Don’t lose this form, or rather, take care of it like the apple of your eye. When leaving the United States, you will need to give this form to an airline representative. A visa you receive from an embassy or consulate does not guarantee entry into the United States. At passport control at a US airport, an INS officer decides whether to let you into the country or not. It also determines the length of stay in the United States. Typically, the period of stay for a B-1/B-2 visa is determined to be between 1 and 6 months.
If the INS inspector has any doubts about the purpose of the visa holder's entry, he usually calls a senior inspector, and the entrant undergoes a so-called secondary inspection. In this case, it is useful to have with you the main documents that were submitted at the embassy when receiving the visa. If the inspector makes a final decision to deny entry into the country, the person entering the country has two options: either comply or ask the inspector for an opportunity to appeal to an immigration judge. Technically, this is quite complex, and it is quite difficult to do without the help of an immigration lawyer. If the judge confirms the decision of the INS inspector, the plaintiff will face significant fines.
An Immigration or Naturalization Service (INS) official may ask you to register at a U.S. port of entry.
The law requires that by 2009, the Department of Homeland Security must establish a comprehensive system to record foreign visitors who enter and exit the United States each year.
The registration process consists of several main steps.
First, you will be taken to a special room in the arrival hall of the airport or at the border checkpoint. Photographs and electronic fingerprinting (without ink) will be done without attracting the attention of others, after which the border officer will ask you a few questions and conduct a basic background check.
You may be temporarily isolated from other members of your household during the registration process. They will be waiting for you in the next room. Depending on your specific circumstances, some or all other members of your household may also be required to register.
On average, the registration process takes 18 minutes.
If you are registered upon arrival and remain in the country for at least 30 days, you will be given an interview date at one of the Department of Homeland Security offices before the end of your 40-day stay. You will also be asked to inform Department of Homeland Security officials of any change of address, work or school, or date of departure from the United States.
Since December 2002, registration of citizens of individual countries who were admitted to the United States before the creation of this system began. They were asked to register with one of the Department of Homeland Security bureaus at their place of residence. After checking in, the employee will stamp your passport with a special stamp, after which you should collect your luggage and go through customs.
To clear customs, you must present your luggage and bags as requested by the US Customs inspector, as well as the customs declaration that you will fill out beforehand. Customs declaration form
How to fill out a customs declaration when entering the United States.
The territory of the USA occupies 9.4 million sq. km. Capital Washington, DC State language - English The climate in most of the territory is temperate, in the south - subtropical, continental.
Time zonesNew York, Orlando, Miami minus 8 hours Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco minus 11 hours Chicago minus 9 hours Hawaii minus 13 hoursElectricity
In the USA, the mains voltage is 100 Volts and the frequency is 60 Hertz. The razor or hair dryer you brought must have a switch, or you need to take adapters. Flight
On any flight to the USA you will be given a white card to fill out, in which you must indicate the name of the hotel (or one of the planned ones), dates and purpose of the visit. Upon arrival, the immigration service will set the period of your permitted stay in the United States. This tear-off coupon should be kept with your passport until the end of your stay and returned when leaving the country.
A flight from Moscow takes approximately
: New York 10 hours Miami 11 hours San Francisco, Los Angeles 12 hours Domestic New York - Miami (Orlando) 2.5 hours New York - Los Angeles (Las Vegas) 4.5 hours Los Angeles — Las Vegas 50 min. — 1 hour San Francisco (Los Angeles) — Hawaii 4.5 hours Official holidays
January 1 - New Year's Day 3rd Monday of January - Martin Luther King Memorial Day 3rd Monday of February - Washington's Birthday Last Monday of May - Heroes' Remembrance Day July 4th - Independence Day 1st Monday of September - Labor Day 1st Monday of October — Columbus Day 4th Thursday of November — Thanksgiving Day November 11 — Veterans Day December 25 — Christmas Day On official holidays, banks, government agencies, post offices, as well as some restaurants and stores are closed. Shops Most shops are open from Monday to Saturday from 9.30 to 18.00, large shopping centers - from 10.00 to 21.00, and on Sunday from 12.00 to 17.00. In stores, price tags indicate prices without taxes; when checking at the checkout, keep in mind that your purchase will cost price + tax (tax) 5 -12%. Measurements
Temperature - in the USA it is measured on the Fahrenheit scale; to understand it, we, who are accustomed to the Celsius scale, need to subtract 30 from the Fahrenheit temperature and divide the remainder by 2. Example: (80 - 30): 2 = 25 degrees Celsius. When renting a car, don’t get confused - 1 mile = 1.6 km. 1 pound - 454 grams pint - 0.4 liters gallon - approximately 4 liters inch - 25.4 mm acre - 0.4 hectares foot - 30.5 cm yard - 0.9 meters
Hotel
Check-out time is 12 noon. If your flight is later, you need to check out and put your luggage in the hotel storage room before leaving for the airport. Each hotel has free safes, depending on the class of the hotel, they are located either behind the reception desk or in the room. We recommend that you store valuables and money in these safes. To avoid getting lost, we recommend that you always have with you a business card of the hotel where you are staying. You can pick up a business card for free at the reception desk.
