Claiming souvenirs in customs coming back from Europe with new rules

My report from last week. Nothing has changed.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/customs-reentry-report-9-3-25

You are asking a good question, and I am not sure what the answer is.

I looked on the CBP site, and it says a US citizen returning from abroad must fill out the following form:

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2024-07/cbp_form_6059b_english_0.pdf

Once upon a time, those forms were passed out on the plane. In the earlier days of Global Entry with the kiosks and palm print ID, you had to answer questions and it spit out a printout you had to hand to a customs official. But on my most recent trips in 2023 and 2024, I have seen no such forms, and no such questions on a kiosk (it does facial recognition), and you get waved through the border control, and I wonder when or where we are supposed to find and fill out one of those forms?

Hope somebody here can shed some light on this.

My question: if I am over the limits, do I walk up to someone in customs and tell them? I assume that is what one does, but my question is, should I fill out one of those forms and have it in my possession no matter if I am under or over the limits? If the forms should be filled out every time, where are the bloody forms, and why are they not distributed anymore? Seems like a game of gotcha to me...

We return from a 2 week trip in Europe on Sunday with about $100 of souvenirs. We have Global Entry. Wondering if slowing lines down or how difficult to report?

If you are not asked to fill out a form, but are asked if you have anything to declare, just tell them you bought about $100 worth of souvenirs but there are no plants or food or alcohol. (Assuming there are no plants or food or alcohol.) The immigration agent will then decide if you need to speak to customs. You probably won't.

if I am over the limits, do I walk up to someone in customs and tell them?

Yes, just because you are not given the forms doesn't mean you don't have to report any overages. (Usually, you just tell the immigration officer and they will decide if you need to talk to customs.

If you fail to report, and you are stopped, you could not only be fined but also lose any Trusted Traveler program you have.

If you have Global Entry, and use the app, it does ask some questions.

As an example, I have GE. I usually bring back tea and coffee. I always declare it even though it is a small amount and I probably don't have to. But I don't want to give any reason to have my GE taken away.

What's happening now is that when you talk to the immigration officer your photo is taken. If they think you need to be searched, your photo will show up on the screen of the customs agents who will pull you aside for a search.

If you have Global Entry, and use the app, it does ask some questions.

I have GE, but knew nothing about the app. Will have to look into that.

So you say you declare the coffee or whatever. Do you do that on the app? Or do you say it to an officer as you pass through Customs?

I follow the requirements for claiming items upon return. I often have a written list of items and costs available along with receipts. Even something as seemingly innocent as prepacked food items (nuts, candy, coffee, tea, etc). I declare everything and I’ve never been asked to produce a receipt or show the item. I will no do anything to jeopardize my trusted traveler status. I’ve seen folk “innocently” deny knowledge of declarable and forbidden items and watched one being escorted along to “pay the price” - a hefty fine and face an impending hearing on their global entry status. I view customs as a process to protect. Agents have always been polite including during my recent return through ATL.

Thank you all for your replies. I just can’t find anything official that says that they have lowered the $800 to $0 when coming back in to the country by plane or is it just if you buy things online/ship. I have been saving all my receipts in case. Sounds like maybe nothing has changed when flying - since the law changed on 8/29.

There was a lot of misleading reporting. Geee, surprise. For what you can bring back with you, nothing has changed.

raymonelee, you have my respect.

Thank you all for your replies. I just can’t find anything official that says that they have lowered the $800 to $0 when coming back in to the country by plane or is it just if you buy things online/ship. I have been saving all my receipts in case. Sounds like maybe nothing has changed when flying - since the law changed on 8/29.

This is a different question than your original question.

The $800 per person exemption has not changed for travelers returning to the US and has nothing to do with recent tariffs changes on items received via the mail from abroad.

I thought your original question regarded the need to claim items purchased abroad upon return, to which the answer is "yes".

