Global Entry question

[SecondAttempt]

We've had Global Entry for a couple of years and it is phenomenal! We recently arrived from Europe at Chicago (ORD) and it was so smooth - the facial recognition confirmed and passed us before we even got to the machine and the human customs agent just waved us through. It literally took no time because we were walking the whole time.

But what I wonder about is the customs part. Previously you'd fill out a form listing what you were bringing back and as long as it was not over the $400 (or whatever) limit you were passed. But the limit was annual so could easily be reached over a few trips. Now there is no form and in our experience no opportunity to declare. We had the allowed limit for alcohol but not over but we were close to the annual limit for overall goods. Yet there was no way to declare in Global Entry.

My concern is not being too much of a "goodie two shoes." I just don't want to lose GE over a stupid misunderstanding. If I'm allowed $400 per year and bring in $600, my un\derstanding is that the duty is 3% or $6 on the excess. I'd gladly pay it but there seems to be no opportunity anymore.

 

[SecondCor521]

Whenever I've returned to the US, there has always been a two step process: immigration and customs. IIRC immigration is first, and customs is second.

Global Entry is just for the immigration part to allow you as a US citizen back home. After you breezed through immigration, there should have been an area for customs. What I've seen in the past is two doors, one for "nothing to declare" meaning I'm good and under the limits for everything. There's another door, and if you have something to declare, I think you can go through that one and there are booths or kiosks with customs folks who would presumably be willing to take your filled out customs form, question you, and take your payment if appropriate.

That second customs step is often pretty low key and most/many folks just cruise through the "nothing to declare" way, so it's possible that you didn't notice it. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't there at your border entry point.

As an aside, FWIW I looked at the customs declaration form and didn't see any reference to an annual limit, although a CBP page did talk about frequent travelers and the $200 exclusion. Other than that, I've always understood the limits to be per trip - maybe I didn't read the rules carefully or maybe they've changed or maybe you're right. But I never bring anything back other than maybe some trinket souvenir type items and never even get close to the limits.

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

 

[Lucie]

The last few times we returned through Global entry they just waived us through after checking in at the kiosk and didn’t ask if we have anything to declare.

Apparently there is now an App for GE where you take a selfie and check in rather than going to the facial recognition kiosk. We were confused why everyone was skipping the kiosk and were told about the App.

I’m not sure about annual limits.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Generally, I think the government is just leaving it up to you to decide if you wish to notify an agent in the immigration area that you have something that has to be declared. Some airports/ports do indeed have a clearly marked location where you can do this. But it's not always as prominent as you would expect. If you feel you need to declare something, just notify an agent. They do have the right to ask you and I have been asked before. But most of the time, they don't even ask anymore. This all applies to Global Entry or otherwise.

 

[Lorenzo]

Sometimes the agent for the GE line asks if I have something to declare and sometimes they don't ask. If I knew I had something to declare, I would do so. They probably dispensed with having travelers fill out forms because even then it was the honor system, and my suspicion is most people who might have had something to declare were either clueless or not truthful. They had no way to know if you bought that Rolex on your trip to Switzerland or already owned it. Once, I had bought something abroad that was over the exemption limit and I duly declared it. The Customs agent looked mildly surprised, thanked me for "doing the right thing," spent a few minutes on the computer looking up what the tariff might be for the thing, found that the system wasn't working properly, said "never mind" and waved me on.

 

[USGrant1962]

I thought is was strange in August when I came in through Dulles and there were no longer any Customs agents at all. They used to stand at stations on the way out of international baggage claim. We used the GE app for immigration and I don't believe it had a way to declare anything either. The GE kiosks used to have a check box but that disappeared some years ago too and now they just snap a photo and you are off.

So yea, the customs part of Customs and Border Protection seems to have evaporated.

 

[audreyh1]

Yes I agree it seems to have disappeared. I usually mention to the Passport Control agent anything that I would otherwise have declared. They say fine and wave me on.

If I brought something over the limits I’ll just ask “where do I declare X?” next time.

 

[braumeister]

What a change from the old days!
I remember once coming back from a trip to Germany in the 70s with some bottles of wine in my suitcase. Going through the customs line at JFK, the agent opened the bag and saw the wine, did something on his computer, and told me I had to pay duty on it.
I responded that the amount was under the limit, so why?
He told me the limit was a monthly amount, and I had come back from Germany less than 30 days prior, so I was over.
He was absolutely right, so I didn't mind paying (I always brought some back). It was only a few bucks, and it gave me quite a healthy respect for our customs agency.

