Before You Travel Outside the U.S.
- Review ISSS's Travel resources for your visa type. Specific information is available for trips to Canada and Mexico and for Visa Waiver visitors.
- If you are entering the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program, you must register with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before traveling.
- Review prohibited and restricted items:
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Items include food, pets, and medication
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA): Items that cannot be transported in carry-on baggage and that need to be in checked baggage.
- Review the U.S. Department of State's information for traveling abroad
Warning: Transporting food, agricultural, or animal products
It is illegal to carry restricted food items or other prohibited agricultural or animal products into the U.S. You can be fined, detained, or denied entry to the U.S. In general it is best to avoid bringing food, agricultural, or animal products into the country. Note: Food such as apples, oranges, or a meat sandwich could be considered a restricted food item. Review the list of prohibited items.
Warning: Entering or departing the U.S. with $10,000 or more in U.S. currency or monetary instruments
You are required to declare the total of all funds over $10,000 U.S. dollars being carried by yourself or your family group. A single U.S. Customs and Border Protection Declaration Form 6059B must be used to add up and declare all funds even if carried separately by family members. You must list your total (family) funds on one U.S. CBP Declaration 6059B Form and you will be required to complete a FinCEN Form 105 Report during secondary inspection. There is no fee.
What is the definition of monetary instrument?
- Coin or currency of the United States or of any other country
- Traveler’s checks in any form
- Negotiable instruments (including checks, promissory notes, and money orders) in bearer form, endorsed without restriction, made out to a fictitious payee, or otherwise in such form that title thereto passes upon delivery
- Incomplete instruments (including checks, promissory notes, and money orders) that are signed but on which the name of the payee has been omitted
- Securities or stock in bearer form or otherwise in such
- Form that title thereto passes upon delivery
Note: Monetary instruments do not include (i) checks or money orders made payable to the order of a named person which have not been endorsed or which bear restrictive endorsements, (ii) warehouse receipts, or (iii) bills of lading.