You still have the $800 per person exemption for goods you bring back with you. The changes only affected items sent by mail or international carrier (Fed Ex, DHL, etc), essentially nothing has changed. Alcohol and Tobacco have different limits, Food, plant and other biological items they want to know about.

You may or may not be given a form, if you use any of the apps or kiosks, you likely will see a question asking if you are over the limit, but if you are not, and they do not ask, then go your way.

Technically, if you are over the limit, even if they do not ask, you are supposed to go to the customs station and declare those goods. (Again always been the case) They can also pull you over or ask to see your bags. Whether they levy any duties is remote, honestly, despite being over, both in goods and alcohol, and declaring, I never have been levied duties, and have not heard of anyone who has.

If you do not have Global Entry, download the Mobile Passport Control app. You will avoid the long lines. You create an account, upload your info in advance. When you arrive back in the US, you answer the questions (including declaring items) and take a selfie. Then you get a QR code for a special (short) line. Saved us hours in Seattle.

So you say you declare the coffee or whatever. Do you do that on the app? Or do you say it to an officer as you pass through Customs?

I'm not going to use the GE app next time. It didn't save any time.

The app asks many of the same questions as the old customs form. I declare tea and coffee because you are asked if you are bringing any plants into the country. Technically, coffee and tea are plants. (They're also food so I find it best to declare. Better to declare and be waved through and not declare and get into trouble.)

Going through immigration, the officer said "You declared plants." I said I have tea and coffee. He asked "that's it?" I said yes and off I was waved through.

Usually I am asked if I have anything to declare anyway. I'm always honest. Remember, play games with them and they could take GE away from you if you have it.

Thanks again everyone for your replies. Glad nothing has changed.

'm not going to use the GE app next time. It didn't save any time.
The app asks many of the same questions as the old customs form. I declare tea and coffee because you are asked if you are bringing any plants into the country. Technically, coffee and tea are plants. (They're also food so I find it best to declare. Better to declare and be waved through and not declare and get into trouble.)
Going through immigration, the officer said "You declared plants." I said I have tea and coffee. He asked "that's it?" I said yes and off I was waved through.
Usually I am asked if I have anything to declare anyway. I'm always honest. Remember, play games with them and they could take GE away from you if you have it.

Frank II:

Thanks, a few more questions.

When you say "going through immigration" do you mean the passport control? Or do you mean the customs lanes that come next? Where do you make your declaration?

And if you won't use the GE App next time that triggered a question (which after I read about it I did not see the advantage of the app which you confirmed it doesn't offer), do you volunteer your declarations or do you simply respond if asked. I don't recall being asked on my recent trips, simply walking through the customs area (at DFW immediately after bag retrieval and before rechecking them for my final destination).

Do I need to seek out someone in this customs passage, or previously when going through passport control do I say "I have customs declarations to make" and that agent signals to customs to question me? Because the last few times I have reentered, after the photo thing in border control and my name has been called, the immigration officer waved me (and everyone else) through, no questions asked, and it did not seem like the place to say anything, it is a pretty rushed up process, really.

Also, when passing through customs, I never see anyone voluntarily going over to speak to anyone, only the officer occasionally pulling someone out of the line. To my eye, it looks like they are profiling people, based on the amount of luggage, or something else that raises suspicion. Or perhaps they were told to pull someone specific over from passport control?

The procedure evidently varies from one airport to another, but I nearly always return through DFW, and since the pandemic I can't remember anyone asking me anything, and I have never come back with excess $, any illegal stuff, just some souvenirs and "foods" like cookies or chocolates, all well under the $800. Back in the paper form days, I always noted those items, sometimes was asked to clarify about "food", but always was allowed to pass, never had a bag inspected, etc. At most a 5 to 10 second interaction...