 

[Lorenzo]

Maybe they have realized that labor-intensive policing of air travelers bringing back stuff bought abroad just to catch the occasional expensive item was not worth it compared with collecting duties on the far greater amount of items shipped as cargo. (Though I read that the increasing volume of small shipments, mainly from China, which individually are under the exemption threshold, is being eyed as a loophole that might be ripe for closing.)

 

[Alex The Great]

Don't know about 70s. But just five or six years ago, I was waiting for my bag in JFK baggage claim and there was a custom worker with dog walking around. Apparently the dog explored every bag on the ground belong to people waiting for another bag to arrive.

 

[braumeister]

Don't know about 70s. But just five or six years ago, I was waiting for my bag in JFK baggage claim and there was a custom worker with dog walking around. Apparently the dog explored every bag on the ground belong to people waiting for another bag to arrive.

I think those are DEA agents, not Customs.

 

[audreyh1]

I think those are DEA agents, not Customs.

Likely also USDA smelling for live plants, fresh fruit etc. One little beagle signaled our plastic bag. Agent asked about fruit. We had just eaten it on the plane. Beagle got a treat.

 

[braumeister]

Another funny Customs story, this one from the 90s.
Just before heading to the airport in London for the flight home, we had lunch at a pub with some English friends. They knew that I was a homebrewer, and one of them gave me a gallon size bag full of hops that he had just picked up in Kent.
We were supposed to come in through JFK, but our flight got diverted to Miami instead due to weather.
So I had this big bag full of green vegetable matter in my backpack and we were in a very long line to go through Customs. I saw the dog handlers heading toward me and all I could think about was how Miami was a main entry point. My lovely wife whispered in my ear "I don't know you. But I'll bail you out if I can."

Fortunately, before the dogs got to me we were at the inspection station. As luck would have it, the agent asked the guy in front of me where he was coming in from, and he replied "Medellin."
They all got so interested in him that they just waved us through!

 

[Texas Proud]

LOL... my oldest sister has a similar story... they were coming back from the UK and her husband had bought a bunch of really stinky cheese according to my sister....

Walking up to customs they decided to stop my sister and check her bag... another agent asked if her DH had anything to declare and he said 'NO'... waved him through...

Sister said everybody could smell his bag!!! But she got stopped...

 

[Koolau]

I got the "dog" treatment returning from Canada a few years ago. Customs was a breeze (no GE at the time) but the DEA or whomever carried automatic weapons and they didn't look friendly. They had me pop the trunk and the dog sniffed. They asked me how much cash I was carrying and then let me go.

 

[Texas Proud]

OK... DW and I are 'approved'... just need to stop by for the interview... I have read it is not a big thing so that is good..

BUT, do you get anything? IOW, some card etc. to show you have it? Or do you put it in your profile at the airlines etc?

 

[SecondCor521]

OK... DW and I are 'approved'... just need to stop by for the interview... I have read it is not a big thing so that is good..

BUT, do you get anything? IOW, some card etc. to show you have it? Or do you put it in your profile at the airlines etc?

When I got it (years ago), they mailed me a little wallet-sized card that has my picture on it. There's also a KTN or "Known Traveler Number" on the card which is what you can put into your frequent flyer profiles or on your purchased tickets that will give you TSA precheck.

I think there's a way to get your KTN before you get the card.

Yeah, the interview is no big deal. Basically, "Are you a terrorist?" "No" "OK, then." The biggest thing is getting the interview appointment, which vary quite a bit in terms of availability depending on what airports you have nearby.

 

[cathy63]

OK... DW and I are 'approved'... just need to stop by for the interview... I have read it is not a big thing so that is good..

BUT, do you get anything? IOW, some card etc. to show you have it? Or do you put it in your profile at the airlines etc?

Yes, you get a card with your photo on it in the mail. You use that at land crossings and sea ports. Some airports are actually land crossings (i.e. Vancouver, CBX Tijuana), so it's not a bad idea to carry the card. It's also a Real ID for use at TSA checkpoints.

You enter your known traveler number, which is on the card and in your Trusted Traveler account in your airline profiles.

 

[audreyh1]

OK... DW and I are 'approved'... just need to stop by for the interview... I have read it is not a big thing so that is good..

BUT, do you get anything? IOW, some card etc. to show you have it? Or do you put it in your profile at the airlines etc?

You don’t need to carry your card unless you are crossing a US land border or returning from an overseas cruise. The card gets you in a fast return lane. Note that you still have to carry your passport or passport card for entry into another country.

