Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE)

On or after Friday, April 28, 2000, ports will permit entry of merchandise meeting the above criteria, provided it complies with all other laws and regulations. This applies to commercial and personal shipments. In addition, effective April 28, 2000, the trade will be able to transmit entry/summary data through ABI for merchandise of Iranian-origin.

(a) All shipments will be subject to applicable Customs duties and other charges.
(b) Items classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) Chapters 2-23 are not authorized to be imported unless they are foodstuffs intended for human consumption.

(b) Household effect claims for carpets will now be considered under 19 CFR 148.52 as to whether the goods are entitled to duty-free entry.

(c) Items classified under HTS heading 9706.00.0060 are not authorized unless they are carpets, other textile floor coverings, or carpets used as wall hangings.

(d) All other sanctions against Iran reflected in 31 CFR Part 560 and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) remain in effect, and normal detention or seizure procedures will continue to be followed for merchandise outside the parameters provided in this message.

Please be advised that the aforementioned section does not cancel any open enforcement action initiated by the U.S. government prior to the effective date of the regulation or any seizure, forfeiture, penalty, or liquidated damages case that is considered closed in accordance with Customs or another agency's regulations.
 
INQUIRIES:
 
Public inquiries should be directed to the OFAC website at: www.treas.gov/ofac
 
Additional information regarding imports of Iranian goods can be found at: http://www.treas.gov/offices/eotffc/ofac/sanctions/t11iran.pdf
 
Information on U.S. Customs rules and regulations and all other aspects of importing procedures may be obtained at: www.customs.gov
 
6. Do I have to prepare and complete a special customs invoice when importing commodities into the U.S.?
 
Answer:   The special customs invoice is no longer required. This requirement was waived by the U.S. Customs Service on March 1, 1982. If a commercial invoice is used, it must be signed by the seller and shipper or their agents.
 
7. I am returning to the U.S. with my family after living overseas for 5 years? What do I need to know before I go?
 
Answer:  You will need to contact the nearest U.S. Customs Office to obtain general information on your personal exemptions for returning residents. The information would include the "Know Before You Go" booklet, the Shoppers' Alert, Customs Declaration Form 6059B, Currency Reporting Form if you intend to bring in more than US$10,000 and a CF 3299-Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles, which allows you to claim duty-free status for personal and household effects acquired by you and used by you in a household where you were residing for at least 1 year.
 
8. What is the limit of duty-free goods that can be brought into the U.S. if I am a returning resident?
 
Answer:   US$800 worth of articles (per person) may be brought into the United States free of duty and you will have to pay a flat duty rate of 3% for the next US$1,000 worth of items. After that, you will have to pay duty according to the duty rate of the items based on the country of manufacture.
 
9. What is the limit of duty-free goods that can be brought into the U.S. if I am not a returning resident but just plan to visit the U.S.?

Answer: For non-returning residents, there is a US$100 exemption of duty and you will begin to pay duty at 3% for the next US$1,000 worth of items. After that, you will have to pay duty according to the duty rate of the items based on the country of manufacture.
 
10. What are the rules regarding mailing gifts into the U.S.?
 
Answer:   US$100 worth of gift items may be mailed using the U.S. Postal Service free of Customs duty. The recipient is only allowed to receive US$100 worth of gift items in a given day. Duties on mailing gifts cannot be paid in advance.
 
11. What is the rule on bringing in cigars or cigarettes into the U.S.?
 
Answer: 100 cigars and 200 cigarettes (one carton) may be included in your personal exemption. However, tobacco products of Cuban origin are generally prohibited.
 
12. Am I allowed a refund for any purchases I have made in the U.S. when I visited there, as a tourist? 
 
Answer: No, the U.S. does not have a Value-Added-Tax system like Canada and United Kingdom and therefore, sales taxes levied on purchases made in the U.S. are not refundable.
 
