How Does Immigration feel.....

[jax]

about one bringing back foodstuffs from Europe such as Belgium chocolates. French sea salt. rose petal preserves. Will they have a hissy fit and make me discard them. Of course, I could just consume while on board and bring them back to the States in that manner. Ha.ha.ha.

[juliecat]

Immigration doesn't care what you bring in with you, but customs sometimes does.:D

 

Everything on your list sounds fine. You probably won't even be asked any questions unless you have a very high declaration or the dogs show interest in your bags (or it's just your unlucky day). Just don't try to bring back fresh foods or plants, meat products, endangered species (or parts thereof).

 

J

[pris993]

We bring back chocolates all the time. No fresh flruit, meat etc. are allowed.

 

Did bring back some spices. The little dog was interested when we went thru customs, so had to open our bags. The spices were in such a small container, person checking never found them. Don't know if that's what the dog hit on or not.

[capnpugwash]

I can't remember there being a customs area at Brooklyn, the Immigration officer stamps the customs form and then just puts it on the pile of them on his desk. I have never seen dogs or customs staff there. There are no desks just a straight corridor behind the Immigration Officer's desk's, which leads straight to the street exit.

[ColumbiaSC]

The important thing is to answer the question correctly about what you are bringing into America. One of the items to choose is "food." A small package of chocolates is "food," as is a small package of peanuts. A roll of breath mints is "food." The amount doesn't matter. Just say yes if you have anything that can be eaten. There is no problem, but the Immigration officer doesn't like it if you didn't say you had "food" on the declaration form and you smell of chocolate-covered cherries and have one in your carry-on.

[Porthopper2009]

This reminds me of something that happened on our last cruise. My husband smokes a pipe. He had two pounds of tabacco with us. In New Zealand, the Australia immigration boarded the ship. They distributed immigration forms and every time we turn on the TV, there is the video explaining the Australian’s law and penalties. Each person is allowed 4 oz of tabacco. My husband has two pounds. I was worried and wondering how to get rid of the tabacco. I thought about giving it to our room steward to throw it away, but then I did not want him to get in trouble. The next day we went down to the grand lobby, we saw a beagle dog with the Australian’s immigration officers. That night I woke in the middle of the night I could not find my husband anywhere. He came back to the room around 3:00 a.m. I asked him where have he been? He said”Damn beagle!” The beagle never came into the room and everything was fine.

 

I am not happy with his smoking. I am happy that he is a considerate smoker. He never smokes inside the house or around anyone.

 

Have a great day.

 

Marie

[Jimsgirl]

Oh dear, this is a very (to me ) upsetting posting, I have to wait at airport for my flight, as I have wheel assist, walking (with carryon luggage)to a cafe is not really an option, so I thought to take a packet of Biscoff biscuits with me from home save them until return trip, then the night before snag some fresh fruit (banana or such like )from the Kings Court, and eat this at the gate.

 

Seems from posting that these items will count as food -especially the banana and that I will be in trouble in the terminal.

 

Travelling is so difficult these days, especially for those without a partner, eederly, or those not so mobile as they once were.

 

Guess I will just have to go hungry. In Terminal 4 at JFK I have only seen a sit down cafe . Biscoff biscuits and a piece of fruit would have been ideal.

 

Lynn

[jax]

Lynn, I think most of these government fiats apply to international travel. You'll be o.k. on domestic flights to bring a snack or "tide-me-over." Others on the boards will soon point out if I'm wrong though. I've packed candy last November and it wasn't snatched by the powers that be. I was going to go by train for our next adventure to avoid the inhumane treatment dispensed at airports. Had to change my mind though after reading reviews of the purgatory to be found at Penn Station. So it is back to Laguardia for me. And it's quite civilized as opposed to the Atlanta, Miami, New Jersey airports so am thankful for small blessings.

[garigoun]

. Had to change my mind though after reading reviews of the purgatory to be found at Penn Station.

