Items allowed through US Customs

The packaged goods are OK. I would question the poppy since it could carry diseases. And don't try to seek it in. I got caught bring in an apple that I had intended to eat on the plane then forgot it was in my bag. The dog got me and it was not real pleasant.

Sorry, don't know about the pasta but I would mail the poppy to myself. Perhaps you can enfold it between two postcards inside an envelope; maybe tape it down.

Restrictions on plants etc are there for a reason. We now have termites in the UK, thought to have been brought in via the soil of an illegally imported potted plant. Foreign plant diseases can devastate native plants/crops.

I would think the pasta should be fine. They let me bring in cured olives (that were not sealed, they were from a market stall in Florence) and olive oil with no problem, I can't imagine a package of dried pasta would be any different. As for the poppy, I would imagine it's technically not OK, as it's a plant but if it has been picked, pressed, and dried they may not care as much? I don't know the rules on say, something like a package of potpurri.

Um, poppies are what opium come from, and even if that one isn't an opium poppy, I am betting it will be a giant NO. I got hassled over cheap fish eggs, because they have restrictions on good caviar...and I was WAY under the limit even for the good stuff.

I brought a box of dry pasta from Pecks in Milan, though US Customs last year. I declared it on the form, the officers asked me about, I told them what it was, they let me keep it.

Kudzu. Honeysuckle. Nutria. Termites. Dutch Elm disease. Ash Borer. Zebra Mussels. Rabies. Chestnut blight. Boa constrictors.

Respect the reasons behind the ban on plant material and leave the poppy there.

Brianna, what you are suggesting is as dishonest and illegal as carrying through customs. There are reasons for some of these rules and they should be respected.

We brought pasta home last month. I had declared it and the customs agent asked about it and said it was OK as long as it was purchased from a store and dried. No fresh pasta.

Those dogs are good. I had two apples in my bag but left them on the plane before getting off. The dog still sniffed them out. A simple explanation and opening the bag resolved the situation.

In general, any packaged food items with the exception of meat and some cheeses are OK. Pasta is fine. The Poppy, if dried, may be OK; My suggestion is to bring both, Declare both (check the box "yes" regarding food or plant items) and let them determine if it is OK. Since I always have to check the box (always come back with food items) I deal with the agents (and the dogs) on most trips, they are always fair and explain the rules if needed.

Bring the poppy and as others have mentioned - declare it. The agriculture folks will look at it carefully and either let you keep it, or take it away. Be sure and have a good photo in case they take it.

They let me keep 25 stems of fresh orchids I brought back from Thailand. I delcared them and they looked at them with a microscope and let me keep them.

Thanks everyone for the tips. I did decide to leave the poppy behind, but now wish I would have at least tried to bring it in. I can't imagine there could be anything worse on that poppy than on the bottom of my shoes. The poppy was just a sentimental memento from the spot at Pompeii where I dispersed a few ashes of a family member. I had no problems getting through customs with my wide variety of foods (no meats or fresh items.

Paul - even meats and cheeses are fine (probelm is, sometimes we have opened them for snacks/picnic on the plane home!! and then had to toss the rest before arriving). They are the ones that are packaged and sealed (and they even sell them at the airport shops). We've brought all kinds of food home...sausages, cheeses, etc. - really anything in a sealed package or can is allowed and just fine. No live plants, fruits, veggies or meats/cheeses that are not prepackaged and sealed. (dried spices and herbs are fine too as long as they are packaged and sealed)

It seems there is conflicting information about bringing back packaged meats. I have read and heard that vacuum-packed (in plastic) deli meats are ok, but CBP says NO meats of any kind:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/prohibited_restricted.xml#MeatsLivestockandPoultry

Has anyone actually brought back, say, vacuum-packed prosciutto? What about parmigiano reggiano?

Thanks!

I declared a jar of anchovies and was allowed to keep them. I have always had very positive experiences with customes (knock on wood) but I also always try to keep things on the up-and-up.

I agree with most people on this thread - the poppy needed to stay behind. You have no possible way of knowing the effects of things like that can have. Granted 99.9% of things that seem harmless are - but its that last .1% that will get you.

Last October we tried bringing back about 10 ounces of cured wild boar salami that had been vacuum sealed and it was confiscated by US Customs in Philly. :(

I brought parmigiano reggiano in last week. I had purchased it in vacuum sealed packaging from a market in Rome. I declared it and had no problems.

I would (per the information on the customs website) be very leary about bringing back any meats, maybe some canned meats, but you risk losing them. Cured packaged fish like anchovies seem to be fine, as are most canned goods. Cheeses fall into a yes/no zone. Hard or firm cheeses that are wrapped (Parmigiano Reggiano, Cheddar, Gouda) are OK, but the fresh cheeses do cause problems. Incidently, they sell many things in airport shops that will not get through US Customs...Cuban cigars for one... but may be fine in many destinations.

yes - I have brought back sausages/salami in vacuum sealed plastic and declared it and didn't have a problem...wierd...wonder why one would have a problem and one wouldn't? Anyway, I think the main thing is to declare it and be upfront - then, the very worst thing that could happen is they confiscate it.

ah...as per the CBP site: "You may not import fresh, dried, or canned meats or meat products from most foreign countries into the United States. Also, you may not import food products that have been prepared with meat.

The regulations on importing meat and meat products change frequently because they are based on disease outbreaks in different areas of the world. APHIS, which regulates meats and meat products as well as fruits and vegetables, invites you to contact them for more information on importing meats" ....so...sometimes from some countries...sometimes not...and changes...that would explain why it has been fine sometimes and not find others I guess!

