fallinasleep

I would appreciate if you could answer the following questions. The questions are very specific to a case that I am working on and therefore pretty boring, so please feel free to skip. Thanks in advance for your help/time in any case for any/all answers. Any answers, even only to say "no" to all the questions would be appreciated.

Customs Form 4790 is a declaration that you or a representative must make regarding the importing or exporting cash or equivalents of more than $10,000. This form is required by US law and is meant to prevent money laundering (I believe). It is important to note that it is not illegal to bring in/out more than $10000, you just need to be able to document the sources (bank withdrawals, affadavits, tax returns , etc.).

Most international travelers are asked to make this declaration on the customs form when they ENTER the USA, but I have never seen it asked when I LEAVE the USA. However, I just heard of an incident where customs asked departing passengers this particular question in the jetway between the gate check in and the plane door. So, I was hoping to figure out if this (customs on the jetway asking personal questions about how much cash you are carrying) was common or uncommon. In more than 25 overseas trips, I have never seen it happen, nor have I been warned that I may need to make a declaration (regardless of whether I had $10,000 on me or not).

So here are the questions.

1) Do you fly on international to and from the USA?

2) How many international trips on average do you take a year?

3) Are/Were you familiar with Form 4790?

4) If yes, did you know it that applies to the import AND/OR export of $10,000?

5) Have you ever been advised that you may need to complete Form 4790 before you take an international trip from the USA?

6) Do you know anyone who was fined for not completing a Form 4790? Was the person leaving or entering the USA?

Answers via e-mail would also be most welcomed.

Many thanks again!

[edited for lack of clarity and to include link to form]

[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited 03-13-2001).]

YVR Cockroach

deleted duplicate

[This message has been edited by terenz (edited 03-13-2001).]

YVR Cockroach

I think the scenario you heard of would be most likely to occur if you're flying to the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Panama, (British) Virgin Islands and other financial centres accused of being friendly to "dirty" money.

dogcanyon

I have experienced the "Customs personnel in the jetway scenario" on several flights from the US to South and Central America. I have not seen them actually question anyone (they just stand there looking menacing and glare at the passengers as they pass), but I suppose that they are looking for people who fit some "profile" and don't bother anybody else. I am pretty sure that the form you are referring to is, at least in theory, supposed to be available at the check in counters on departure.
After seeing so many reports of gross abuse of the RICO racketeering statutes by law enforcement agents I would never pay for an airline ticket with cash or carry a large amount of cash on a trip abroad. Using the RICO laws, they can just seize cash from innocent people on the theory that any large amount of cash must have been obtained illegally. It is up to the victim to prove that the money was not gained illegally and it can take years to get it back. Basically, it's the "guilty until proven innocent" theory.

Wiirachay

1) Do you fly on international to and from the USA?

Yes. Mostly trans-pacific to MNL and BKK from DTW, and sometimes trans-atlantic.

2) How many international trips on average do you take a year?

One-two for vacation.

3) Are/Were you familiar with Form 4790?

Yes. NW agents used to announce it before the boarding announcement when I boarded flights to NRT/KIX/NGO.

Flight attendants used to announce it upon landing in the U.S.A..

4) If yes, did you know it that applies to the import AND/OR export of $10,000?

Yes. See above.

5) Have you ever been advised that you may need to complete Form 4790 before you take an international trip from the USA?

Only at gate area. See #3.

squeakr

When we flew to Canada (Montreal) 2 yrs ago, just after people being arrested on thr Canadian border w/ explosives, there were customs agents at the jetway asking every passenger who they were etc. I do not believe they asked about form 4790 but they did spend more time w/ passengers with non-US Passports. I fly to Canada all the time and this has never happened before or since.

Tango

I have encountered this only on flights to Latin America. One time they had one of their dogs going over people's hand luggage. I asked what they were looking for and they said currency.

While I am aware of the rules on import/export of large amounts of currency, I have not paid much attention to it becuase it only applies to liquid assets over $10,000--I'm lucky if I have over $100 in my pocket.

The fine is most likely going to equal the amount of currency you are trying to take with you.

World20

Encountered customs agents in the jetways asking if I was carrying $10,000 or more only once when leaving San Juan, Peurto Rico for another island (forget which one, not Cayman). My wife just laughed at the question and we passed.

------------------
Have passport, will travel...
LAX, LHR, CDG, et.al.

Dudster

I saw customs agents in the Jetway on a DTW-AMS flight last year. They were interrogating and Indian women and asking here about money she was carrying. The women did not speak much English and their attitude was a bit unpleasant. It all seemed rather fascist.

Though I've never carried $10,000 I was aware that you had declare it whether coming or going. I seem to vaguely recall seeing someone who was checking in with large amounts of cash being told this by the airline personnel.

fastflyer

I actually witnessed a seizure on a jetway once. I seem to remember it being UA from ORD to FRA and the passengers were responding to the agents (I think they were Secret Service instead of FBI) in Russian. One carry-on was open and there was a fair amount - maybe 20K - of cash inside. I was on my way to Moscow, and remember thinking to myself that taking that much cash to Russia is really not that unreasonable. This was in the early 90s, and you had to use crisp, clean 100 USD bills for anything and everything in Moscow.

YVR Cockroach

That'd make sense since the Secret Service is under the same branch as U.S. Customs (Dept. of the Treasury).