Tuesday, June 10, 2008

CBP Announces Travel Tips

The United States Customs and Border Protection Agency has announced travel tips for international travelers this summer. On any given day the Customs and Border Protection Agency welcomes more than one million international travelers into the United States. Below are some of the agency’s tips for a smooth entry into the U.S.:

· Have all required travel documents for the countries you are visiting at the ready. Make sure you have identification for your re-entry into the United States and remember that passports are required when traveling to the U.S. by air.
· Many food and agricultural items are prohibited or must meet certain requirements, such as a license or permit. Take care to find out the rules and regulations for these items before traveling.
· When you arrive in the United States, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer will inspect you. Be prepared to tell the officer the purpose of your visit and any items that you purchased or obtained abroad.
· Using the same process as you experienced when you got your visa, the Customs and Border Protection Officer may require you to provide your biometrics – digital finger scans and photograph – to verify your identity against your travel documents.
· Be certain that when you depart the United States the airline ticket agent collects your I-94 form.
· Review the Customs and Border Protection Agency’s “Top 10 Travel Tips” before your trip for answers to commonly asked questions regarding international travel. They can be found on the agency’s website at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/
· To estimate how long your clearance process will take, visit the Customs and Border Protection Agency’s website at cbp.com to view recent wait times for the airport that you will arrive at.
· Remember that if you are traveling by plane to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean or Bermuda, you must have a passport or other accepted form of documentation to enter or depart the United States.
· People, from the Western Hemisphere, who enter the United States via land and sea ports must have documentary proof of identity and citizenship such as official passports, passport cards, copies of birth certificates along with government-issued photo identification, enhanced driver’s licenses and NEXUS cards.