 

Eeeek, what's the problem at Penn Station? I ask 'cos we will be using it in April to get to Miami.

An Apprehensive Gari

[lannp]

There's no problem with packaged food such as cookies. It's just fresh fruit, plants, etc.

I routinely bring back packaged cakes from Marks & Spencer, boxes of tea and once asked about it. I was told it wasn't a problem it's the fresh things that can carry insects, etc they are concerned about.

This is no different than the warning when you visit a port which states you must not take food from the ship ashore, especially fruit.

[jax]

[/u][/b][/color]

 

Eeeek, what's the problem at Penn Station? I ask 'cos we will be using it in April to get to Miami.

An Apprehensive Gari

 

 

You all are probably "fleet of foot" but after reading some comments/reviews of Penn Station at "www.yelp.com" I decided that this old lady better go with the devil she knows.,i.e., Laguardia. But torment like beauty is much in the eye of the beholder.

[ColumbiaSC]

I did not mean to imply and didn't say that that there any PROBLEM with bringing chocolates, cakes, candies into America ---- the only PROBLEM or delay is when you do not DECLARE that you are bringing food into the country. Processed foods are fine.

[Q-step]

We have brought back food from Europe with few problems. Although mostly by plane. We tried on the QM2, but had eaten most of the good stuff by the time we got to NYC and left the rest in our room.

 

Most processed foods are fine. Even cheeses and hard sausages. We have had soft cheese like mozzarella rejected though. They don't allow fruit, uncured meats and vegetables. The agents are a bit stricter if you’re travelling to California and Hawaii than for New York. And ColumbiaSC is correct. Customs agents take not filling out the form honestly as a bigger problem than having a banana in your pocket. (Even if you are glad to see them.)

[Bigmike911]

about one bringing back foodstuffs from Europe such as Belgium chocolates. French sea salt. rose petal preserves. Will they have a hissy fit and make me discard them. Of course, I could just consume while on board and bring them back to the States in that manner. Ha.ha.ha.

Jax there are two answers to this.

 

If your flying, it pretty much means NO FOOD. But, as others have commented, the disembarkment and customs activities in NYC are pretty benign. You can bring back pretty much what you want. Be careful what you put on your customs declaration. If you say food or chocs. count on a search and forfit. Say presents or the like.

 

If your return to JAX is via the train your home free. If your flying, be sure you check your bags with the food inside, if your found with food in your carry on, your in for a hassle. The rule is you can buy food after air security, but you cannot bring it though.

 

Don't bring any sausages, they're a dead give away.

 

Best Mike.

[garigoun]

This is a vexed question, what if the food is wrapped, processed, tinned etc.etc.does that count? There will always be ways of avoiding or circumventing the regulations for those willing to risk the delay, embarrassment or even prosecution for that special tin of biscuits or the apple in the pocket, just in case you feel peckish. And while the rules may seem, and indeed often are, draconian, (anyone flying into Australia can vouch for this) they are based on a real fear. Supposing, just supposing that that piece of fruit you take off the boat to keep you from starving on the way to the airport is carrying a type of rust or blight or mildew hitherto unknown in your country. The results could be more disastrous than half a dozen terrorist attacks. Supposing you are from California and your actions wipe out the grape crop or the potato crop in, is it Idaho famous for potatoes? Ok so you could argue that you could as easily take something in on your shoe, and so you could, but the food rules are at least an attempt to keep the food supply in your own country as safe as is possible by ruling out an obvious danger and a danger that can be avoided if only people would act sensibly. The other argument is that foodstuffs are imported anyway, and so they are but there are stringent regulations in place concerning these imports. And an example of what happens when food regulations are ignored can be found in the Foot and Mouth epidemic that hit the UK some few years ago. One guy on a little farm in the back end of nowhere cut some corners and the country was ablaze from end to end for months with hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep being burned. The possible consequences of even minor infractions in this area are enormous. The only safest way to take food back to your own country is in your stomach.

