Sep 6, 2018, 11:23 am
Last edit by: seawolf
Global Entry kiosks typically ask a yes/no question about whether you are bringing "food" into the country. The question is broader than on the deprecated blue form that asked about fruits, vegetables, meats, etc.
CBP answers the question of whether you must declare all "food" on its website:
CBP expects declaration to be made even if not asked by kiosk or explicitly asked by CBP officer
Yes, all food items and products must be declared when entering the U.S.
You may be able to bring in food such as fruits, meats or other agricultural products depending on the region or country from which you are traveling.
General consensus is that the best practice is to declare any "food", include candies, cookies, snacks, etc. and then inform the CBP agent about your food. Experience has been that in nearly all cases the agent will wave you through with extremely minimal delay. As explained elsewhere, the primary focus of the question is to prevent importation of fruits, vegetable, and meats that could cause harm to the American food supply, but it is safest to allow the CBP agent to make the determination.
There is some debate as to whether items one can ingest for non-nutritive reasons (e.g., gum, toothpaste, medicine) should qualify as food. There does not appear to be an answer from CBP or experience showing the proper categorization of such items.
CBP answers the question of whether you must declare all "food" on its website:
CBP expects declaration to be made even if not asked by kiosk or explicitly asked by CBP officer
Link to TTP Interview guidance letter - Thanks hourglass
Must I declare food items or products when using the Global entry kiosk?
Yes, all food items and products must be declared when entering the U.S.You may be able to bring in food such as fruits, meats or other agricultural products depending on the region or country from which you are traveling.
There is some debate as to whether items one can ingest for non-nutritive reasons (e.g., gum, toothpaste, medicine) should qualify as food. There does not appear to be an answer from CBP or experience showing the proper categorization of such items.
Global Entry Kiosks Declarations and Food Questions
Jun 27, 2013, 7:32 pm
#31
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That would be most appreciated, as I too understood that the questions are worded very differently, and the devil is in the details. Many thanks!
Jun 27, 2013, 9:20 pm
#32
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If you mean the questions on the physical kiosk, it's the same questions they ask you on the paper Declaration Form 6059B:
1) Do you have plants, seeds, insects, etc.;
2) Have you been near a farm or livestock;
3) Do you have more than $10,000 USD in cash/bonds;
4) Do you have merchandise intended for resale.
There are no other questions.
1) Do you have plants, seeds, insects, etc.;
2) Have you been near a farm or livestock;
3) Do you have more than $10,000 USD in cash/bonds;
4) Do you have merchandise intended for resale.
There are no other questions.
Jun 28, 2013, 9:06 am
#34
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I've seen quotes from an email to CBP asking for clarification on 'food' that included mention of meats, products containing meat, dairy, ...snails, I can't remember the rest. (It's in the 'GE -worth it?' thread).
One explanatory email said you still have to declare candy and cookies and chocolate, IIRC, partly because there might be local restrictions in force.
One explanatory email said you still have to declare candy and cookies and chocolate, IIRC, partly because there might be local restrictions in force.
Jun 28, 2013, 8:25 pm
#35
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I've seen quotes from an email to CBP asking for clarification on 'food' that included mention of meats, products containing meat, dairy, ...snails, I can't remember the rest. (It's in the 'GE -worth it?' thread).
One explanatory email said you still have to declare candy and cookies and chocolate, IIRC, partly because there might be local restrictions in force.
One explanatory email said you still have to declare candy and cookies and chocolate, IIRC, partly because there might be local restrictions in force.
This is from the globalentry.gov/faq website. It makes it pretty clear; you must declare ALL agricultural products. It gives a link to the USDA (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/travel/) that doesn't work for me:
Q: Must I declare food items or products when using the Global Entry kiosk?
A: Yes. You must declare all agricultural products that you bring into the U.S. Failure to declare agricultural products can result in up to $10,000 in fines and penalties. For additional information, click here.
Last edited by Finkface; Jun 28, 2013 at 8:32 pm
Jul 1, 2013, 9:01 am
#36
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Before I did the kiosk I asked an officer about this at IAH's GE point yesterday. I went up and specifically asked for clarification about sweets, candies and chocolates. He kindly noted to check no on the "food" question at the kiosk and to consider that I had verbally declared the sweets to him.