Believe me, I stand many hours drooling over salamis and a whole leg of Prosciutto...longing to haul it home...but not wanting to risk a small fortune.

I sometimes wonder what great meals they might have in the customs break area at a major airport....

It may depend on the airport. A small package of sealed supermarket salami (of a brand that I can buy at Trader Joe's in the US LOL) was taken from me at Boston's airport a couple years ago. I had bought it to eat on the plane and totally forgot to ditch it from my carry-on before I got off. They were nice to me about it, but still took it. I suppose if I hadn't told them, I would've gotten away with it since there were no dogs, but since it wasn't anything special I didn't really care. I certainly wouldn't risk bringing back any kind of expensive meat, though. Losing that would be a serious bummer.

I was in Italy and December. I brought back several food items. Call me bad, but I did not declare them and had no problems. I've been in most of the major East Coast airports and the only place they ever really seemed to care about enforcing customs rules was Philly. Everywhere else just waved me through.
I brought back vacuum packed prosciutto, vacuum packed cheeses, homemade hard candies in a plastic bag, Olive oils in metal and plastic containers, truffles in glass jars, and dried salamis I just threw in to plastic grocery bags.
My only advice would be that if you buy truffle salami like I did, you need to put it in about 10 ziploc bags. When I got home everything in my suitcase smelled like truffles!!!

Abby, Do you get caught every time you speed on the interstate? Not declaring food items to Customs is like playing Russian Roulette. You may get away with it a bunch of times but eventually you will be caught. Be aware that Customs official have little sympathy for those that don't declare, and especially for those who are frequent international travelers. The more stamps inside your passport, the higher the fine will be. Fines have to be paid on the spot, but don't worry they will take credit cards;)

You can go to the Customs website and read (thoroughly as it is VERY lengthy) what you can and can't bring. THe most disappointing no-no is meat, ie salami, etc. THe explanations are all there as to why not. THe meats are not inspected and packaged to US standards and they are still concerned about mad cow. Please don't smuggle foods into the US that are not on the approved customs list. The reasons are very good, and how bad would you feel if you were the person who brought mad cow or some pest into our country? NOt to mention, if you do get caught, it will not be pleasant.

In regards to what can and can not be brought back; I do have a comment. I do not endorse violating Customs regulations, and I fully support enforcement aimed at keeping out pests and diseases...BUT...I do get a little frustrated at punative or personal protection measures that cause me grief. Many prohibited items are only so for trade measures, either in retaliation (they don't allow the importation of X, so we ban the Importation of Y) or in protection (Limit the import of X, So US producers sell more). In the other category are products supposedly not meeting our high standards of manufacture or hygiene (think Salami, Prosciutto, soft Cheeses) I think at least for items for personal use, these measures should be abolished. Yes, Plants and fresh fruit can harbor insects, fresh meats and other items can harbor disease, but if rules were changed to focus on the truely dangerous, rather than confusing the issue with politics and the FDA trying to protect me despite my will, then our Customs could be much more effective.

I just returned from Rome, Italy and was under the impression that vacuum-packed cured meats were OK. Not! My lovely speck and sausages were confiscated that I'd purchased in the duty-free shop at the airport. I also purchased canned sardines and tuna. I'd put them in my suitcase and forgot to declare. Obviously, they showed up on the xray, so my luggage was opened and thoroughly searched (she seemed to be reading every line on the packaging). I did get to keep the fishes.

I did declare my wild boar salami back in October when it was taken away from me.

On the last night of our first trip to Europe, my husband bought me a rose in a lovely little restaurant. It was so sweet, the peddler wasn't pushy, just walked through carrying roses. My husband doesn't do this often, so I kept the rose with me going to the airport the next morning. I was tired getting off the flight, and automatically carried it.
Wrong!!
Got pulled aside and had paperwork to fill out, and didn't get to keep it anyway. I should have just taken a picture with the rose!

Dried pasta shouldn't be a problem, put the poppy in in a piece of paper stick it in your pants pocket and fuggedaboutit. I have done this with seeds.

Kate-too funny! Unfortunately, also too true.

Who is monitoring this site!

Seriously Kate? You are blaming Obama and Democrats for not separating illegals from their citizen children? How many Republican presidents and their administrations do you think separated the citizen children from their illegal parents? That is the most ridiculous thing I have heard all year. And trust me...I have heard a lot of ridiculous things!!

Interesting that someone signs on for a single post and revive a year-and-a-half old post just to drop a random hate bomb in our midst. And that's how this person chose to spend his or her Christmas morning? A troll at best...

Agree with Doug, let's get back to reality and not post these "funny" comments. Also, why is it necessary to try to bring things back into this country that we shouldn't, doesn't anybody but me realize this is how we bring insects, etc. into the US. Also the post who said who is monitoring this site is correct, anyone???

Gail: "who is monitoring this site." This site is unmonitored on weekends, holidays, and after ~5 or 6 pm during the week.

Thanks for information, maybe someone will look at this on weekdays.

Not unless it's reported (upper right this page).

Doug and Gail are right. Someone definitely has too much time on her (?) hands...

Sent information to web master. First time we have seen anything like this. A troll indeed.

Thanks for your support. This is supposed to be about travel, not your political views, suggest the person posting go to another website.

Does WWJD stand for "Who would Jesus deport?" now? I've also reported that drive-by troll posting to the webmaster. Hard to believe it was posted on the traditional birthday of a baby born to a family that couldn't find a place to take them in.