In 2024 we were coming home from France with a couple of tins of foie gras and I thought I should declare them after immigration but at the customs lane and desk. I walked up to the agent and said I had foie gras, a meat product. He just looked at me oddly and said two or three times “do you have your luggage, passport?” To which I answered yes each time. He kept waiving for me to just keep moving along. This was a LHR to PDX flight. It has been a little inconsistent for a long time.

Re-entering the US it's my experience that immigration and customs are one encounter with one officer and usually confirming the answers and declarations on the landing card/MPC app and answering any other questions. If anything more is necessary then one gets sent to a secondary inspection. Not necessary to seek out customs officers when you've made your declarations.

We haven’t had a physical or electric landing card on our twice yearly trips to fill out for several years. This includes our experience last week. Edit: we’ve had global entry for 6 years now but I don’t think this is a factor.

I brought some cheese back from Italy many years ago and indicated "animal product", or whatever the wording was, on the old paper form one would get on the plane. The customs person asked what meat I had and I replied "just cheese". He then asked why I had indicated specifically indicated "animal product". I think I paused a moment or two to come up with a reply other than "Cheese comes from animals". Don't recall what I did say but I was allowed to proceed.

Just came back from France via YUL, so had to deal w Canadian Customs and then CBP via land.

I also stopped at the duty free in Canada before crossing (because how could I not, given the exchange rate).

CBP wanted to know where I'd been, why did I fly out of YUL (I live equidistant between NYC/BOS/YUL, so, cheapest), etc.
They ONLY asked me if I was bringing back tobacco or alcohol (no and yes, I'd bought a 750 ml bottle of Bailey's).

Regardless, the $800 limit for personal exemptions has not changed. My interaction w CBP was 4 minutes, ftr. (Canadian Customs was almost all automated at YUL).

We haven’t had a physical or electric landing card on our twice yearly trips to fill out for several years. This includes our experience last week. Edit: we’ve had global entry for 6 years now but I don’t think this is a factor.

Global Entry is a factor. Last night on the CBP site, I read that if you are Global Entry, while you no longer have to fill out a paper landing card, you are still required to make a declaration no matter how small or insignificant it might be. The site does say you may want to get the GE app and use it on return, and on that you would do the declaration, but in no way is it required to use that app.

I have a trip to France in December, and I am going to speak up to the first officer I encounter after doing facial recognition and say I have a customs declaration, and see where that leads. Because my read of it is that you are required to do that, even though the GE procedure has evolved a lot from about 10 years ago when you answered those questions on a kiosk.

On one of our returns in the GE line in the last 2 years, after facial recognition, and the officer calls out names, one of the people in front of us spoke up about customs declaration, there was a brief conversation, and the officer seemed pretty annoyed, waved him on as the line started backing up. Lots of mixed signals these days, I am confused, but I plan to declare my $100 of chocolates and macarons, and let the guy or gal get peeved and wave me through...but I am going declare it, and I haven't been asked in a long time about this stuff (I can't even remember being asked, ever), but my read is that whether you are asked or not, you are still required to make the declaration. So I will.

You are supposed to declare food because there is a whole different reason they are asking about that - it's the Dept of Agriculture trying to keep out diseases, not a customs/duty issue. I had a friend who used to to the USDA airport inspections. He said that there's no point in trying to guess what's safe to bring in, just declare it and they'll know what to do. And he said lying is what gets people punished, not the fact you were trying to bring in something not allowed.

In the days when we had to fill out those paper cards (not that long ago) I would always write: "miscellaneous souvenirs - $xxx" and then a list of all the food categories - "cookies, chocolate, coffee, olive oil, wine". Sometimes they'd ask a question and most times not. No hardship there. They dont want to waste time appraising your jewelry either.

You are supposed to declare food because there is a whole different reason they are asking about that - it's the Dept of Agriculture trying to keep out diseases, not a customs/duty issue.

This is correct to a point.

You are required to report/declare everything you are bringing home that you didn't have in your possession when you left home. In addition to food, that would include souvenirs you bought, but also anything you received as a gift.

