Jazmin Li
Customs and immigration are checkpoints that international travellers must pass through before exiting the airport. Immigration checks your passport and your right to enter a country, while customs checks the items you're carrying to ensure they're legal and within limits. In most cases, you'll go through airport customs and immigration after your flight first arrives in a new country, but there are exceptions. For example, some countries have mutual agreements intended to help speed travellers through the process, so you may go through customs and immigration before you board. Customs officers may stop people at the border to determine whether they are admissible to the country and may search people's belongings for contraband.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is customs and immigration? | Checkpoints through which international travelers must pass before leaving the airport. |
| When does it happen? | In most cases, after your flight arrives in a new country. |
| What is the process? | Immigration officers will ask questions and check your passport to determine your right to enter a country. Customs officers will check the items you are carrying to ensure they are legal and within limits. |
| What are you asked? | Questions may include the purpose of your trip, how long you will stay, your occupation, and what cities you will visit. |
| What are you checked for? | Customs duties apply to certain items like alcohol, tobacco, and gifts. Some goods like meat, produce, and certain plants are prohibited from entering countries like the US without proper approval. |
| What are your rights? | Officers may not select you for a personal search based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. You may decline to answer questions about these topics, but this may lead to further questioning or delays. |
| What about electronic devices? | Customs officers may ask for passwords or to unlock devices. US citizens cannot be denied entry for refusing, but this may lead to delays. Non-citizens may be denied entry. |
| Where does it happen? | Customs and immigration happen at the first point of entry in the country. Some countries have agreements to speed up the process, so it may happen before boarding. |
| Preclearance | US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has officers stationed in certain countries to inspect travelers before boarding US-bound flights. Travelers then bypass CBP inspections upon arrival in the US. |
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What You'll Learn
Immigration checks and right to enter a country
In the United States, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are responsible for determining whether individuals are admissible to the country. CBP officers may ask questions about one's immigration status, religious beliefs, and political opinions. While individuals have the right to remain silent and not answer questions about their religious or political beliefs, refusal to answer other questions may lead to delays or further inspection. It is important to note that officers cannot select individuals for questioning based on their religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs.
Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) or green card holders in the US are only required to answer questions establishing their identity and permanent residency. They cannot be denied entry or have their LPR status revoked without a hearing before an immigration judge. Non-citizen visa holders and visitors who refuse to answer questions may be denied entry into the country. Additionally, visa holders and tourists from visa waiver countries may be denied entry if they refuse to provide their electronic device passwords.
In some cases, individuals may be granted parole or deferred inspection, allowing them to temporarily enter the US without meeting all the admission requirements. Parole is granted at the CBP officer's discretion, while deferred inspection is typically granted if the individual is likely to overcome inadmissibility and does not pose a national security risk.
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Customs checks items carried and duties
Customs checks the items carried by travellers to ensure they are legal and within limits. This includes screening for prohibited items such as gold, alcoholic beverages, firearms, and soil. Some goods, like meat, produce, and certain plants, are prohibited from entering countries like the US without proper approval. Each country has its own laws and regulations for the import and export of goods, and these are enforced by their respective customs authorities. For example, the US imposes tariffs or "customs duties" on imports of goods, with an average duty of 3%.
Items that may need to be declared at customs include anything bought, inherited, or received as a gift while travelling. Failing to declare prohibited items could result in fines or penalties, especially for high-value goods. In the US, for example, goods valued up to $500 brought in by plane and $300 by sea or land are free of duties and taxes. Cell phones and laptop computers are duty-free regardless of their value, with a limit of one per passenger. Clothing and other personal use items are also free of taxes.
In the EU, travellers between member countries do not have to pay customs duties, but value-added tax (VAT) and excise duties may be applicable if the goods are subsequently sold. Passengers arriving from other EU countries go through the blue channel and may still be subject to checks for prohibited or restricted goods.
Customs duties also apply to certain items like alcohol and tobacco. In the US, a returning resident is eligible for an $800 duty-free personal exemption every 31 days, which includes not more than 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars. For alcohol, amounts beyond the duty-free limit are taxed, and if the exemption is $800, two of three litres of wine will be dutiable and taxed.
Additionally, there are special rules and regulations for exporting goods. For instance, exporting certain goods from England, Wales, or Scotland requires an EORI number that starts with GB.
