Blueskyheaven

inspected the bag and found the food,took away the food, gave verbal warning of $300 fine for not declaring and let go without a fine. No warning letter issued either. I guess answering YES on GE application about custom violation even with explaination could result on GE application getting rejected even before interview right? Don't know if the custom agent went somewhere to make notation about it. Wasn't flagged for mandatory agriculture inspection requirement after that incident in 2011.

catocony

If you weren't cited, then there was no violation. It's similar to getting pulled over for speeding but only getting a warning and not a ticket. You're not guilty of anything.

Blueskyheaven

Thought a lot about this and finally answered YES on question of custom violation. I answered YES with explaination of " "few yrs ago custom agent who inspected my bag found some food i failed to declare and I was given verbal warning" . I just hope there was no record of that incident on their system and that I receive conditional approval.

catocony

Let us know how it goes.

drewguy

I don't see this as any different as when you make any other initial declaration - you're either giving an oral "no" to an officer or an electronic no to the machine. In either case you may need to correct it.

If I realized between the machine and the final check I'd forgotten a banana or something I would immediately bring it to their attention and tell them I realized it after checking the no box.

Balkan

I have my Global Entry interview coming up and so I've passed the first page. I answered every question truthfully to the best of my ability, including that I had never been found to have had a customs violation.

However, I do now recall one incident from 2 or 3 years ago, which I do not think of as a finding of violation. I arrived with my family from Europe at JFK. At baggage claim, an agent asked if me if I had any food in the checked luggage. I then answered--after quick consultation with my spouse--that there was something. It was either that I had forgotten about it or it was that my spouse had packed and I didn't even know about. I don't remember exactly what - maybe some chocolate or a jar of honey, or a yogurt something. It was something small.

The agent then thanked me for my honesty and then revealed that a dog had sniffed it. She told me that because I gave her a completely honest answer straight away I would not be fined. I never heard anything more about it, have never been flagged for extra inspection (as best I can remember, although I have some dim recollection that maybe I got an X once? If so, it was no big deal there was definitely no extra searching or anything).

Will this be grounds for denial? Or do you think I will be ok? I made the application for my whole family, so it will really defeat the point if I am now rejected! After searching online, I am seeing that similar incidents are treated seriously for GE purposes, but I wasn't sure about my case given the facts.

1KChinito

You should be fine since you declared verbally when asked. I forgot to mention an incident at my NEXUS interview, although I included in my NEXUS application. Officer asked about this incident and then thanked me for my honesty.

For your future reference, anything edible is considered food. Here are two long threads about this food subject. Global Entry Kiosks Declarations and Food Questions and Caught with undeclared goods/food/fruit. Will Global Entry/NEXUS be revoked?

Here is a thread about what questions are asked at Global Entry interview. Global Entry Enrollment Interview Experiences and Questions Asked in the Interview

Good luck. Please come back and let us know your result.

Balkan

Thanks! Very helpful. As I recall more clearly, I am not sure the customs form I filled out had the word "food" on it as a generally category. I think I saw something about that in another thread, that "food" per se is not / was not always on the questionnaire. And so I'm not even sure I forgot about this food so much as not understand that it was actually covered by the questions. I will try to remember better, and I will definitely read through those threads. Most appreciated and I will definitely write back. I still have over a month before the interview.

TWA884

Not disagreeing with the prior advice, however, you may find useful information in the following threads:

Balkan

Thanks - having read, I'm feeling optimistic considering that (1) I self-declared when asked before being told about the dog and I was never searched, (2) the agent was very nice and understanding, and I was not given an official warning or anything, and (3) I'm pretty sure that I had been honest on the form, and that I had not understand that what was founded needed to be declared. I guess I'll find out though!

Balkan

Hi - so I had my interview and there were no hiccups. The agent asked me the one question about customs violations and spoke over me when I tried to bring up this past incident. He told me my record was clear and that my answer was no violations. So he answered the question for me and gave me my number! Super easy, but I was glad to be prepared and thanks for all the advice. I’m on a trip now and am already enjoying the TSA Pre.

1KChinito

Thank you for your update. When you receive your Global Entry card, make sure to activate it within 30 days.

STA3123

The global entry application is asking if I was ever found in violation of customs laws. I have 2 cases that I am not sure if they were violations.

1. I was returning from a trip from China in 2011. My uncle in China purchased wine for my dad and asked me to bring it to him in the U.S. I entered the U.S. at the Seattle airport, and was pulled over by an officer. I don't recall the specific details, but I do remember the officer confiscating the wine, and I remember having to sign something that said I give approval for them to dump the wine or something like that, and then I was allowed to go. I think he said the reason was because I was under the age of 21 (I was 18 at the time).

2. This occurred earlier this year. My dad and I were driving south of San Diego. We had some apples in the car that we purchased from a grocery store in the U.S. We wanted to get close to the Mexico border just to see what it looks like, and we accidentally crossed into Mexico into Tijuana. While going through customs into the U.S. at the border, we were pulled over, and the apples were confiscated.


Are any of these 2 considered violation of customs law?

davie355

Nope.

This is one of those gimme questions. (Like the question "Are you a terrorist?") You will be disqualified for Global Entry if you say you've ever been in violation.

STA3123

Ah I see. I saw a thread on here about someone being fined and being (I think) foudn in violation for bringing a foreign banana into the U.S. Isn't that the same as my apple (even though the apple originated from the U.S., but they still confiscated it) situation?