Your conditional approval letter already had your KTN Known Traveler Number and it will be ready to use after you complete your interview. Then add it to your airline profiles. You’ll get boarding passes with TSA Pre-check on them making airport security faster and less hassle.

 

[SecondAttempt]

Whenever I've returned to the US, there has always been a two step process: immigration and customs. IIRC immigration is first, and customs is second.

Global Entry is just for the immigration part to allow you as a US citizen back home. After you breezed through immigration, there should have been an area for customs. What I've seen in the past is two doors, one for "nothing to declare" meaning I'm good and under the limits for everything. There's another door, and if you have something to declare, I think you can go through that one and there are booths or kiosks with customs folks who would presumably be willing to take your filled out customs form, question you, and take your payment if appropriate.

That second customs step is often pretty low key and most/many folks just cruise through the "nothing to declare" way, so it's possible that you didn't notice it. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't there at your border entry point.

As an aside, FWIW I looked at the customs declaration form and didn't see any reference to an annual limit, although a CBP page did talk about frequent travelers and the $200 exclusion. Other than that, I've always understood the limits to be per trip - maybe I didn't read the rules carefully or maybe they've changed or maybe you're right. But I never bring anything back other than maybe some trinket souvenir type items and never even get close to the limits.

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

I'm familiar with the red and green lines and I understand the difference between immigration and customs. In this case, they gave us a laminated card as we literally walked through immigration. Then after getting our bags we waited in line at customs for maybe 3 minutes. They were fast because they were just passing everyone with the GE card. Other folks had their form and the agent would give it a quick glance then either send them to the inspection line or pass them.

Don't get me wrong, it was a much more pleasant experience than times past so I'm not complaining. If I had more than a liter of liquor I would have verbally stated that to the agent. But they have made it so seemless it seems like they have made it too easy to accidently violate. The duty is not an issue to me. I just don't want to lose GE over a stupid process.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I’m not sure about annual limits.

I think I was wrong about annual limits. As near as I can tell there is a $200 limit every 30 days. There have been times when I was close to that. This trip I thought the limit was $400. But at $200 I was close to it I had 2 half liter bottles of specialty liqueurs that are impossible to find here. That was close to $100 alone. Between the two of us we had at least another $100 in trinkets, winter clothes we bought, and so forth. We were well under the household limit though.

I guess it is nothing to worry about in the future and I will just speak up if I think I'm over the limit.

 

[Texas Proud]

When I got it (years ago), they mailed me a little wallet-sized card that has my picture on it. There's also a KTN or "Known Traveler Number" on the card which is what you can put into your frequent flyer profiles or on your purchased tickets that will give you TSA precheck.

I think there's a way to get your KTN before you get the card.

Yeah, the interview is no big deal. Basically, "Are you a terrorist?" "No" "OK, then." The biggest thing is getting the interview appointment, which vary quite a bit in terms of availability depending on what airports you have nearby.

Not sure if they had it back then but now you do not have to schedule an appt... you stop by when you return from overseas and get your interview right then...

 

[frank05]

You don’t need to carry your card unless you are crossing a US land border or returning from an overseas cruise. The card gets you in a fast return lane. Note that you still have to carry your passport or passport card for entry into another country.

Your conditional approval letter already had your KTN Known Traveler Number and it will be ready to use after you complete your interview. Then add it to your airline profiles. You’ll get boarding passes with TSA Pre-check on them making airport security faster and less hassle.

Also if you get a new passport, go to the Global Entry website and update your information.

 

[audreyh1]

Also if you get a new passport, go to the Global Entry website and update your information.

That’s right, you have to update your passport info in your online global entry account when you get a new one. Also your new drivers license- update the new dates. Fortunately the KTN doesn’t change.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I got the "dog" treatment returning from Canada a few years ago. Customs was a breeze (no GE at the time) but the DEA or whomever carried automatic weapons and they didn't look friendly. They had me pop the trunk and the dog sniffed. They asked me how much cash I was carrying and then let me go.

In 2019 at the Houston airport as we were boarding a flight to Europe, a customs agent accosted me in the jetway and demanded I tell her how much cash I had. I truthfully told her "about $800 between dollars and euros" and she let me go. Now, what bothers me so much about this is the potential risk it put me in since other passengers could hear. Let's say I said $9000 and someone heard that. Customs was setting me up to be rolled on arrival as I left the airport. I personally find that unacceptable but there is nothing I can do about it. I completely understand the need to combat money laundering and enforce currency controls. But whatever moron approved the tactic of public interrogation in jetways before international flights needs to be fired for stupidity!