Moving To The US: How To Move Your Possessions
When moving
your possessions to the U.S., you may find it more expensive to ship
some items than to buy them in the U.S. Keep in mind that not only shipping,
but other charges may apply, such as:
If you
ship items to the U.S. via the U.S. postal service or a commercial shipper
like Federal Express, the items must first clear customs before they
are delivered to you. Before arriving at a U.S. port of entry, the shipper
will send a manifest of the items to be shipped to Customs. It is then
up to the U.S. Customs agents which items they will inspect, if any.
Prohibited
and/or severely restricted items include:
- Meat
or meat products from most foreign countries
- Most
fruits and vegetables from foreign countries
- Absinthe
- Counterfeit
copies of copyrighted materials
- More
than one counterfeit trademarked item (i.e. fake Gucci bags or Rolex
watches)
- Rare
or endangered species or articles made from them (i.e. ivory)
- Drugs
not approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
- Illegal
drug paraphernelia
- Certain
threatened or endangered species of plants, incl. their seeds and
cuttings
- Firearms
- Cultural
artifacts from certain countries (e.g. Mayan artifacts)
If bringing
medications into the United States, remember to:
- keep
all medications in their original containers
- carry
only the amount that a person with that condition would normally carry
- carry
a prescription or written statement from your physician that the medication
is being used under a doctor's supervision and is required for your
physical well-being while traveling
!
If bringing your car, make sure it complies with
U.S. emissions and other standards before you send it, Otherwise, it
must repaired immediately after arrival or it may be impounded and/or
destroyed. Learn about required documentation and emissions standards
at:
http://www.customs.gov/imp-exp2/informal/car.htm#TOP
Currency
- if you are bringing more than $10,000 in cash or other negotiable
instruments you must report it to customs
Items from
embargoed countries - small items for personal use may be permitted
as accompanied baggage, depending on the country of origin. Read more
about embargo restrictions at the office of Foreign
Assets Control website: OFAC
Bringing
your Pet to the US (info from the U.S. Customs Service website):
Cats
must be free of evidence of diseases communicable to humans when they
are examined at the port of entry. If the cat does not seem to be in
good health, the owner may have to pay for an additional examination
by a licensed veterinarian.
Dogs
must be free of evidence of diseases that could be communicable to humans.
Puppies must be confined at a place of the owner's choosing until they
are three months old; then they must be vaccinated against rabies. The
puppy will then have to stay in confinement for another 30 days.
!
Dogs
older than three months must get a rabies vaccination at least 30 days
before they come to the United States and must be accompanied by a valid
rabies vaccination certificate if coming from a country that is not
rabies-free. This certificate should identify the dog, show the
date of vaccination and the date it expires (there are one-year and
three-year vaccinations), and be signed by a licensed veterinarian.
If the certificate does not have an expiration date, Customs will accept
it as long as the dog was vaccinated 12 months or less before coming
to the United States. Dogs coming from rabies-free countries do not
have to be vaccinated.
Birds
- You may import birds as pets (but you may import only two parrots
at a time) as long as you comply with APHIS requirements. These may
include quarantining the birds at one of APHISı five facilities, at
your expense. In some cases, you must make advance reservations at the
quarantine facility. If you intend to import a bird, call the APHIS
quarantine staff at (301) 734-8226 and request their packet, Importing
a Bird into the United States. In any case, birds may only be imported
through ports of entry where an APHIS vet is on duty. (Call ahead to
ensure that the vet will be available. Some states are serviced by only
one APHIS vet, and you may need to schedule your arrival to coincide
with the vetıs presence at a particular port of entry.) APHIS charges
a $16 fee for inspecting birds.
Primates
- Monkeys, apes, and other primates may not be imported.
Read more:
Pets and Wildlife: Licensing and Health Requirements
(pdf file)
Contact
USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services National Center for Import/Export (NCIE),
4700 River Road, Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; call (301) 734-7830;
or visit the website: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/NCIE.