All passengers must pass through U.S. Customs and Border Protection security before entering the United States. Many people will inevitably feel a little nervous and scared when going through the security check, but the whole process is straightforward. As long as you follow the instructions from Customs and Border Protection, you will be able to clear customs smoothly. The officer will scan your passport and customs declaration form, ask you a few simple questions, and then let you go.
Fill out the Customs Declaration Form
Carry your passport with you. Everyone, including U.S. citizens, must enter the United States with a valid passport. Carry your passport with you rather than in your checked luggage, as you will need to fill out a customs declaration form based on the information in your passport.
- Don’t think about forcing yourself through customs without your passport. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will not let you in. If you lose your passport while traveling, go to the nearest embassy as soon as possible to apply for a replacement passport.
Ask the aircraft or ship employee for a customs declaration form. Before disembarking from the plane or ship, flight attendants will begin distributing customs declaration forms. Regardless of whether you are a U.S. or foreign citizen, you must fill out this form, so be sure to get one. Each family only needs to fill out one form.
- This form is usually a small blue rectangular card. The words “Custom Declaration” are printed on the top. If you don’t get it, ask the flight attendant.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection now has automated passport control (APC) systems at many major airports. Passengers holding passports from the United States, Canada, and visa-free countries can directly use APC to enter the United States without filling in a customs declaration form.
Fill in basic personal and travel information. Use a dark pen to fill in the blanks on the form with your information, such as name, country of residence, passport number, flight number, and last country of entry. Fill out the form based on the information in your passport and ticket.
- Make sure the information you provide is accurate. Any mistakes may delay entry.
- Only travelers entering the United States by boat or plane are required to fill out a customs declaration form. If you are traveling by land, the Border Patrol will check your luggage and ask you questions.
Assess the value of all items that need to be declared. The form will ask you if you are bringing specific items. Customs officials must know whether you have brought fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, large amounts of cash, and whether you have come into contact with livestock or poultry. The form will also instruct you to add up the business value of all goods you purchase or intend to stay in the United States.
- If you are a U.S. citizen, assess the total value of your overseas purchases, including gifts that were not mailed separately. Items that are used up before boarding the plane do not need to be counted.
- Visitors need to calculate the total value of all goods they intend to stay in the United States, excluding personal items they will later bring home.
List the items to be declared on the back of the form. Everything that is included in the business value on the form must be declared, including gifts, purchases, tax-exempt items, goods for sale, inherited items and restored items. Also list cash, travelers checks, gold coins, money orders, etc.
- Make sure the information you fill out is accurate so that you can pass through Customs and Border Protection smoothly and quickly.
- The declaration form is used for tax filing and security inspections, so Customs and Border Protection officials need to know exactly what you are bringing into the United States.
Pass Passport Control
U.S. or foreign citizens proceed to passport control. After getting off the plane, you usually have to walk a short distance to reach the first level. Along the way, there are signs on the walls and overhead telling you how to get there. Once you reach the level, line up at the correct checkpoint.
- Ask officials for help when necessary. Don’t hang around at the checkpoint.
- Some airports have separate transfer lanes. If you have another flight to catch, you can use this lane to get through customs quickly.
Give your passport and customs declaration form to the official. They will look at your passport and scan it to verify your identity. They will also verify the customs declaration and return it to you. The whole process was quick and easy, make sure you get your files back before you leave.
- If you are a foreign traveler, the official may print the I-94 form and place it in your passport. Keep this form handy as you will need it when leaving the United States.
Answer questions about the trip. You don’t need to explain your itinerary in detail, but try to provide accurate answers. The officer will ask you about the purpose of your trip. If you are a traveler, they will also ask how long you plan to stay and where you plan to live. They may also ask for more information, such as your intended activities or career.
- For example, if an official asks about the nature of your trip, you only need to answer a simple reason such as “vacation” or “visiting relatives.”
- Customs and Border Protection officers are simply doing their job and screening travelers as they cross the border to protect national security. Respect them and they will respect you.
- Travelers are advised to bring useful documents, such as notification letters from companies, universities, or sponsors, to prove their reasons for entering the United States.
Passengers need to scan their fingerprints and take a photo. Customs and Border Protection officers collect this information from all travelers and store it in a biometric database. The officer will push the little scanner in front of you. Place your finger on the scanner to register your fingerprint, then wait for them to take your photo.
