(bolding mine)

Please review post #72.

Trusted travelers are held to a higher standard than ordinary pax, precisely because they are trusted to follow the rules exactly. The rules I cited, repeated to many folks at GE interviews, make it clear that the issue is not whether or not you think/know that something is allowed. The issue is that you must declare it.

It's not about the item(s), it's all about the declaration. Some frontline agents get grumpy, but IMHO, if they don't like the rules, they need to take it up with their higher-ups.

The risk of losing GE because you failed to declare chocolates is probably pretty small, but it is not zero and the rules are absolutely clear (even if annoying).

Why the strict time limit?

Last few times I went through, my GE kiosk question was very explicit about the types of food I had to declare, so I didn't declare chocolate and tea. I follow the rules 100% and have been paranoid about messing up something simple like this so I read the screen super carefully and think I got it right.

I find no issues when I declare something, btw, but I did get an eyeroll and a "we don't care" once for candy. Last trip I was over the $800... got to the desk and he asked me what I had purchased, I told him, he said "thanks, bye!" and turned to the next person.

Was told at my interview to only declare 'food' - sweets are not food.

If in doubt call an interview location and ask any questions - they will help.

I declared candy and some hermetically sealed spreads entering EWR yesterday. The official told me those were fine to bring in, but that I did the right thing declaring them. Glad to get that reinforcement instead of an eyeroll..^

Which must make it rather hard to use the mobile passport app :rolleyes::p

+1

The FOOD question is so annoying because CBP officers differ in their definition of food.

I always answer Yes to the food question.

This month, I went through LAX. The customs officer looked at my receipt with the big O and told me to go to B. The customs officer at B asked "what brought you (a GE) here?" I showed him photos of my honey and 1 chocolate bar. He said I should have answered No. I pointed out that the question included "food".

He said even if I bring a banana that was served in the plane, it's ok and I should answer No. I said that contradicts what other CBP people say. I pointed out that some CBP officers are very strict and define food as anything that you put in your mouth. At this point, the CBP guy talks smarty pants and says he puts his pen in his mouth. Ha ha ha.

Enihu. He let me go without opening my luggages and told me that he appreciated my honesty.

I wish CBP officers would be consistent and that the Food question is more specific.

I agree 100% with you.

Over 10 years ago I bought some beef jerky at Walmart. I took it to Japan with me in my carry on and then it was with me when I returned. I thought it was processed and didn't matter and met with a very nice beagle. My Customs form was checked and I had to go through further screening. I was not fined. Ironically -they could care less about my dried apricots.

I recently applied for GE. I quickly filled out the form and had marked "no" for a customs violation and then later got on these boards and was scared and realized I should have explained this.

So my interview was recently. The officer asked if I have ever broken the law or been arrested and I said "no". I then expected him to say "have you ever been in violation of customs" and I planned on telling the truth and apologizing for my oversight when filling out the application as I had forgotten about that. He never asked that.

He did proceed to stress that I should never answer "no to all" and even if I am questioning if my answer is no or yes about bringing something in, to ALWAYS mark "yes" as it is better to ask then assume wrongly. This was strongly stressed and I felt like he was referring to my jerky incident. He proceeded to tell me if I am caught with something with out disclosing it, I would be banned for life from GE. He was very firm about this.

I am now as honest as you are. I used to travel with my Mom and Seeing Eye dog. I would declare the dog as a live animal and would declare the dog food and dog treats as meat products. The Customs people also looked at me funny when I declared that.

I wish I had remembered the jerky incident when filling out the form and had disclosed that. Thankfully they figured out I had learned my lesson. One of the pamphlets they gave me mentioned meat both processed and not as being prohibited and specifically mentions jerky.

I realize some of this has been talked about upthread, but let me just vent.

We got GE (Nexus), primarily because I got tired of being sent to agriculture every time we declare food on arrival. We go to Jpn and HKG few times a year and, of course, we always bring back some type of food. Who doesn't?!

Before we got GE, most of the time we'd declare food and would invariably be sent to the x-rays. Sometimes I didn't declare and then I'm invariably waved through.

We've done a couple trips now since getting GE. There was wishful thinking on my part that, with GE, I'd be able to declare food with my head held high and still be waved through because, well, I'm a "trusted traveller." Wrong. Sent to agriculture both times, even though I told the customs guy I just had snacks, tea and coffee and didn't have any of the banned items. Only x-rays each time, but that took almost 10min at SFO the last time.

This. There's high price to pay for not declaring food with GE. So I won't dare not declare food, even if it's just snacks. <redacted by moderator>

Not sure when you applied for GE but if you had seen this thread, you would realize it does not get your around food declaration. Nor does it get you around currency declaration either.

I did not. Lesson learned.

Just wondering: what kinds of experiences do people have when they declare food, and then also get an X (e.g. for fingerprint/admissibility/other reasons)? Does the immigration officer ever ask you about food? Does the customs officer ever ask you anything?

