International Passport Control and Customs

When you travel abroad or even to a neighboring country on the North America continent you will have to pass through the customs department. Typically once your airplane lands or before you cross the border you will need to declare anything that you are carrying into or out of the country.

You should always have your passport with you as well as some documentation for any expensive products which you may be carrying with you. When you initially arrive in your destination country you can request a special form that is used to declare what items you may have already purchased from home and are merely carrying them with you. If you can not prove that you have purchased your items in your home country then you may possibly have to pay a duty fee for those items or even worse you may have to leave them at the airport. It is always a good idea to take copies of your receipts for those items with you or some proof of insurance on your expensive goods.

You will be required to declare all of the things that you have purchased on your trip from countries abroad. There is a limit to how much you can spend without penalty and that limit will vary depending upon which country you visit. You can ask ahead of time what this limit is so that you will be prepared to pay a duty should you find that you spent too much.

You are not allowed to take some things with you on your flight overseas. The rules have been changing continuously since the airlines as well as the government have tightened all security efforts. The basic standards are no uncooked food, weapons or unvaccinated pets will be allowed through customs.

If you do need to take your pet with you make sure that you have some kind of proof about their vaccinations being current. You should also avoid taking any kind of illegal substances with you since the penalty can be severe in some overseas countries.

You will also want to make sure that you have a doctor’s prescription for any kind of prescribed medications that you are hand carrying with you on your flight. If you do not have the correct paperwork you may not be allowed to take your prescription drugs with you.

Anything that is made with natural products such as seashells or natural fiber products such as hay will not be permitted through customs. Living organisms can sometimes survive in these products and overseas transport of them can cause serious problems in the ecosystems.

Traveling should be an enjoyable, rejuvenating experience. Know the rules before you go so your trip will be hassle free. It is not about what you see as much as what you discover, experience and remember for the rest of your life.

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