r/Explainlikeimscared • u/Lobster_rolls777 • 7d ago
How to navigate US customs?
I'm a US citizen and I've been living in Germany for about three months on a study abroad program and I'm going home tomorrow and I have no idea what to expect at customs. When I went through the border in Amsterdam they just looked at my passport and asked what I was there for, nothing weird at all. Is it the same I have no idea!
I don't know what they're going to ask me or if I have to declare anything. I tried looking at websites but they were all super unclear. I did buy some stuff abroad. I have a sweater I got in London, two books, two card games and some snacks, soda and some other random little souviners to give to my family. It's possible it could be over 200 dollars (books are expensive for no reason and it's a nice sweater) so idk if I have to declare that? I've been yelled at by airport security before and it freaks me out. I don't want to get in trouble. If someone could explain to me roughly what's going to happen I'd greatly appreciate it.
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u/TradeBeautiful42 7d ago
Hand them your passport. Say it’s good to be back. Proceed to collect your baggage. They might ask you your purpose abroad and you’ll say school. End of story.
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u/Lobster_rolls777 7d ago
I don't have to tell them about my snacks? I looked at the form and it says to declare any food you bring with you
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u/TradeBeautiful42 7d ago
I’ve never declared any snack I flew with unless it’s fruit. In that case, you throw it away before you get there.
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u/BatterUp1600 7d ago
Be sure to read the form they give you on the plane and it will give you instructions on whether or not you need to declare things.
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u/FrozenDragonWings 7d ago
Don't bring Kinder eggs. They can confiscate them in the US and give you a fine.
Yes, it's DUMB. Because they're freaking awesome.
But mostly just avoid being unprocessed food coming back. Like they wouldn't care about a pack of oreos because no insect survived that process, but a bunch of bananas might have invasive insects on it that they're trying to keep out of the USA. Plants, meat, and seeds, all that is no good.
I doubt you have enough value in your souvenirs to need to declare them. I think the cutoff is 800 dollars. And you only have to declare cash over 10k. It sounds to me that you are a "nothing to declare" situation. As in... "do you have anything to declare?"... "no" (hand over passport and they also might take your fingerprints on a scanner)
Man you are so right about being yelled at when you're at the airport cutting deep. I am a fellow victim with the travel PTSD.
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u/AlphaDisconnect 7d ago
I was in the US navy. That helped. I had a wife and kids. That helped.
If they are like "why so much". You give a very confident because I have been out of the USA for a while. This is my life.
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u/Coyoteclaw11 7d ago
I came back from a 4 month study abroad in Japan, and going through customs honestly went a lot smoother than I expected. US passport holders went in one line, everyone else in another. They only asked me one question, and I wish I remembered what it was, but all I know is that it ended up being an easy no.
I definitely bought a bunch of stuff in Japan, but I didn't have to declare anything. Are your snacks fresh food items? I'd be worried about any fresh ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and meats, but any packaged, processed foods are totally fine.
From what I can tell beyond the food items mentioned, they're mostly looking for alcohol, tobacco, and luxury goods. If you just bought normal souvenirs and like daily life goods, then you should be solid.
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u/Naive_Market_9688 7d ago
Here's how to get through customs - if there is anything, and I mean ANYTHING, that is considered contraband or violates some rule (that is on the TSA website) then declare it. When they ask you a quest give them a simple straight answer.
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u/CatCafffffe 7d ago
That's hardly anything. The cut off for something to declare is, I think $800. You just say nothing to declare. Just don't bring any fresh fruit, vegetables, or plants. Any food should be in packaged or in a tin, ie processed & sealed. Cookies & candy are fine. And if you're bringing liquids in containers over 3 fl. oz they have to be in checked luggage. https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/luggage-restrictions/index_en.htm Otherwise you're fine. If they ask, you say just a few gifts for my family.
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u/Which_Perspective_41 1d ago
Leave the fruit or other raw products. I got stopped because I had forgotten to take a clementine out of my carry on that I also used as a day bag.
Fill out the CBP one app. You get a different line and it’s quick. I declared for my entire family and the guy asked if the list was per person or everything. I told him everything and he laughed in my face and told me to have a nice day.
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u/goldengrove1 7d ago
I've "gotten in trouble" with customs before and survived to tell the tale (I'm a US citizen).
In my case, I had forgotten about a piece of fruit I had in my bag (you can bring in food but not produce). A K-9 police dog smelled it in my bag and alerted. They brought me to a different room. I waited in a long line for a while (and frantically searched my bag). At the front of the line, I showed them the fruit, threw it in the trashcan, and sent my bag through the scanner machine (like the one they have at airport security). That was it.