Customs Requirements On Moving To The USA

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Customs Requirements On Moving To The USA

Everyone entering the US has to complete the Customs and Border Protection Form (CBP Form) 6059B, “Customs Declaration,” for accompanying goods.

If your goods are arriving separately you will need to complete the CBP Form 3299 “Declaration For Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles. “You cannot simply give a statement that the goods are “household effects”, but will need to provide more detail. The complete inventory of imported goods will be treated as the packing list and must be provided to CBP upon request.

Household effects, including furniture, crockery, linens, libraries, artwork and similar household furnishings intended for your personal use can be taken in without paying duty, provided they have either been available for your use or used in a household where you were a resident for one year. They must also not be intended for any other person or for sale.

Personal effects, which are items that belong to and are used by one person, such as clothes, jewellery, electronic and photographic equipment should not be described as household effects. They can also be taken in without paying duty.

Restricted Goods

There are a range of items that are restricted from being taken into the US. A full list of restricted goods is available on the US Customs and Border Protection website under Prohibited and Restricted Items. These include:

Alcoholic beverages – Federal and State laws determine the amount of alcohol that can be brought into the USA.
Automobiles – Automobiles imported into the United States must meet the fuel-emission requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency and the safety, bumper, and theft prevention standards of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Firearms – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) regulates and restricts firearms and ammunition and approves all permanent import transactions involving weapons and ammunition. If you want to import weapons or ammunition, you must do so through a licensed importer, dealer or manufacturer.
Food Products – many food products are allowed to be brought in to The US, but some such as those containing meat products are prohibited. Fruit and vegetables may be restricted depending on where they were obtained.
Medication – Medication will be restricted and you should ensure that you only carry what you need and that you have a prescription to cover what you need.
Pets – There are many rules and regulations around the importation of pets (See Taking Your Pet To America).

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.