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Mandatory vs optional processes
When travelling internationally, you will need to go through customs and immigration both when arriving in a foreign country and when returning to your home country. Immigration checks your passport and your right to enter a country, while customs checks the items you're carrying to ensure they're legal and within limits.
In most cases, you will go through airport customs and immigration after your flight first arrives in a new country. However, there are exceptions. For example, some countries have mutual agreements intended to speed travellers through the process, so you may go through customs and immigration before you board your flight. When flying from Ireland to the United States, you will go through US customs in Ireland. At some airports, passengers on international-to-international connecting flights will not need to collect their luggage before proceeding to their next gate. However, at other airports, passengers will need to collect their luggage before proceeding to their next gate.
Immigration is a mandatory process that involves speaking with an immigration officer who stamps your passport. Customs, on the other hand, is an optional process; if you have nothing to declare, you do not need to speak with an officer. However, customs officers may stop people at the border to determine whether they are admissible to the country, and they may search people's belongings for contraband. This is true even if there is nothing suspicious about you or your luggage. Officers may ask for your laptop password or to unlock your mobile phone. They may also ask about your religious affiliation, religious practices, association with religious institutions, and political opinions. While you may decline to answer these questions, doing so may lead to delay or additional questioning.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has more than 600 officers and agriculture specialists stationed at 15 preclearance locations in 6 countries: Dublin and Shannon in Ireland; Aruba; Bermuda; Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Nassau in the Bahamas; and Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg in Canada. Travellers who go through preclearance bypass CBP and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspections upon US arrival and proceed directly to their connecting flight or destination.
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Preclearance and expedited processing
Customs and immigration are checkpoints that international travellers must pass through before leaving the airport. Immigration checks your passport and your right to enter a country, while customs checks the items you are carrying to ensure they are legal and within limits. You will go through customs and immigration when arriving in a foreign country and returning to your home country.
Preclearance
Preclearance is the strategic stationing of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at designated foreign airports to inspect travellers prior to boarding US-bound flights. Travellers who go through preclearance bypass CBP and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspections upon US arrival and proceed directly to their connecting flight or destination. CBP has officers and agriculture specialists stationed at 15 preclearance locations in 6 countries: Ireland, Aruba, Bermuda, the United Arab Emirates, the Bahamas, and Canada.
Expedited Processing
The Global Entry program is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler Program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in the United States. The application fee is $120, and membership lasts for five years. All applicants must undergo a background check. The program is available at major US airports and land borders.
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Questioning and rights
Customs officers have the authority to ask about your immigration status to determine your right to enter a country. If you are a citizen, you need only answer questions about your identity and citizenship. Refusing to answer questions about the nature and purpose of your travel could result in delays and further inspection. If you are a lawful permanent resident, you only need to answer questions about your identity and residency. Refusal to answer other questions may cause delays, but officials may not deny you entry. If you are a non-citizen visa holder or visitor, you may be denied entry if you refuse to answer questions.
Officers may not select you for a personal search or secondary inspection based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. You do not have to answer questions about your religious beliefs and practices or political opinions, and you cannot be denied entry for declining to answer such questions. If officers persist, you can request to see a supervisor.
If a customs officer informs you that you are under arrest, or if it is clear that they suspect you of a crime, you should ask to speak to a lawyer before answering any further questions. You have the right to remain silent, and you should say so out loud if you wish to exercise this right.
US citizens cannot be denied entry for refusing to provide passwords or unlock devices. However, refusal may lead to delays, additional questioning, and/or officers seizing your device for further inspection. The same is true for lawful permanent residents, whose green cards cannot be revoked without a hearing before an immigration judge. However, visa holders and tourists from visa waiver countries may be denied entry if they refuse to provide a password.
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Frequently asked questions
Immigration checks your passport and your right to enter a country, while customs checks the items you're carrying to ensure they're legal and within limits.
Yes, you’ll go through customs and immigration both ways on an international trip—when you arrive in the foreign country you’re visiting, and again when you return to your home country from abroad.
Customs checks the items you're carrying to ensure they're legal and within limits. Customs duties apply to certain items like alcohol, tobacco, and gifts. Some goods like meat, produce, and certain plants are prohibited from entering countries like the US without proper approval.
Immigration involves speaking with an immigration officer who stamps your passport and may ask you a variety of questions, such as whether your trip is for business or pleasure, how long you’ll be in the country, what you do for a living, and what cities you’ll be visiting during your stay.
