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
Aug 24, 2017, 10:47 am
#661
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I won't be bringing back food, so I shouldn't get dinged for that. I was just curious how to account for the souvenirs I bought. I struggled with the wording on CBP that mentions declaring EVERYTHING, but from what I've read that doesn't seem to matter if the goods are under $800.
Non-food purchases get declared if the total value exceeds $800. That is the section on the back of the paper form that you are talking about. It is covered as a yes-no question on the kiosk.
Aug 24, 2017, 10:49 am
#662
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Even if the value is over $800, there's no itemization that happens on the kiosk itself, at least there wasn't a few years ago. You declare with the kiosk, get the O on the receipt, and then get directed to the place in the baggage hall where you can pay any applicable duties.
Aug 24, 2017, 1:25 pm
#663
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Moderator's Action
For indexing and future search purposes, posts discussing how Global Entry members should declare alcohol over the duty free limit were moved to the following thread:
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
Sep 8, 2017, 4:17 pm
#664
formerly Mdanner423
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I wonder how old this is: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/fi...info-guide.pdf
as it says you only have to declare specific foods on Page 5.
as it says you only have to declare specific foods on Page 5.
Sep 8, 2017, 4:34 pm
#665
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I wonder how old this is: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/fi...info-guide.pdf
as it says you only have to declare specific foods on Page 5.
as it says you only have to declare specific foods on Page 5.
Sep 8, 2017, 5:14 pm
#666
Join Date: May 2006
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I wonder how old this is: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/fi...info-guide.pdf
as it says you only have to declare specific foods on Page 5.
as it says you only have to declare specific foods on Page 5.
Sep 8, 2017, 8:03 pm
#667
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I'd just say "Sorry. Another agent told me I should declare it."
Sep 8, 2017, 8:05 pm
#668
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I've been told that I don't have to declare chocolate. I've been told a lot more often that they don't care about it (but they seemed to approve of the fact that I did declare it).
Oct 23, 2017, 10:25 pm
#670
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Nov 11, 2017, 2:18 pm
#671
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Flew into CLT with chocolate and potato chips. Was thinking of MPC to avoid the food question but saw that it was not available at CLT. Declared Y to food. Immigration waived me thru. Customs agent waived me thru as well. He must have been in a good mood as there was a line of 20 in general customs lane and two passengers in front of me went to GE line despite not being GE and he just gave them a warning instead of sending them to back of general customs lane.
While waiting for my bags earlier, overheard a beagle team gave a warning to an elderly couple with GE for failing to declare food. Didn’t hear what food they had.
While waiting for my bags earlier, overheard a beagle team gave a warning to an elderly couple with GE for failing to declare food. Didn’t hear what food they had.
Dec 15, 2017, 6:16 am
#672
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Inconsistent information on declaring food- help!
Hi,
I will be traveling to the US next week and taking the usual chocolates and cognac. I always bring only permitted foods.
Here's the problem.
Both times when I was first issued and then renewed Global Entry I was told by agents NOT to declare that I have food at the kiosk but to tell the agent as I leave. Both times they told me the system would automatically disqualify me.
The last time I landed in JFK I did exactly that (as I have done for 10+ years) and as I was leaving the customs area was berated by an agent saying I could lose my Global Entry for not declaring it on the machine.
Which is it? Does declaring on the kiosk automatically disqualify you?
Thanks.
I will be traveling to the US next week and taking the usual chocolates and cognac. I always bring only permitted foods.
Here's the problem.
Both times when I was first issued and then renewed Global Entry I was told by agents NOT to declare that I have food at the kiosk but to tell the agent as I leave. Both times they told me the system would automatically disqualify me.
The last time I landed in JFK I did exactly that (as I have done for 10+ years) and as I was leaving the customs area was berated by an agent saying I could lose my Global Entry for not declaring it on the machine.
Which is it? Does declaring on the kiosk automatically disqualify you?
Thanks.
Dec 15, 2017, 6:34 am
#673
Join Date: Apr 2016
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Lying will disqualify you. And you lied at the kiosk. If you have food items, declare them at the kiosk. You will not be automatically disqualified, but you will (might?) have to have your luggage screened.
I did that for a package of stroopwaffels. I could not just stroll out of the terminal. When I handed my GE slip to the agent, he asked me to put my bag in a screener. I did that. It took 30 seconds.
I did that for a package of stroopwaffels. I could not just stroll out of the terminal. When I handed my GE slip to the agent, he asked me to put my bag in a screener. I did that. It took 30 seconds.
Dec 15, 2017, 8:05 am
#674
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The answer is simple. If you have food, the answer is "yes." No CBP Officer has the authority to relieve you of the duty to truthfully answer those questions.
Answering in the affirmative does not "disqualify" you from entry, it simply diverts you to the standard inquiry.
The second Officer was quite correct. The untruthful answer is a basis for having your GE privilege revoked.
There are numerous threads on this exact topic and they all have the same conclusion. Some are from people who have had GE revoked and are complaining that despite their clear understanding of the words, they deliberately lied. And....
Answering in the affirmative does not "disqualify" you from entry, it simply diverts you to the standard inquiry.
The second Officer was quite correct. The untruthful answer is a basis for having your GE privilege revoked.
There are numerous threads on this exact topic and they all have the same conclusion. Some are from people who have had GE revoked and are complaining that despite their clear understanding of the words, they deliberately lied. And....
Dec 15, 2017, 8:42 am
#675
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Paris
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The answer is simple. If you have food, the answer is "yes." No CBP Officer has the authority to relieve you of the duty to truthfully answer those questions.
Answering in the affirmative does not "disqualify" you from entry, it simply diverts you to the standard inquiry.
The second Officer was quite correct. The untruthful answer is a basis for having your GE privilege revoked.
There are numerous threads on this exact topic and they all have the same conclusion. Some are from people who have had GE revoked and are complaining that despite their clear understanding of the words, they deliberately lied. And....
Answering in the affirmative does not "disqualify" you from entry, it simply diverts you to the standard inquiry.
The second Officer was quite correct. The untruthful answer is a basis for having your GE privilege revoked.
There are numerous threads on this exact topic and they all have the same conclusion. Some are from people who have had GE revoked and are complaining that despite their clear understanding of the words, they deliberately lied. And....
It’s the agents themselves who made a point to me not to check that off on the screen or else it would automatically disqualify me. Hence the confusion.
what you say makes perfect sense.. but remember we’re talking about the government here :-)