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No customs forms any more when returning to US?
(If this has been addressed elsewhere or in another Forum, please advise or move) I travel internationally fairly often and am used to filling out the US customs declarations form upon my return to the US. Coming back from Cancun to EWR last month, I duly filled out the form, went through immigration and as I only had carry on breezed thru baggage claim, but didn't see the usual officers taking the forms anywhere. Exiting, I asked an official and he took my form ( without even looking at it), and tossed it in the garbage. Just last week, coming into JFK on DL from MAD we didn't even get a form to fill out. Again, with only carry on, breezed through. Not complaining, but when did this change? Also how are those 'protectors', who lambast me about bringing in vacuum packed deli from Europe feeing knowing that Im now exposing the entire US population to all sorts of ills, without seeing them declared and me being if not arrested (for bringing in these forbidden items), at least fined �� |
From another thread:
Originally Posted by Viajero Perpetuo
(Post 30319066)
Experienced it today at LAX TB. All the APC kiosks were closed replaced by a very short US/Canada citizens line and an announcement that the customs form was not needed. You hand over your passport, perhaps get a few questions then your photo is taken and you are on your way assuming there is no problem.
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No customs forms any more when returning to US?
We recently returned from Japan and Taiwan through SFO. To our surprise, we were not asked to complete a US customs declaration, either a paper one or an electronic version through a kiosk. Have these been entirely abolished for US citizens? Suppose we had been carrying $750,000 in gold or jade products. How would these have been discovered? |
Originally Posted by Reindeerflame
(Post 30826032)
We recently returned from Japan and Taiwan through SFO. To our surprise, we were not asked to complete a US customs declaration, either a paper one or an electronic version through a kiosk. Have these been entirely abolished for US citizens? Suppose we had been carrying $750,000 in gold or jade products. How would these have been discovered? Imports can be declared via electronic means as well and supplemented by written or oral declarations. |
There is a concerted effort to end the use of paper declarations, certainly in advance and onboard. The fewer and fewer people who feel they need to make a written declaration may obtain one on arrival.
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This has been discussed in the Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate forum:
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Do you mean you didn't itemize your goods, or you didn't answer any customs-related questions at all?
The kiosks (should) ask a very short form of questions like "do you have meat, fruit" and "are you over your duty exemption" but the kiosk does not ask for a list of products, as the paper forms do. |
Our airports will be moving towards a "simplified Primary". Facial recognition, less passport checks, etc With this comes a lack of typical baggage checkpoints. We're moving more towards targeting and on foot teams in the baggage carousels. This means no more declarations, sorta.
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Originally Posted by davie355
(Post 30839147)
Do you mean you didn't itemize your goods, or you didn't answer any customs-related questions at all?
The kiosks (should) ask a very short form of questions like "do you have meat, fruit" and "are you over your duty exemption" but the kiosk does not ask for a list of products, as the paper forms do. |
Originally Posted by Reindeerflame
(Post 30841215)
No questions at all; no forms, no kiosks: nothing. The immigration inspector asked a few questions about our trip and our home community, but that’s all. No queries anywhere about goods being brought in or anything about prohibited items, like certain fruits or meats. In the customs area, everyone walked through an area of apparently unstaffed counters without interacting with any personnel. |
Originally Posted by Reindeerflame
(Post 30841215)
No questions at all; no forms, no kiosks: nothing. The immigration inspector asked a few questions about our trip and our home community, but that’s all. No queries anywhere about goods being brought in or anything about prohibited items, like certain fruits or meats. In the customs area, everyone walked through an area of apparently unstaffed counters without interacting with any personnel. With regard to customs control, it seems like CBP is trying to move more in the direction of the EU countries in regard to how and where they direct resources for customs searches. Customs declaration forms aren’t a common submission for passengers entering the EU/Schengen zones, and yet there is flagging “behind the scenes” and targeting at the airports from time to time. The CBP is sort of headed in the same direction, but with way more resources per arrival passenger from beyond the customs zone than is the case in the EU/Schengen countries. |
This is great news, but it begs the question of whether GE is still worthwhile if everyone else can now zip through immigration and customs.
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No customs forms were being collected at SAN last summer when I arrived from LHR although the BA was giving out paper forms. SAN has undergone recent renovation and although there were GE kiosks there were no APC kiosks. At the time I was not a GE member so I was not sure how GE was being processed although there were kiosks which I assume were giving out printed declaration forms. As a non-GE member I simply collected my luggage, went to the officer, a few quick questions and I was done. It seemed like they were using some sort of facial recognition to verify identity.
This also made me think of the value of GE if non-GE passengers can get though without filling forms but GE member need to fill out forms on the kiosk, declare food etc. |
Originally Posted by blue_can
(Post 30869532)
This also made me think of the value of GE if non-GE passengers can get though without filling forms but GE member need to fill out forms on the kiosk, declare food etc.
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Originally Posted by Boraxo
(Post 30869858)
Thats my thinking too. If there is no line then maybe quicker to go to an officer instead of a kiosk and then no delays due to a couple of candy bars. I thought I saw a post on this forum somewhere about some POEs no longer collecting GE slips so maybe that is part of the new procedure? |
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