitors from 27 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries now require machine-readable passports to enter the United States without a visa. These passports allow CBP to quickly process legitimate travelers and focus more on potential threats. The machine-readable passport requirements do not affect the separate congressionally mandated deadline requiring VWP country passports issued on or after Oct. 26, 2005, to contain biometrics in order to be used for visa free travel to the United States. Other ‘Know Before You Go’ events took place in El Paso, Tex.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Houston, Tex.; Laredo, Tex.; Seattle, Wash; Buffalo, N.Y.; Miami, Fla.; New Orleans, La.; Detroit, Mich.; and Los Angeles, Calif.. More information on the latest travel tips and regulations are available at www.cbp.gov. CBP and ASTA form a first-of-its-kind partnership U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) have come together to form the first partnership between CBP and the travel industry. The partnership was formed to help keep travelers and the travel industry informed on changes in travel requirements. "We are excited to join U.S. Customs and Border Protection in its efforts to help educate consumers about travel industry regulations," said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer William Maloney. "ASTA urges anyone planning on traveling internationally to contact a travel agent or to check out the CBP Web site. Through ASTA and the travel agent community, the consumer has a voice. Through Customs and Border Protection, travelers also have a strong advocate." ASTA is the world's largest and most influential travel trade association with over 20,000 members in 140 countries.