(I ask, because the GE receipt prints either an O, X, or nothing - but not both O and X in my experience. And the X override the O for obvious reasons since you're not admitted yet.)

Went through EWR last Saturday. First, we saved a ton of time at immigration using the GE kiosks, only to be one of the last people to get our luggage. :(

The beagle even stopped us while we were waiting since I was carrying a lot of food for Miss Swede. I told the CBP agent everything I had, showed her the foods in my carry-on (I left all inadmissible foods that Miss Swede couldn't finish back on the plane--which is what the beagle probably smelled), and she thanked me and went on her way.

Of course, I declared I had food at the kiosk, and we both got the circles on our receipts.

When we went through the GE line at Customs, the conversation took place...

CBP Agent: What kind of foods are you declaring?
Me: Chocolates, tea, candy, pasta, Swedish pancakes, vegan cheeses, granola bars, soy yogurt, vegan sha--
CBP Agent (interrupting and sounding annoyed): Bye-bye.

And we were off...

If you got GE thinking you'd get around the restrictions and checks on importing food, you got it for the wrong reasons.

It is true that in the past, the kiosk asked a more lenient version of the food question, more like the Canadian version where they ask about specific types of foods vs. about any food.

When you declare food, you get an O on your receipt, and when you see the officer, they might ask you about it, and depending on how you answer, and quite likely your demeanor in answering, whether they think you're being truthful, see something in your facial expressions, etc. they'll either stamp you receipt and send you on your way, or send you into inspection.

I've had both happen, though more recently, mostly the wave through - though I'm typically only bringing packaged food, snacks, chocolate, etc. I declare everything, because I'd rather have an officer tell me I didn't need to declare it (and yes, I've had that happen), then have to live with the consequences of having it found in a random inspection.

IIRC, if you answer yes to one of the questions, and get an X/O, it also prints a code at the bottom that the officers know what it means. My guess is if you declare food and have something that gets you an X, then you'd get the X on the receipt as it is the more strict thing, and I'd guess there is a capacity to print multiple codes.

I'd gather they'd want to ask about the food as well, as they'd want to clear up your admissibility (or whatever) and also make sure you're not importing food that shouldn't be brought in.

Of course, this doesn't phase me anymore - now that we travel with a toddler using GE who hasn't had her fingerprints taken since she's too young, it doesn't matter - we always have to see an agent anyway, and they just ask any additional questions there.

I've had them ask me what it was and I said "M&Ms" and they said "which bag?" and I said that one, and they said "open the other one" so I had to open the other bag, and of course there were no M&Ms, nor any other food in it, and off I went. The longest delay was waiting for the dude to be available to do that.

As it encroached on my lounge time, I decided not to bring food any more.

We have answered yes to the general food question 5 times since having GE. Once we were sent to have the bags xrayed, otherwise it was just "Welcome home"

Always have stroopwafels to declare and always get the X/report to agriculture blah blah receipt
Sometimes x-rayed, most time the officers clear me after 2-3 questions.

Depends on station/agent. At YUL, after declaring on GE and then verbally elaborating exactly what was declared (almond croissants), I've always been sent on my way. At MIA and JFK, I've been X-rayed or have been waived through.

Specifically, I was wondering about the case where you get an X and "report to passport control", where you have to speak to an immigration officer before going to customs. I thought that declaring food usually just gets you a "report to agriculture" and not passport control, hence I'm wondering about the edge case where you also need your documents checked (and the receipt no longer states report to customs/agriculture, because passport control has overridden that).

That said, I've never seen a "food only" receipt (I've only found photos of a plain receipt, and a "passport control" receipt, but no pictures of the reported receipts with an O). Is there still a cross on the "O"'d receipts?

Typically, the only question I have answered yes to (with a couple of exceptions where I had to declare having been on a farm) is the food question.

When GE first started, IIRC, it used to give an X that looked no different then a random referral or an X for any other reason. At some point, they changed it - it now gives you an "O" and says "Report to baggage control". I'm usually entering in YYZ pre-clearance - you used to walk by without seeing anyone if you got the all-clear, and if you have an X or O, you have to talk to an officer at a normal booth, then they can decide to clear you immediately, or send you to secondary/ag control, etc. Typically, if I'm only declaring chocolate, snacks, etc., the primary officer will ask what food I have, and then waive me through - occasionally I've been sent to secondary, and had experiences where they've opened my bag, and others where they've just put it through the X-ray. On all occasions I've been in secondary except for once, I've been in and out of there in 5 minutes.

I'm not sure if its changed permanently now at YYZ (or anywhere else), but last time I went through - first time where they do security first, and take your checked bag at the counter rather then after customs - everyone, whether there was an X/O on it or not, had to go see an agent. There was a sign which directed X/O to one side of a sign, and those cleared to another, but after passing that, an agent just directed people into the same line.

I gave up trying to find consistency in the process, as after the machine, I've seen about a dozen different ways they do it at different airports and within the same ones.