He even noted this way I'd avoid the automatic X. All I had were sweets but I've been given different guidance at different airports. YMMV.
He even noted this way I'd avoid the automatic X. All I had were sweets but I've been given different guidance at different airports. YMMV.
Jul 1, 2013, 9:43 am
#37
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Before I did the kiosk I asked an officer about this at IAH's GE point yesterday. I went up and specifically asked for clarification about sweets, candies and chocolates. He kindly noted to check no on the "food" question at the kiosk and to consider that I had verbally declared the sweets to him.
He even noted this way I'd avoid the automatic X. All I had were sweets but I've been given different guidance at different airports. YMMV.
He even noted this way I'd avoid the automatic X. All I had were sweets but I've been given different guidance at different airports. YMMV.
Jul 1, 2013, 1:08 pm
#38
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I remembered reading this on milepoint: I recently had a discussion with a customs officer regarding the way the question was asked on the blue customs declaration card and at the kiosk. His reply was "if you can put it in your mouth it is food" and should be answered yes at the GE kiosks ". and yet, other officers have said otherwise. It would be nice to get a correct answer.
This is from the globalentry.gov/faq website. It makes it pretty clear; you must declare ALL agricultural products. It gives a link to the USDA (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/travel/) that doesn't work for me:
Q: Must I declare food items or products when using the Global Entry kiosk?
A: Yes. You must declare all agricultural products that you bring into the U.S. Failure to declare agricultural products can result in up to $10,000 in fines and penalties. For additional information, click here.
This is from the globalentry.gov/faq website. It makes it pretty clear; you must declare ALL agricultural products. It gives a link to the USDA (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/travel/) that doesn't work for me:
Q: Must I declare food items or products when using the Global Entry kiosk?
A: Yes. You must declare all agricultural products that you bring into the U.S. Failure to declare agricultural products can result in up to $10,000 in fines and penalties. For additional information, click here.
Absent specific clarification (update all references on the website), I will continue to err on the side of caution. YMMV.
Jul 1, 2013, 3:29 pm
#39
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You've demonstrated the confusion. I don't think most people (including some CBP agents) consider chocolate, cookies or chewing gum to be 'agricultural products'. However, other agents use the 'anything that goes in your mouth' standard.
Absent specific clarification (update all references on the website), I will continue to err on the side of caution. YMMV.
Absent specific clarification (update all references on the website), I will continue to err on the side of caution. YMMV.
Jul 1, 2013, 3:56 pm
#40
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we always say yes for food
get the X and show them our candy/cookies etc. Let them say "it's OK" and it doesn't take much time.
Jul 1, 2013, 6:38 pm
#41
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If enough agents decide it's a 'waste of time' (as one agent told me), they can work to have the questions clarified, website updated, phone and desk and GE agents all trained to the same standard.
Jul 2, 2013, 4:11 am
#42
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I see them all the time but don't remember all the wording and after 12+ hours on a flight from Tokyo with no sleep by me I wasn't paying too much attention but dairy was mentioned specifically in question 1 as was meat
anohter was about the cash, and one about over the limit of 800$ exemption and finally about being on a farm.
anohter was about the cash, and one about over the limit of 800$ exemption and finally about being on a farm.
Jul 2, 2013, 5:28 am
#43
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On the printed form, candy, cookies, and such would generate a yes, but on the kiosk, a no.
If GE generated an X for every breath mint a member carried, it would be a useless program.
Last edited by mre5765; Jul 5, 2013 at 9:03 am
Jul 5, 2013, 2:06 am
#44
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I'm curious: Can anyone opine as to why there is not a single post with the exact wording of the GE Kiosk questions, and --as far as I can tell--why there is no link to these questions anywhere on the internet?
Jul 5, 2013, 7:37 am
#45
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Last edited by TWA884; Jun 6, 2017 at 9:28 am Reason: Policy debate/commentary, not Trusted Traveler's advice/information