And I am going to do it on my next trip whether I am asked or not. I have not been asked anything, just waved through, on all recent trips abroad.

I wonder why there isn't a separate AG station between passport/border control and after you pick up your checked bags on the way to customs?

Yes, I was just addressing the food declaration point because some people just assume its ok if it's packaged. I have seen people directed to a separate area for AG inspections (including one of my travel companions) so I know they exist, although not always obvious. They are AG inspectors not regular CBP staff. Sometimes, I have been asked by the CBP screener to describe what food items I have, and they wave me on.

On entry in July 2025 at Seattle from Amsterdam/Edinburgh with Global Entry I stopped for 30 seconds at the GE facial recognition scanner. There was an agent standing at the exit if tge kiosk area who said “Pamela, you are good to go “ as I walked toward him.

A year ago (Oct 2024) on entry (SLC this time) after the GE kiosk, the guy stood and leaned out of his booth and called my name, asked as I was walking toward him if I’d bought anything more than usual to which I replied no, and he waved me on. I didn’t break stride.

I haven’t filled out a form in years since they changed the format on the GE kiosks. I always know what I’ve bought and it’s way under $100 and happy to share that if asked!

In 2021 I returned with a bag of red rice from the Camargue. Even after looking at the website I wasn’t sure about it so I went to the declaration desk. I’d packed with the rice on top in case the inspector needed to see it but no, he said rice didn’t need to be declared.

On entry in July 2025 at Seattle from Amsterdam/Edinburgh with Global Entry I stopped for 30 seconds at the GE facial recognition scanner. There was an agent standing at the exit if tge kiosk area who said “Pamela, you are good to go “ as I walked toward him

This has been typical of my experiences in the last 2 years, and yet the language on the CBP website is clear that a returning traveler must declare all items brought back. Nothing on there about "if you aren't asked, you are cleared".

Who really knows? Feels like a "gotcha" potential to me if after that initial wave through you are asked about it and then confirm you have brought back stuff if you technically violated the requirement to declare at the first opportunity, right after the photo ID checkpoint.

and yet the language on the CBP website is clear that a returning traveler must declare all items brought back.

The actual wording gives you three options...

You have several entry options once you return from your trip. All travelers must complete a CBP Declaration Form 6059B itemizing all purchased merchandise and agricultural products.

Here are your options:

Complete a paper form that may be obtained at the port of entry or on the flight or cruise.
Complete the online form at a Global Entry kiosk. (Only preapproved Global Entry members are allowed to use these kiosks.)
Complete the online form at an Automated Passport Control kiosk.

Since you have Global Entry, use the kiosk if available, or now there is the Global Entry App which asks several pertinent questions and satisfies the requirement, just as for others using the MPC app..

Seems simple, and not a "Gotcha". You can also fill out the form, if you ask, they will provide one.

Since you have Global Entry, use the kiosk if available, or now there is the Global Entry App which asks several pertinent questions and satisfies the requirement, just as for others using the MPC app..
Seems simple, and not a "Gotcha". You can also fill out the form, if you ask, they will provide one.

Paul, are you in Global Entry? If yes, which method do you use?

I had never even heard of the GE App until Frank II mentioned it in this thread. And he said he used it recently, and won't use it again because it saved him no time.

Also, I don't see kiosks anymore, unless I am overlooking them, only the facial recognition screens. On the kiosks, you had to answer the questions about what you brought home. The facial recognition is touchless, no way to enter anything.

Paul, are you in Global Entry? If yes, which method do you use?

No, I do not use Global Entry, just no real value for me. I do use Mobil Passport Control (MPC), that asks the same questions as the kiosks.

I had never even heard of the GE App until Frank II mentioned it in this thread. And he said he used it recently, and won't use it again because it saved him no time.

I can' speak too much for Frank, but I assume he meant that it did not speed processing, I do not think he was concerned about the customs questions. All the app does apparently is allow you to answer the customs questions ahead of time.