13. Will I have to pay customs duty on any of my antique items?
 
Answer: Antique items (items that are over 100 years old) generally enter the U.S. free of duty but must be accompanied by a Certificate of Antiquity bearing the exact date of manufacture.
 
14. What are the regulations for bringing in plants and flowers into the U.S.?
 
Answer:  Plant and flowers have to be accompanied by a Convention of International Treaty on Endangered Species (CITES) permit from the florist prior to entry into the United States. However, plants and flowers with soil intact are generally prohibited.
 
15. I bought a car in Singapore and would like to bring it back into the U.S.? What do I do?
 
Answer: All cars and motor vehicles intended for importation into the United States must comply with U.S. standards, EPA emission requirements and Department of Transportation (DOT) safety requirements. Specific regulations on importing vehicles may be obtained from EPA Washington D.C. at Tel: (202) 233-9660 or Fax: (202) 233-9596, DOT Washington D.C. at Tel: (202) 366-5313 or Fax: (202) 366-1024. Web site: www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import.
 
16. I bought 3 bottles of perfume and cosmetics from a duty-free store in Singapore? Do I have to pay customs duty when these duty-free items return with me?
 
Answer: Yes, duty-free items are considered duty-free only in the country where duty-free privileges were given and you will have to pay Customs duty for these items when they are brought into the U.S.
 
17. I had a suit custom-made when I was visiting Singapore? Will I have to pay duty when I bring it back to the U.S.?
 
Answer:  Yes.
 
18. I purchased some ivory souvenirs in Singapore. Can I bring it in to the U.S. or not?
 
Answer:  No, currently, ivory is still a prohibited item and will not be allowed entry.
 
19. I am a Singaporean who will be visiting the U.S. during he holidays and would like to know what items available in Singapore, are prohibited entry into the U.S.?
 
Answer:   For Returning Residents, articles totaling US$800 (based on the fair retail value of each item in the country acquired) may be entered free of duty, subject to the limitations on liquors, cigarettes and cigars. For Non-returning residents, articles totaling US$100 may be entered free of duty.
 
Bona fide, unsolicited gifts are allowed to enter duty-free via mail through the U.S. Postal Service as long as their fair retail value does not exceed US$100 and the recipient does not receive more than US$100 worth of such gifts, in the same day.
 
Please note: 

Regulations regarding the importation of certain Iranian-origin goods, including carpets, were amended on April 28, 2000. Please see Answer to Question 5 on Iranian Transaction Regulations.
 
There are several products available in Singapore that will not be allowed entry into the United States. Shoppers must be aware of the following prohibitions when purchasing souvenir items, while in Singapore:

1. All ivory and ivory-related products made from an elephant or marine mammal. The only exception for ivory imports are bona fide antiques, which may be imported only if they are accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, proving that they are at least 100 years old. However, ivory antiques containing wildlife parts need to be verified with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, before they are permitted into the United States.

2. Reptile products (e.g. snakeskin, lizard, alligator, crocodile etc.) except products purchased with a valid CITES permit.

3. Sea turtle products (e.g. tortoise shell items, foods, cosmetic items and jewelry) made from the shells of sea turtles.

4. Counterfeit versions of International Trademarks (e.g. "COPY" watches, purses, sportswear etc.)

5. All types of pirated Intellectual Property Rights items (e.g. software programs, pirated audio and video tapes, CD-ROMs, books etc.)

6. Cuban cigars and Cuban tobacco products.

7. All meats and meat by-products (e.g. barbecued pork from Chinatown).

8. Other restrictions may apply to Archaeological or Ethnological items, such as archaeological materials from the Kingdom of Cambodia i.e. Khmer Stone. These items are restricted under the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act. For details of import restrictions of this nature, you may visit our web site address as www.customs.gov, as described below.

General information on U.S. Customs regulations and other aspects of importing procedures may be obtained by visiting our Customs web site address at: www.customs.gov

Within this web site, you are encouraged to obtain information by clicking on [Traveler Information], followed by [Know Before You Go] followed by [Prohibited and Restricted] items.
 
