Since the open of the American travel to the Chinese citizens, more and more Chinese are planning to travel to the U.S. now. The U.S. is a totally new tourist destination for the Chinese citizens and there are some rules for the bags the travellers can bring with them.
The U.S. has no strict limits for the travellers’ daily necessities they can bring. The travellers can bring currencies (U.S. dollars or other currencies) or traveller checks with them. All you need to do is to file the Custom Declaration if it is more than 10,000 U.S. dollars. In China, lots of people don’t like to wait in line. But you will need to get used to it here in the American customs. You can choose the shortest line to save some time. Usually, the entry customs can take 1 or 2 hours, depending on the number of the travellers. Once you wait in a line, don’t change to another line. This will cause some unnecessary troubles to yourself ( you will be questioned by the customs officers ). When the officer ask you questions, just answer what they ask. Talking too much here in the customs will cause you some other troubles too. If the officers ask you to open your bags, just do it. If you are in hesitation, this will make yourself suspicious. By the American law, the customs officers don’t have the right to open your bags without your permission. But if you refuse to do the check they ask, they can get the right to open your bags. If you bring some stuffs which are not allowed to bring to the U.S., the custom officers can confiscate them if they find out. When you go through the customs, always take good care of your bags. Don’t agree to bring other people’s bags in the customs. Your kindness may be used by other people to bring dugs to the U.S.
Here are some helpful sentences for the first time travellers to the U.S. :
Your passport and declaration card, please.
Do you have anything to declare?
Please open this bag.
What are these?
These are for my personal use.
These are gifts for my friends.
This is a souvenir that I’m taking to Toronto.
Do you have any liquor or cigarettes?
Yes, I have two bottles of whisky.
The camera is for my personal use.
You’ll have to pay duty on this.
Do you have any other baggage?
OK. Please give this declaration card to that officer at the exit.
Some rules for the bags to bring to the international planes: Usually, every traveller can check in 2 bags ( for each bag: length + width + height < 158 cm, weight < 23 kg ). You can not put liquor, lighter, match, currency, stock to these bags. To prevent the lose of the bags, you can put a little card (with your name, phone number, destination city, address in it) in your bags. Other tips for your American travel: Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months when you enter the American customs. You will need to show your round-trip plane ticket to the custom officers. You will have the risk to be refused to enter to the U.S. if you only have a one-way trip ticket.