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
Dec 15, 2017, 9:16 am
#676
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Dec 15, 2017, 4:50 pm
#677
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 177
errr.. tough crowd! I think if you read my message you’ll see I always declare everything and everything is permitted.
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 :-)
As others have said, you must answer the kiosk question truthfully when certifying the answer on-screen.
If you are upset by the situation and believe that the CBP officer at the renewal interview directed you to provide false information (that is, commit an offense), you may wish to notify CBP Internal Affairs about that officer's actions.
You can contact them through the CBP INFO Center complaint webpage:
https://help.cbp.gov/app/forms/complaint
or by mail at:
CBP Information Center
MS-1345
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20229
Dec 16, 2017, 7:12 pm
#678
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errr.. tough crowd! I think if you read my message you’ll see I always declare everything and everything is permitted.
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 :-)
That does not change your obligation to answer the question truthfully.
The CBP Officers ---- almost certainly Officers, not Agents ---- can say anything they want, but that won't help you if you do lie, get caught and have your GE revoked.
Dec 18, 2017, 5:51 am
#679
Join Date: Nov 2013
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One note to make here: The fact that an item is PERMITTED does not eliminate the requirement to DECLARE.
When it comes to GE, the best policy is to declare anything that could, maybe, might need to be declared. I once verbally declared a half-drank bottle of orange juice (at a land crossing in from Canada).
Let the officer decide if it is permitted or not once you declare it and you will never have an issue. Let an officer find something that requires declaration that was undeclared, and you can easily lose your GE - regardless of whether or not the item is permitted.
When it comes to GE, the best policy is to declare anything that could, maybe, might need to be declared. I once verbally declared a half-drank bottle of orange juice (at a land crossing in from Canada).
Let the officer decide if it is permitted or not once you declare it and you will never have an issue. Let an officer find something that requires declaration that was undeclared, and you can easily lose your GE - regardless of whether or not the item is permitted.
Dec 20, 2017, 3:35 am
#680
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Actually, yes it does ask on what Visa you are traveling for Non-US members. As I am on an ESTA, each time I use a GE kiosk it asks if I am traveling with WT (Tourist) or a WB (Business).
Dec 20, 2017, 9:34 am
#681
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Does this question still get asked for Canadians using NEXUS? They wouldn't have an ESTA.
Dec 21, 2017, 12:27 pm
#682
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 592
What happens if you declare items under the new immigration/customs set up?
Practical question:
Under new system, the immigration officer collects your customs form and you simply walk through baggage claim and out through customs. Under the old system, the immigration officer stamped your customs form and you then handed that form to the customs officer at the exit from baggage claim. Question: What happens now if you declare something on that customs for (e.g., food)? It used to be that the customs officer at the exit would see your declaration and direct you to a customs officer to look at your items. So, what happens now if you hand the immigration officer a form on which you have checked off that you have food? They cannot ask to see the items right there or direct you off to secondary right then, since the item may well be in your checked luggage (which you have not claimed yet). Any experience?
Under new system, the immigration officer collects your customs form and you simply walk through baggage claim and out through customs. Under the old system, the immigration officer stamped your customs form and you then handed that form to the customs officer at the exit from baggage claim. Question: What happens now if you declare something on that customs for (e.g., food)? It used to be that the customs officer at the exit would see your declaration and direct you to a customs officer to look at your items. So, what happens now if you hand the immigration officer a form on which you have checked off that you have food? They cannot ask to see the items right there or direct you off to secondary right then, since the item may well be in your checked luggage (which you have not claimed yet). Any experience?
Dec 22, 2017, 1:31 am
#686
Join Date: Oct 2014
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When you declare on the kiosk your printout will have an X sign or AGRI or whatever depending on what are you bringing into the country. The first officer you meet will then direct you to secondary for inspection. I have NEXUS/GE and last year declared that I've been to a farm (could've just skipped it but out of curiosity wanted to see what happens), it involved a wait (like 15min in MIA) for an available agricultural agent who just opened my carry on and asked if the shoes I had on were the ones I put on while in the farm, then I was let on my way through a back door to avoid bumping into regular customs folks.
Dec 22, 2017, 7:04 pm
#687
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I went through GE and declared I had food - crackers and some other snacks. When I got to customs the agent asked about it and I told him. He said that I could go on my way and in the future not to worry about marking food. I told them thanks but said better safe than sorry and a $300 fine for not declaring.
And as said below risk losing my GE because of an infraction.
And as said below risk losing my GE because of an infraction.
Last edited by FlyingUnderTheRadar; Dec 23, 2017 at 10:37 am
Dec 22, 2017, 7:23 pm
#688
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Food is food. Making a false statement on a Declaration (electronic or paper) may result in revocation of GE, an administrative fine, and in theory although not reality, a felony prosecution.
Sure, tell the next CBP Officer that some other guy told you that you could lie.
Not worth it. Tons of threads on FT already. All come to the same bottom line.
Sure, tell the next CBP Officer that some other guy told you that you could lie.
Not worth it. Tons of threads on FT already. All come to the same bottom line.
Dec 23, 2017, 9:25 am
#689
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I went through GE and declared I had food - crackers and some other snacks. When I got to customs the agent asked about it and I told him. He said that I could go on my way and in the future not to worry about marking food. I told them thanks but said better safer than sorry and a $300 for not declaring.
Dec 24, 2017, 1:04 pm
#690
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Better safe than sorry is right, but there are a hats too.
I was a particular flight flying into JFK during school season a lot of Chinese kids. I guess they all like bringing food stuff from home. I don't care for that. I never bring food not even crackers. I can buy all that here in the US why bother. I marked no food and the customs guy didn't believe me. Insisted I was lying and I was going to lose GE. Thanks for being a d bag. Of course searching through my carry on (I don't have checked bags), the guy insisted I was leaving my checked bag behind because he didn't believe that he got a guy who really didn't check any bags and didn't have any food not even water. I wasted I think an hour while the guy insisted something wasn't right until the entire flight had cleared and all the baggage was gone.
Finally the supervisor came in really apologized for the actions of this agent and he got a very stern talking to. What annoyed me most is I had to pay for an extra day of parking. I want my money.
I was a particular flight flying into JFK during school season a lot of Chinese kids. I guess they all like bringing food stuff from home. I don't care for that. I never bring food not even crackers. I can buy all that here in the US why bother. I marked no food and the customs guy didn't believe me. Insisted I was lying and I was going to lose GE. Thanks for being a d bag. Of course searching through my carry on (I don't have checked bags), the guy insisted I was leaving my checked bag behind because he didn't believe that he got a guy who really didn't check any bags and didn't have any food not even water. I wasted I think an hour while the guy insisted something wasn't right until the entire flight had cleared and all the baggage was gone.
Finally the supervisor came in really apologized for the actions of this agent and he got a very stern talking to. What annoyed me most is I had to pay for an extra day of parking. I want my money.