I preach the counsel of perfection I know but I make no apology, one day there will be an agricultural disaster somewhere and it will be caused by some little old lady taking a sandwich off a cruise boat.

An Apocolyptical Gari

[Cruachan]

The only safest way to take food back to your own country is in your stomach.

 

 

 

One does one's best :)

 

J

[thranite]

one day there will be an agricultural disaster somewhere and it will be caused by some little old lady taking a sandwich off a cruise boat.

 

Gari,

You are clearly in possession of some knowledge that would be useful to immigration authorities worldwide. I am reliably informed that there is a group of said fine officers making their way to Goun Towers, all wanting the name of the little old lady, her port of embarkation, the type of sandwich, the vessel concerned and the proposed port of disembarkation. They are also keen to discover the provenance of your information.

If we do not hear from you, we shall assume that you have been arrested for subversive and terrorist activities.

 

:eek:

[garigoun]

One does one's best :)

 

J

 

James, I know the country, nay the world, can safely rely on you. Your self sacrifice in the cause of right is legendary.

Gari

[garigoun]

Gari,

You are clearly in possession of some knowledge that would be useful to immigration authorities worldwide. I am reliably informed that there is a group of said fine officers making their way to Goun Towers, all wanting the name of the little old lady, her port of embarkation, the type of sandwich, the vessel concerned and the proposed port of disembarkation. They are also keen to discover the provenance of your information.

If we do not hear from you, we shall assume that you have been arrested for subversive and terrorist activities.

 

:eek:

I know what I know. Should I become one of the 'Disappeared' however I know I can rely on you and James and sundry others to form a pressure group dedicated to freeing 'The Yorkshire One'. As for the little old lady, look about you, they are legion. And who knows what they have secreted in their capacious reticules. Perhaps even a loaded Kiwi fruit.

A Nervous Gari

[Jimsgirl]

The little old lady arrested for being too feisty will most likely be me! Ask the Board of the Condo where I live, I am always asking "inconvenient " questions!!

 

Thank you original poster, I did intend to take food for the plane (there and back) and would really have been in trouble.

 

Oh well now I will go without on the flight home, (after stuffing myself for 17 days on QM2) but this injunction now gives me a perfectly good excuse to buy a snack at Dunkin Donuts after secutiry at Ft Myers airport on my flight to New York. Fat stomach, not my fault , the Govnt/Home Security made me do it!

[rsquare]

The important thing is to answer the question correctly about what you are bringing into America. One of the items to choose is "food." A small package of chocolates is "food," as is a small package of peanuts. A roll of breath mints is "food." The amount doesn't matter. Just say yes if you have anything that can be eaten. There is no problem, but the Immigration officer doesn't like it if you didn't say you had "food" on the declaration form and you smell of chocolate-covered cherries and have one in your carry-on.

 

Actually, I got different advice from a US Agriculture department inspector. Because of my wife's shameful addiction, I always return from trips to Britain copiously loaded with bottles of Cadbury's Hightlights, the best low calorie hot chocolate mix in the world. I don't really think of them as food, but on one flight back I spent too much time reading the small print on the US Customs declaration form, and I checked the "food" box. This got me diverted to a Department of Agriculture inspector at PHL who was quite annoyed to discover that my "food" was processed and in sealed bottles. He in effect told me never to bother Agriculture inspectors with this sort of thing again. And I haven't.

[tg_lindo]

It just occurred to me that tea and spices might be considered plant material. Or does the drying process count as processing?

 

Hawaii cruise was funny (Celebrity, not Cunard). Security didn't search anyone except in Kona. I had "ogo" packaged seaweed (used in 'poke' island recipe) and a small tub of poke - raw tuna marinated in soy sauce. I tried to (pleasantly) argue that the soy sauce would kill any contaminants ... my best rhetorical skills were unsuccessful and I ate the poke on the pier surrounded by auto exhaust fumes. Good times.