20.  My U.S. citizen mother died in Singapore while visiting me, what can I do to bring back her ashes into the United States?
 
Answer:  A copy of her Death Certificate and a copy of the Crematorium Certificate has to accompany the ashes upon entry into the United States.
 
21.  What requirements are there for bringing Prescription Medication into the United States?

Answer:  United States residents may import up to 50 dosage units of a controlled medication without a valid prescription at an international land border. These medications must be declared upon arrival, be for your own personal use and in their original container. However, travelers should be aware that drug products which are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may not be acceptable for such importation. Please go to http://www.fda.gov/ora/import/purchasing_medications.htm for further information.
 
The United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. sections 331(d), and 355(a), which is administered by FDA, prohibits the interstate shipment (which includes importation) of unapproved new drugs. Unapproved new drugs are any drugs, including foreign-made versions of U.S. approved drugs, that have not received FDA approval to demonstrate they meet the federal requirements for safety and effectiveness. It is the importer's obligation to demonstrate to FDA that any drugs offered for importation have been approved by FDA.
 
Possession of certain medications without a prescription from a physician licensed in the United States may violate Federal, State, and/or local laws. Travelers should check with State authorities, where they reside or are traveling, to verify that a particular prescription does in fact comply with State regulations. In many areas, the local police department and pharmacies can provide additional information.
 
It is important to have medications in the originally-dispensed container; it is against the law not to properly declare imported medications to U.S. Customs.
 
Narcotics and dangerous drugs, including anabolic steroids, are prohibited entry and there are severe penalties if imported. A traveler requiring medicines containing habit-forming drugs or narcotics (e.g., cough medicines, diuretics, heart drugs, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antidepressants, stimulants, etc.) should:

• Have all drugs, medicinal and similar products properly identified;
  
• Carry only such quantity as might normally be carried by an individual having some sort of health problem;
  
• Have either a prescription or written statement from your personal physician that the medicinals are being used under a doctor's direction and are necessary for your physical wellbeing while traveling.

22. I own a "fake" Rolex watch and some cheap pirated DVD’s. Can I bring these into the U.S.?
 
Answer:  No. Customs separates foreign-made products bearing American-registered trademarks into two categories: 1) counterfeit, which are illegal products manufactured without the authorization of the company or person who owns the trademark, these are commonly known as "knock-offs"; and 2) parallel imports, which are products manufactured under the trademark owner’s authorization, but are imported into the U.S. by an unauthorized person or company. Parallel imports are commonly known as "gray-market" goods.
 
Trademark owners, foreign and domestic, often register their trademarks with the Customs Service, even when the trademarked merchandise is foreign-made, in order to control the importation of counterfeits. Customs imposes restrictions on the importation of articles whose trademarks have been registered, and these restrictions apply to purchases that accompany nonresident visitors as well.
 
Visitors are allowed an exemption, usually one article of each type bearing a protected trademark. "One of each type" means one pair of shoes, one scarf, one coat, one handbag, one camera, one watch, or one bottle of perfume, for example, regardless of whose trademark the article bears and regardless of whether the products are genuine, gray market, or counterfeit.
 
Gray market merchandise is genuine, legitimately manufactured, non-counterfeit merchandise whose importation is restricted to a certain number or quantity. Items that are new, intended as gifts, or imported in such quantity as to be construed a commercial importation, may likely be gray-market items, so travelers are advised to restrict themselves to one of each type.
 
The rules are simpler for copyrighted products. Copyrighted products include CD-ROMs, cassettes, toys, stuffed animas, clothing with cartoon characters, videotapes, video cassettes, music CDs, and books. If the items you buy are legitimate – that is, manufactured under the copyright owner’s authorization – you may import as many of whatever type you wish; there are no restrictions on the importation of genuine copyrighted articles. But if you purchase pirated copies of protected works, you will not be allowed to import any of them. Unlike the situation with counterfeit trademarks described above, there are no personal exemptions on importing pirated products. With any copyrighted or trademarked article, the price you paid for it is a good indication of whether it’s legitimate.
 