Has anyone here been subjected to a full bag search after xrays for food, even with GE?


Really? You're lucky. I've answered yes to food 2x since GE (got earlier this year) and sent to xrays both times.


I have a list of food items and I just show that, cuz I figured that's the best way to show you're providing full disclosure. But that hasn't worked out well for me since I'm batting 0 for 2 since getting GE.

0 for 2 over a few months is too small a sample size to base conclusions on.

Were both episodes at the same airport? I rarely fly ORD, but IME, ORD and LAX have been the most unpredictable. ORD was the only place that ever demanded to see the CBP sticker and ORD and LAX consistently sent pax declaring food to agriculture, even if the food declared was candy/chocolates.

It could be that you have hit a particular airport focusing on GE food declarers for some reason.

coming back from Panama at IAH last week they sent all of us at GE from that flight down to secondary, writing a B on the receipt. Funny enough they guys downstairs had to ask what B meant, and one guy said, I guess bags "why do they think we are psychic ?"... guy in front of me got the agent just asking questions. I, of course, got the new guy walking up who had to check in all bags and start questions which took a few minutes longer but secondary was fairly empty at the time.

I average a secondary every 60 entries with GE, meaning this is my second in well over 100 entries since 2008.

Is there any definitive answer as to whether Chocolate has to be declared when answering the questions at the GE kiosk? My quick search online leads me to places that say yes and no.

It actually depends on which version of the question is being asked, there's a whole thread about that:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trust...bout-food.html

I'd strongly reccomend selecting YES if you get asked the "food" question, but no need to declare it if it's the meat, cheese, fruit, vegetables, etc question. Some agents are reported to get annoyed if you declare chocolate/sweets/etc (for the more generic "food" question), but not declaring it would potentially put you at the risk of losing GE. I'd certainly prefer to be safe rather than sorry.

Note: apparently in the past kiosks gave an X for food declaration, but nowadays they give a circle / O - meaning you might get asked what you're carrying at customs, but you won't have to stop at immigration (of course there are exceptions, e.g. Canada, where everyone goes through immigration regardless of GE).

i specifically asked an agent during my interview for GE program that same question and she said that technically you should because it is food and you should declare it, along with things like bananas, apples, etc. she said that she wouldn't care about it personally, but other agents can be dicks and can strike you out for that.

Thanks, I think I am going to play it safe and check Yes, since the consequences if I answer No and am wrong could be losing GE.

I was warned sternly by an inspector in LAX, anything edible is food, end of story. When you are dealing with someone with power to make your life miserable, if you catch him/her in a bad day/mood, you will get a treatment you will never forget.

Asked the CBP officer before going to the kiosk Saturday if I had to declare my bag of chips, he said don't worry about it.

When I am with my son I always ask about declaring the tetra packs of milk and snacks that we carry and they usually say no, as long as there is no fresh fruit. I have yet to get an answer that implied I should have known better or not asked.

If you're arriving in EWR terminal B you'll see "Mobile Passport Control Zone" signs directly beside/above signs stating "No mobile phone usage. I was somewhat amused.

That said, (IANAL but) I think there's no huge issue taking photos (of the receipt) at the baggage claim, but then again maybe best not to if you're close to any CBP officers.

GE Customs declaration at pre-clearance?
 

Hi folks.

At DUB pre-clearance, they usually just show you a picture of your bag if going through regular Immigration line. For GE, how does this work?

I'm going to be taking some candy, chocolate and tea back to the States with me - which is usually enough to trigger the "Food" circle printout. Will my bag have to be pulled out and looked at? Just planning ahead time wise.

Any experience?

Thanks

Candy and chocolate shouldn't be declared as food - I have not had a problem with this.

Tea I'm not sure of.

You still go to a regular immigration desk after using GE in Dublin, so declaring the chocolate won't really slow you down anyway.

This is wrong and poor advice.

The fact that you have not been caught does not mean that candy and chocolate are not food and should not be declared as food.

As discussed in inumerable threads and by inumerable people who have either had their GE revoked, suspended or been threatened with this, "food is food."

The answer to the GE e-declaration question is "yes" because that is the truthful answer. The fact is that as a general proposition candy and chocolate are not prohibited and, if asked about your answer, you will be waived through. But, do not confuse the difference between a truthful answer to the question with the underlying issue of whether the specific food may properly be imported. All of this is so even though there are occasional CBP Officers who whine about the burden of these extra encounters.

Totally agree. Having been given the "if you can eat it it's food" lecture I declare candy and chocolate. I'd rather have them smirk at me than have them revoke or otherwise threaten my GE status.

Update form CBP dated August 2nd 2016. Seems to me you should mark all food including cookies, chocolate and candies however trivial it may sound..

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...3D/suggested/1

You still go to immigration after GE? Very strange... I've never had to do that with pre-clearance in Canada. Are you sure you aren't confusing it with a APC Kiosk?

At YVR, after using Global Entry kiosk with a printed receipt, you still need to see an immigration officer.