Warning - when bringing US cash through US Customs/Immigration

[suarezn]

10K per family, you cannot give money to family members, it still counts to the total. Now a group of friends that's different carrying split money is different, each one is entitled to US$10,000 on it's own.

Only if each one declares it...or carry less than 10k (even if it's just a few bucks). In addition if it's apparent they're together the government could very easily go over that fine line and claim that since they're obviously traveling together they should have declared it as one...and then the onus is on you to prove otherwise.

I know a guy whom back in the days took 150k USD with him, his wife and a "niece". He was in the "pharmaceutical" business back in those days. I couldn't believe his stupidity...mind you that back in those days there were tons or Remesas and were pretty much unregulated. Luckily for him things weren't as stringent as now so he got it through.

 

[kimbjorkland]

Totally agree. And this type of activity (secretly carrying around wads of cash) is going to continue to get harder and harder to do. Who carries around more than $10k anyway (or 5 members of a family just happen to be carrying just under $10k each)? I know there will be a bunch of posts about legitimate reasons to do this (like poker players, businessmen, etc), but I suspect these are not typical cases. The more likely reason is clearly something else, and that is what they are trying to stop.

And if it is the case, just to be on the safe side (as well as legal), why not declare the money?

I agree with the advice of declare it etc, but I don't agree with this mentality that you can't have free access to your own money. Step back for a second, why should the government have a right to tell you what to do with YOUR money. How you can and can't transport it? Why should they be monitoring our every single transaction?

It's amazing how we've lost that civil liberty, and we don't even know it.

 

[Conchman]

I agree with the advice of declare it etc, but I don't agree with this mentality that you can't have free access to your own money. Step back for a second, why should the government have a right to tell you what to do with YOUR money. How you can and can't transport it? Why should they be monitoring our every single transaction?

It's amazing how we've lost that civil liberty, and we don't even know it.

I totally agree, its hard for me to believe how many people on this board are not opposed to Orwellian measures such as this. Every day we lose more rights as individuals, they chip away day by day with one thing or another. Pretty soon we will wake up in Oceania, if we're not already there.

 

[Conchman]

Did each person fill out their own form?

Again read the form (pic posted above). It clearly states that if anyone is carrying money for another person that money needs to be declared (included) in the total. Either way they would have had it confiscated if they didn't declare it. If each one had exactly 10k and didn't declare it...It would have been confiscated from each one. In addition it would have been pretty obvious someone is carrying money for someone else. The only person who wouldn't have had it taken away is if one of them had less than 10k which means at least one of the other two had more than 10k. It's just plain stupidity if you ask me.

All 3 had just less than 10K and each one filled out their own form. One of them was still arrested and all the money was confiscated - only because the customs official 'suspected' that two were carrying the money for one.

 

[rafael]

I travel through MIA a LOT and never really have issues with customs. if I am traveling with equipment I may get sent to the xray line. They xray the stuff and I am on my way. Only once in hundreds of trips was anything ever opened up and checked. I had a prototype of a new product that I had taken to south america for demos. They said I should have done a temo export and import etc. I said the product doesn't even have a SN yet. They checked the company website and saw it was made in US and that was that.

When they ask if I am bringing anything back to the US from DR I say:

1-don't drink rum, and don't smoke cigars

2-are you kidding, one of my suitcases is empty so I can bring stuff from US to DR1

if they ask if I have over 10k in cash:

1- I wish


they smile or laugh and I am on my merry way. Now the baggage handlers at MIA. . . .don't get me started. . .lol. .

 

[belmont]

All 3 had just less than 10K and each one filled out their own form. One of them was still arrested and all the money was confiscated - only because the customs official 'suspected' that two were carrying the money for one.

They can prove their innocence and claim the money quite easily. Just produce a trail for the money each carried. If they can show they drew it from their own personal sources, no problem. But, obviously they can't. The money is trailed back to the poker tournament.

 

[william webster]

All 3 had just less than 10K and each one filled out their own form. One of them was still arrested and all the money was confiscated - only because the customs official 'suspected' that two were carrying the money for one.

Do not underestimate those INS people or the customs people. They and they alone, interpret the regulations. You cannot seek arbtration from a superior. That "superior" is the court !!
My immigration lawyer cautioned me about this years ago - don't argue, just roll with it.

 

[Malibook]

I agree with the advice of declare it etc, but I don't agree with this mentality that you can't have free access to your own money. Step back for a second, why should the government have a right to tell you what to do with YOUR money. How you can and can't transport it? Why should they be monitoring our every single transaction?

It's amazing how we've lost that civil liberty, and we don't even know it.

This has nothing to do with having free access to your money.
The TSA has nothing to do with your financial institutions, safe, or mattress.

Nobody is telling you what to do with your money.

Nobody is telling you how you can and can`t transport it.

Nobody is monitoring your every single transaction.

Perhaps a logical argument can be made to back up your conclusion but your points are absurd.

 

[pedrochemical]

When you win money in a poker tourney you sign for it and get a receipt/invoice/chit.
This is all you need to show provenance. No worries.
There is no law that says you cannot travel with less than 10k, just that you have to declare it.
What possible reason could there be to have >10k without being able to show where it came from?
Unless it was a cash gift there is always a paper trail, a bank statement, a receipt copy from a car sale etc.

On the other hand, where do these guys get off telling me where I can take my personal cash?

 

[Malibook]

They can prove their innocence and claim the money quite easily. Just produce a trail for the money each carried. If they can show they drew it from their own personal sources, no problem. But, obviously they can't. The money is trailed back to the poker tournament.

Poker tournaments are legal thus any winnings are legitimate and documented.

 

[Malibook]

On the other hand, where do these guys get off telling me where I can take my personal cash?

This doesn`t make sense.

 

[pedrochemical]

Poker tournaments are legal thus any winnings are legitimate and documented.

And taxed badly depending on your nationality.....

One thing though, I am not sure how I would feel about declaring, say 15k and having to go into a small back room with a couple of underpaid Dominican customs officials to prove where I got it from.....

 

[pedrochemical]

This doesn`t make sense.

Yes it does.

 

[belmont]

Poker tournaments are legal thus any winnings are legitimate and documented.

My point exactly, the money is trailed back to one winner who distributed amongst multiple people to avoid reporting requirements. Siezure was correct as friends had no trail that money was their own.

 

[Malibook]

Yes it does.

If you think anybody can tell you where you can take your money, that is your problem.
If this makes sense to you, again, your problem.

 

[belmont]

And taxed badly depending on your nationality.....

One thing though, I am not sure how I would feel about declaring, say 15k and having to go into a small back room with a couple of underpaid Dominican customs officials to prove where I got it from.....

We're talking about declaring it on return to the US in this case.

 

[pedrochemical]

There are restrictions on travelling with large amounts of cash ergo it does make sense.

If it doesn't make sense to you then fine but say that rather than declaring that what I say does not make sense.

 

[belmont]

If you think anybody can tell you where you can take your money, that is your problem.
If this makes sense to you, again, your problem.

Nobody is telling you where you can take your money. They are telling you that you must declare it.

 

[Malibook]

My point exactly, the money is trailed back to one winner who distributed amongst multiple people to avoid reporting requirements. Siezure was correct as friends had no trail that money was their own.

My point is that this is legitimate legal cash and not drug money or some other ill-gotten cash.
If they were trying to avoid taxes, they deserve whatever happens.

 

[pedrochemical]

We're talking about declaring it on return to the US in this case.

Great.But the rules are the same in either case.
I would feel less nervous declaring it going into the states.