Also, I don't see kiosks anymore, unless I am overlooking them, only the facial recognition screens. On the kiosks, you had to answer the questions about what you brought home. The facial recognition is touchless, no way to enter anything.

Like the forms, the kiosks, for both Global entry and regular entry mostly went away in the last few years. Not sure if all this change in tariffs and duties is indicating they are ramping up reinstating the forms and kiosks over the coming months, or like so much, this too shall pass, and the focus will be elsewhere.

Like the forms, the kiosks, for both Global entry and regular entry mostly went away in the last few years.

That is the crux of my confusion. Global Entry, before these new touchless facial recognition portals, ended the need to fill out the paper forms, you simply answered questions at a kiosk, took the slip of paper and handed it to the border security passport control officer. The GE kiosks are gone now (maybe some still haven't been replaced, but where I reenter at DFW, I haven't seen a kiosk since before Covid, although I did not resume flying internationally until 2023 so maybe they were still around back then).

Maybe all of this is in flux, who knows? If I didn't already have GE, I likely would not get it today. But I would still want TSA pre check approval, and then I would likely use the MPC app. My GE expires in 2 years, and if they make it difficult to get it renewed (like a new in person interview) I will probably punt it, go with MPC and TSA pre check, or whatever is the "free" flavor of the day then.

If you or anyone knows: for people who don't use GE or the MPC app, but go through the traditional passport control line, are you required to fill out one of the old forms? Or are you simply quizzed by the CBP officer? I haven't seen one of those forms in years, none offered on our planes, etc.

For anyone following along:

Just found this on the CBP website. It is about the MPC app, but if you scroll down, it does a side by side comparison with Global Entry.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/mobile-passport-control#:~:text=Up%20to%204%20hours%20before,about%20your%20arrival%20and%20declarations.

With MPC, you "always" have to speak to a CBP officer in Customs.

With GE, you are "not always required" to speak to a CBP officer in Customs.

Make of that whatever suits you, but I still have questions. Seems to me if the first CBP officer you encounter after the facial recognition portal asks no questions and says "Jojo Rabbit, you are good to go" then you just keep on walking. But if he asks questions, of course you answer them, and he may instruct to stop at Customs for further inspection, or tell you "you are good to go". I assume your need to be checked at Customs is passed along, and they look at your photo to ask you over.

"or tell you "you are good to go". I assume your need to be checked at Customs is passed along, and they look at your photo to ask you over."

Actually at both the Seattle airport and the SLC airport this year and last year, the Border control and Customs were combined. When the guy acknowledged me in July, he was standing inside the roped off GE area (not even at a desk or kiosk) and directed me into the hallway directly to bag drop and security. That was it. No separate customs desk as there used to be.

With the facial recognition cameras at GE there is not even a form to fill out OR anything where you can acknowledge I have/don't have anything to declare. It kind of makes my head spin it's so fast.

Actually at both the Seattle airport and the SLC airport this year and last year, the Border control and Customs were combined. When the guy acknowledged me in July, he was standing inside the roped off GE area (not even at a desk or kiosk) and directed me into the hallway directly to bag drop and security. That was it. No separate customs desk as there used to be.
With the facial recognition cameras at GE there is not even a form to fill out OR anything where you can acknowledge I have/don't have anything to declare. It kind of makes my head spin it's so fast.

Pam, that is interesting. It all depends on which airport you return through, the experience varies.

I will pay much more attention when I fly back from Europe in December through DFW. But all I/we ever get is "Mr and Mrs Jojo, you are good to go" after the facial recognition. And we don't ask any questions, we just keep on walking...

After baggage claim, rolling through Customs via the GE exit from baggage claim, it always seems like the agents there are "looking" for specific people to pull over, possibly people flagged earlier. Or maybe they randomly pull people out of the line, too. But I never really notice any of that going on, honestly. Mostly people just walking through, uninterrupted.