US customs when returning from abroad

No personal experience, but the recent executive order affected the de minimus exemption of items shipped through the international postal network, not items carried back when traveling.

It will be interesting to here if travelers needed to fill more information out (like the old declarations forms) and if duties are owed (for value over the exempt amount) if they actually go to the trouble to collect. In the past, you would have needed to be way over before you were shelling out cash for duties.

I re-entered the country on Monday. It was no different from any of the multiple other times I re-entered the country in the past ten years. I have Global Entry so I barely had to slow down to have my face scanned and be waved on by the officer. I collected my bag and walked through 'nothing to declare' like I always do.

I did read a few weeks ago that the amount that travelers could bring back without duties has not changed, so I wasn't expecting it to be different.

We flew from London to Minneapolis day before yesterday and Customs seemed more streamlined than when we did the same flight last year.

My husband has Global Entry, and he was asked to fill out on of those old school blue and white Customs forms. I do not have Global Entry, and I was not asked to fill out the form, nor was I asked if I had anything to declare.

I pointed my face at the square on the camera and it snapped a hideous pic. The bored, inattentive, gum chewing Customs agent gave me a laminated card stating I had passed Customs (with the wrong baggage carousel printed on it), and I was waved through.

No one asked me anything about what I had purchased abroad. A couple ahead of me on line was cutely bicker/whispering about whether they needed to declare the sheets they’d purchased at Liberty… and they didn’t get asked about purchases or “anything to declare” either.

So, FWIW, anecdata!

Good to know

So far as I know, a couple returning from Europe still has a $1,600 exemption. So my plan is "nothing to declare," as usual. I'm not clear what change to de minimis rules has occurred.

We came back from Iceland last week. We both have Global Entry. We went to that area, looked into the machine and were on our way. I haven’t even seen a declaration form in at least 5 years.

The "de minimis rule" has not changed. When entering the US, Americans may continue to bring back $800 worth of goods duty free, "as long as you bring them with you". https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/types-exemptions

Nothing has changed going through US Customs at airports!

The "de minimis rules" changed for goods shipped into the United States. On goods shipped into the US there was an $800 exemption on duties and taxes, which has come to an end.
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/28/nx-s1-5519361/de-minimis-rule-tariffs-consumers-imports-trump
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/cbp-ready-enforce-end-de-minimis-loophole-securing-borders-and

And my report from our return yesterday. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/customs-reentry-report-9-3-25

Coming in last time, the procedure after face scan was to walk right through customs, except they waved me over to run my day pack through the xray at which point I told them I had sandwiches. These they confiscated and I was left at JFK with a 7 1/2 hour layover without sandwiches.

I had thought thete were places at JFK where one can purchase sandwiches.

The pack may have been scanned because of the new procedures but wouldn’t bringing
in meat from abroad been not allowed in the past if it were caught?

Unfortunately. My JFK long layover was 11p to 7A and there was nothing open to purchase sandwiches or anything else.

My JFK long layover was 11p to 7A

Yikes! IMO airlines who schedule such layovers have some responsibility to provide the opportunity for their passengers to purchase food and drink. We once had an unscheduled (due to baggage delay) long overnight layover in Houston returning from the Caribbean, and it was a mess. No sleep, no food, no drink. Yuck.

jphbucks, so, if they didn't want to feed you, you would be happier if no one had that layover option available to them?

Mr E, I really have no idea what you are asking me.

Since we're at a little confused juncture, every time I look at this thread title I think of customs that people do when returning to the US. Like lighting a candle or doing a ceremonial dance. That sort of thing. Nobody has yet mentioned doing anything like that, much to my disappointment.

Lol i didnt think this question would get so much traction.

Since we're at a little confused juncture, every time I look at this thread title I think of customs that people do when returning to the US. Like lighting a candle or doing a ceremonial dance. That sort of thing. Nobody has yet mentioned doing anything like that, much to my disappointment.

I was about to post a response that would run afoul both of site policy and current requirements of the US Justice Department. So I didn't.

I flew back to Washington-Dulles on Thursday. I used the Mobile Passport app. I remember three questions (paraphrased by me) relevant to this topic:

• Are you bringing back commercial goods [which I interpreted as goods for resale]?

• Are you bringing back purchases in excess of the $800 personal exemption?

• Are you bringing back food items?

I answered "Yes" only to the third question. The Immigration officer asked what I had, and I began listing the packaged items purchased from a supermarket (trail mix and cookies); I didn't even get through that list before being sent on my way after confirming I said I had no "fresh" items. The terminology used by Immigration agents is sometimes pretty casual; it's agricultural specialists to deal with iffy matters. I knew I was in the clear because I had nothing like meat, cheese, fruit or vegetables.

As I walked through the Customs area, it was impossible not to notice at least 5 Customs agents positioned in the corridor, watching people as they approached the exit. Inbound international traffic was light at the time I arrived, so they had ample opportunity to observe arrivals. A man walking in front of me was stopped. I didn't hear enough to have any idea why he was pinpointed; it could just have been random.

acraven, I go through IAD in about 8 hours. I'll eat the Hungarian sausage and cheese before we land.

I came back from CDG on 17 Sept at SFO, once you exit the plane "funnel" the TSA folks tell you immediately regardless US citizens or not, if you have Global Entry , get in the left line, if not, go to the right line.

Since I don't have Global Entry, (don't want it) I went to the line on the right and then you wait as you go to the next "Controller"

No way you can deviate or whatever, the TSA personnel will see you, ie catch right away

There are no TSA people at SFO when going through immigration.

TSA operates security when you are going to your flight. Nothing more.

It's CBP who are running immigration and customs. TSA has no law enforcement powers. CBP are federal law enforcement officers.

After all the posts about customs and immigration and..... etc. I approached with great trepidation. Took less than 5 minutes with Global Entry. The German lady from the flight over went through the regular lines and she was only about 3 minutes behind me at the Uber curb.

Everyone courteous and polite and crazy efficient.

Regardless if they were TSA or not, they were uniformed personnel telling you what to do and where to go, ie in which line..

In the non-Global Entry line it might have taken 15 mins, don't know exactly, as I was not concerned with the time anyway, still had my watch set to the time in Europe, ie Paris.