Since additional U.S. import restrictions may be imposed in response to inquiries from other countries, potential buyers are advised to visit the U.S. Department of State website. Most countries have laws that protect their cultural heritage. Art/Artifacts/Antiques; Archaeological and ethnological material are also terms used to describe this material. These laws include export controls and/or national ownership of cultural property. Even if they are purchased by a company in the country of origin or another country, the legal ownership of these artifacts can be challenged when they are brought to the United States. Many Americans and Canadians travel to border towns like Los Algodones, Mexico, for dental care. If you visit a dentist in Mexico, they will issue you a prescription for pain or antibiotics after procedures such as extraction or dental surgery. You can buy prescription drugs at one of the many Mexican discount pharmacies across the border and return them to the United States. A: The term “duty free” may lead you to believe that your purchases are automatically excluded from the $800 cap on purchases that you can return to the U.S.
duty-free. No luck. All purchases, even in duty-free shops, will be charged. Duty-free purchases are only made for the country where the store is located. All items purchased at a duty free shop in Mexico will count towards your personal exemption upon return to the United States. If you import alcohol into Mexico from the United States, you are allowed to bring up to three liters of alcohol or beer and six liters of wine per adult. Dogs must also be free of signs of diseases that could be transmissible to humans. A general health certificate is not required by the CDC for domestic dogs to enter the United States, although some airlines or states may require it. Dogs must have a certificate stating that they have been vaccinated against rabies more than 30 days before entering the United States. This certificate must identify the dog, the date of vaccination, the date of its expiry (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 has been vaccinated for 12 months or less before coming to the United States. Dogs from rabies-free countries do not need to be vaccinated. Permitted imports of goods from Sudan include gifts up to $100. Currently, the duty exemption for items imported from Mexico is $800 per person as long as the items are in your possession. For any amount over $800, you will have to pay the appropriate tax. For families, a joint declaration is possible. For example, two people can bring a total of $1600, which is useful if one of them brings items worth $1000 and the other $600. Items sent home are exempt up to a maximum of $200. You are allowed to bring personal care to the United States for up to 3 months. Disclaimer: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration prohibits the importation of fraudulent prescription and over-the-counter drugs and medical devices by mail or in person.
These include unorthodox “cures” for diseases such as cancer, AIDS, arthritis or multiple sclerosis. While these drugs or devices may be legal elsewhere, if the FDA has not approved them for use in the United States, they cannot legally enter the country and be seized, even if purchased with a doctor`s prescription from a foreign doctor. In general, you won`t find a wait time when traveling from the United States to Mexico. (Friday nights between 3pm and 7pm, because people go to Mexico after the work week, are the exception.) As you approach the border, be aware of the different lanes marked “Nothing to declare – Nada que Declarar” and “Declaration Line – Carril de Declaracion”. Directions to cross the new border from San Ysidro El Chaparral to Tijuana can be found on our Itinerary page. You can find information about deadlines, services and special features on our Discover Baja border map. Do I need a passport to travel to Mexico? You need it to return to the United States, so the answer is essentially yes. As of June 1, 2009, anyone over the age of 16 must have a passport, passport card or other acceptable form of document (e.g. extended ID, SETRI, NEXUS or FAST pass) to travel to Mexico. More acceptable documents and more passport information can be found on our passport page.
If you are driving in Mexico, don`t forget to bring your driver`s license (which is recognized by Mexico). household goods and personal effects of persons arriving in the United States that have actually been used abroad by the importer or other family members in the same foreign household, that are not intended for or sold to another person and whose importation is not otherwise prohibited, and The new passage from San Ysidro to Tijuana is relatively easy to negotiate. On our Directions page, you will find detailed photos and maps to cross the border without indication and directions to stop at the entrance if you have an MMF that needs to be stamped or has something to declare. If you are leaving the U.S. with high-value foreign items such as a laptop, watch, camera, or CD player purchased in the U.S., it is advisable to register them with U.S. Customs prior to departure to expedite duty-free reentry. Items must have a serial number or equivalent marking. Provide acceptable proof of prior ownership: receipts, insurance policies, appraisals or sales contracts. Customs officers will issue you a registration certificate, which is valid as long as you have the item. If you are unable to register your items before departure, bring at least one previous proof of possession to present to U.S. Customs to avoid paying duties.
Tourists are allowed to bring their personal belongings and baggage duty-free into Mexico. You can also bring goods worth up to $300. Family members travelling together in the same vehicle can combine this amount (for example, if two of you are travelling together in the same family, you can bring goods worth up to $600). Receipts or invoices must be presented to benefit from this exemption. In general, it is completely safe and legal to purchase prescription drugs from Mexican pharmacies and return them to the United States for personal use. Before you leave for your trip abroad, you should talk to CBP about the items you want to bring with you to make sure they are not prohibited or restricted. Prohibited means that the item is prohibited by law from entering the United States. Examples of prohibited items include dangerous toys, cars that do not protect their occupants in the event of an accident, bushmeat or illegal substances such as wormwood and Rohypnol. Restricted means that special licenses or permits from a federal agency are required before the item can be imported into the United States.
Examples of restricted items include firearms, certain fruits and vegetables, animal products, animal by-products, and certain animals. Certain plants, cuttings, propagated seeds, unprocessed plant products, and endangered species are allowed to enter the United States, but require import permits and other documentation. Some are completely banned. Authorized threatened or endangered species must hold an export permit issued by the country of origin. A: It will come as no surprise to learn that illicit drugs cannot be legally transported across the border. Violating this obvious rule can result in hefty fines and confiscation of your vehicle, as well as federal charges and jail time. In November 2012, the new “El Chaparral” border crossing was opened at the San Ysidro border crossing for southbound traffic to Mexico. This is one of the first steps in a major expansion of border crossings south and north at San Ysidro.
The project is expected to be fully completed in 2016 and will help reduce border wait times and improve border security. Please note that only drugs that can be legally prescribed in the United States can be imported for personal use. Keep in mind that possession of certain substances can also violate state laws. As a general rule, the FDA does not authorize the importation of prescription drugs purchased outside the United States. Visit their website for information on application guidelines for personal use quantities. It`s a hard lesson to learn while standing in line, only to learn that you can`t bring the bottle of vanilla extract you bought for your mother`s Christmas baking. And even if the car meets all federal standards, it may be subject to additional EPA requirements depending on the countries in which it was driven. It is highly recommended to contact the EPA and DOT before importing a car. A good example of the problems that imported fruits and vegetables can cause is the fruit fly epidemic in the Mediterranean in the 1980s. The outbreak has cost the state of California and the federal government about $100 million to get rid of this pest. The cause of the outbreak was a traveller who had brought home a contaminated fruit.
It`s best not to bring fresh fruits or vegetables into the United States. However, if you plan to do so, contact CBP or check the Permits section on the USDA APHIS website for a generally approved list of items requiring approval. The importation of goods from Sudan is generally permitted if they are purchased directly from the following areas of Sudan: South Sudan, South Kordofan/Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile State, Abyei, Darfur and some marginalized areas in and around Khartoum. (Note that these goods cannot be shipped commercially via Khartoum, Port Sudan or other parts of Sudan, which remain subject to sanctions.) If you bring more than $10,000 per person in cash, other currencies, cheques or money orders, you must report the amount over $10,000.