23. What do I need to do have ready when I call the office for assistance in trade matters?
 
Answer:  In order to be able to help with specific import information, providing the following is essential: 1) specific product description details, 2) the harmonized tariff schedule code number – this may be obtained from your local Chamber of Commerce or Trade Development Board, and 3) the country of origin.
 
CUSTOMS HISTORY AND FUN FACTS
 
(The following information comes courtesy of the U.S. Customs Service Public Information Division)

Most people don’t realize that the U.S. Customs Service was this country’s first government agency. It was formed after the Revolutionary War to address the government’s huge debt. Washington needed cash fast. So in 1789, while the general populace was still touchy on the issue of taxation, the government came up with the idea of taxing imports. The practice actually was centuries old.
 
The idea worked. And it saved a nearly bankrupt new government. That first year the Customs Service brought in $2 million from 59 ports of entry. For the next 125 years, the money collected by Customs was this country’s main source of revenue. The income paid for the purchase of Louisiana, Oregon, Florida and Alaska. It also financed the Transcontinental Railroad as well as the U.S. military academies.
 
Today, only the Internal Revenue Service brings in more money. While $2 million went a lot farther in the 1700’s, the agency still makes what it has go a long way. Last year, the Customs Service collected $23 billion from 301 ports. For every dollar Customs spends, it brings in $15.

• The Tariff Act of July 4, 1789 – which made it legal to tax imports – was signed by President George Washington. It was deemed so important that it was called "the second Declaration of Independence.
  
• The Customs Service provided this country’s only revenue from 1789 to 1913
  
• The brigantine Persis, which arrived at the port of New York from Leghorn, Italy, on August 5, 1789, was the first vessel to be affected by the tariff law.
  
• In 1808, customs officers were assigned to stop the smuggling of dress goods along the Canadian-Vermont border. Vermont merchants threatened to kill any agent who tried to enforce the law.
  
• Customs eventually brought the national debt down to zero in 1835.
  
• In 1801, the Customs Service paid a $1 million ransom to Barbary pirates in order to free American seamen.
  
• Customs began seeking out and intercepting pornography in 1849
  
• Four years after its inception, at 500 workers strong, only the post office had more employees than the Customs Service.
  
• To provide a means to monitor the comings and goings of ships, customs officials oversaw the construction of more than 300 lighthouses between 1791 and 1850 from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.
  
• After money collected was used to pay soldiers of the Revolutionary War, the agency became the first Veterans Administration.
  
• In order to establish uniform weights to measure goods, the Customs Service became the first Bureau of Standards
  
• In 1906, when America became overwhelmed with immigrants, the agency became the first Immigration and Naturalizations Service.
  
• In 1919, the Customs Service began the nation’s first war on drugs by searching passengers and luggage.
  
• During the late 19^th century, customs officers patrolled the southwestern border on horseback.
  
• Snowshoes and a cross between a motorcycle and a sled called a "snow-cycle" were used by customs officers watching the northern border in the 1920’s.
  In 1947, Kathleen Dixson of Miami, Florida, became the first female customs inspector. Today there are 1,791 female inspectors.
  
• Ulysses S. Grant was once a customs official, and one of the first mounted customs officers assigned to ride the U.S.-Mexican border.
  
• During Prohibition, the Customs Service’s air fleet was made up entirely of planes seized during illegal liquor busts.
  
• Pat Garrett, the famous lawman who captured Billy the Kid, was once a customs official.
  
• Customs began using drug-sniffing dogs in 1970.
  
• Today, more than 15,000 customs employees protect 96,000 miles of U.S. land, air, and sea borders.
  

United States Customs Service
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20229
Tel: 1-202-927-1350