- Even if you submitted a photo of yourself when applying for a visa, you still need to take another photo here. A Customs and Border Protection officer will guide you through the process.
Collect Baggage and Go through Customs
Go to the baggage claim area to collect your luggage. Continue down the corridor and follow the signs to the carousel at baggage claim. Passengers in transit also need to claim their luggage. Check the carousel number assigned to your flight on the screen at claim and wait for your bag to appear.
- According to the rules, connecting passengers must collect their luggage and then check it in again. Give yourself plenty of time to go through security.
- Passengers traveling by boat or bus must also collect their luggage. If you enter the U.S. by bus, Customs and Border Protection employees will inspect your luggage and put it back on the bus.
Proceed to the correct customs inspection lane with your luggage. Follow the corridor from the baggage claim area to the customs security checkpoint. There will be two passages here. One has a green arrow and says “no declaration channel”; the other has a red arrow and says “declaration channel”.
- Get in line in the correct queue for a smooth and hassle-free passage through customs. If you try to sneak to a faster lane, security guards will stop you. Check the customs declaration form to see what items you should declare.
Give the customs declaration form to the official. After a short wait, you’ll reach the next level. Before it’s your turn to go to the counter, remember to check the form to make sure all the information is filled in correctly. The officer will ask you a few basic questions, such as where you have been before and what you purchased during your trip. They will check for prohibited items, contraband or items that were forgotten to be declared.
Answer questions must be clear and timely so that you can pass the level as quickly as possible. Answering too slowly or giving vague answers can make officials suspicious, leading them to ask more questions.
- Answer questions must be clear and timely so that you can pass the level as quickly as possible. Answering too slowly or giving vague answers can make officials suspicious, leading them to ask more questions.
If you are selected for random inspection, be sure to follow the instructions of the officials. Customs and Border Protection officers may single you out for a more detailed inspection. This is not directed at you. The officer will inspect your luggage either by hand or using an X-ray machine and may ask more questions about your trip.
- Making things difficult for these officials is only asking for trouble. Feel free to hand over your luggage to them. Remember, they are just doing their job and not trying to make things difficult for you.
Continue with the rest of your journey or exit the terminal. After the Customs and Border Protection officer waves you through, walk through the concourse to the terminal lobby. If this is your final destination, you can leave now. If you need to connect to another flight, look for signs that say “Connecting Flight” or “Baggage Transfer.” Place your luggage on the nearby conveyor belt and transport it to your destination.
- Before checking your luggage, make sure it has a label that says your next destination is correct.
- After placing your luggage on the conveyor belt, you need to pass through the nearby security checkpoint to enter the departure lounge.
- Remember to put any liquids, gels and aerosol cans larger than 100ml, as well as items prohibited by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in your checked luggage.
Tips
- Be kind to officials. They will also treat you with kindness.
- Customs and Border Protection officers typically stand at the entrance to passport control and direct travelers to the next open counter. The counters are also numbered so you can figure out where to go.
- Don’t worry about getting lost. The instructions at the terminal are very straightforward, making it easy for people to clear customs quickly and efficiently. You won’t go to the wrong place, just follow the signs when you don’t know where to go.
- Most Canadian airports and some international airports have preclearance lanes outside the United States. The entire customs clearance process is similar to U.S. Customs. After getting off the plane, go directly to the baggage claim area.
- Don’t be nervous when passing the level. As long as you answer the officer’s questions clearly and honestly, there’s usually no big problem.
- To facilitate customs clearance, prepare basic information in advance, including travel date, return date, hotel address, and reason for entry.
- There are usually long lines at the customs channel and the lines move slowly, so be patient.
- Check what items are prohibited or restricted by U.S. Customs. In addition to contraband, raw fruits and vegetables, meat and animal products are of major concern. Goods from countries subject to U.S. economic sanctions cannot enter the country, and large amounts of cash must be declared.
- U.S. citizens are allowed to bring up to $1,600 worth of items into the country duty-free, depending on the country they are traveling to. As for visitors to the United States, only items of up to $100 are allowed to enter duty-free.
- If you are detained by a Customs and Border Protection officer, you will be taken to a small room for questioning. The investigation process may last several hours, after which the person may be released or refused entry and returned to the place of departure.