Definition of time
AM - from midnight to 12 noon PM - from 12 noon to midnight (12 AM - noon, 2 PM - 2 pm, 1 AM - 1 am) Tips
The USA is a country of tipping
. In service services (restaurants, bars, taxis, hotels, casinos) the tip is 15% of the cost of service. As a rule, tips are not included in the bill; you need to add it yourself.
In order to freely transport a pet, you must have an international veterinary certificate confirming that it does not have infectious, viral or other diseases dangerous to human health.
Strict rules have been established for the import of food products: for example, all fruits and vegetables are subject to declaration. In addition, due to periodic outbreaks of various diseases, temporary bans on meat or chicken products are possible. There is also a list of products that are always prohibited from import.
To avoid being subject to a $10,000 fine, it is recommended that you list all food items you import.
Before loading onto the plane, all your bags and suitcases will be scanned - scanned by the Security Service, and in many cases, inspected manually. If items are discovered that potentially pose a threat to flight safety or are prohibited for international transportation, the Security Service may open the baggage in the absence of the owner without his permission.
“There is nothing inevitable in life except death and taxes,” according to historians, this is what Benjamin Franklin, one of the authors of the US Declaration of Independence, said. This phrase is relevant now more than ever. By April 17, 2021, American residents must submit tax returns (Tax Return) for 2021. The most important advice in this case is to be careful and do not relax even when sending the declaration by mail, because if the address on the postal envelope is written incorrectly, it is considered that you did not send it on time. ForumDaily has prepared answers to 10 important questions for those who want to file a tax return on their own.
Usually the migration card is issued on board the plane. During the flight, passengers have time to carefully study the form and carefully fill out all its fields. However, experienced travelers download the form while at home and fill it out in advance so that there is no need to ask strangers for help while traveling.
It is not advisable to fill out a US migration card upon arrival. This will delay both you and your companions. If questions arise on the plane, airline employees are happy to answer them.
It is very important that you enter the United States with a completed document.
How to fill out a declaration for a parcel to the USA? In the document you need to enter data in the following fields:
- category of shipment (for example, “gift”, “commercial sample”, “return of goods”, “document”, “other”);
- names of the items being sent (for example, “watch”, “sneakers”);
- quantity of goods (this field must be filled in to prove the fact of theft if necessary);
- net weight of products (excluding packaging);
- cost (the price of each unit of product contained in the package is stated).
Filling out a customs declaration for a parcel to the USA requires following the following recommendations:
- use the language of the destination country;
- give objects the most precise designations;
- put your signature on the document.
Postal fees and tariffs are filled out by department employees; providing false information is not allowed. To avoid mistakes, read the instructions in advance and clarify any ambiguities with Russian Post representatives.
You can send items and products by letter, small package and parcel. The choice of shipping method depends on the weight of the product, dimensions, and strength.
I recommend that you pre-weigh the goods you intend to send to make it easier to decide on the shipping method.
The letter is intended for personal correspondence, sending documents, papers, magazines, postcards and other printed materials. Maximum weight – 2 kg. Maximum size – A4.
If you, for example, are a designer of postcards, brochures, pictures, then you can choose this method.
This is a shipment that is larger in size or weight than a letter, but the same as a letter containing paper products and printed materials: books, magazines, posters.
The maximum weight of a parcel is 5 kg. The maximum sum of three dimensions (length+width+height) is 90 cm. Or the maximum length of a parcel is 60 cm.
This is a small international parcel containing unbreakable items.
Maximum weight 2 kg. As for the sizes, the maximum sum of three dimensions (length+width+height) is 90 cm. Or the maximum length of a small package is 60 cm.
Sending small packages and parcels with stamps is cheaper than in cash.
For example, if the item weighs less than 100 grams, then you will pay 330 rubles in stamps for sending it or 396 rubles if you pay in cash at the branch.
The latest tariff changes are May 2021.
The previous tariff change was December 3, 2021.
We remind you that the designation “without VAT” means postage stamps , and “with VAT” means payment in money (cash, bank card).
Weight, g | excluding VAT, rub | with VAT, rub |
up to 100 | 330 | 396 |
101 – 250 | 450 | 540 |
251 – 500 | 690 | 828 |
501 – 1000 | 1100 | 1332 |
1001 – 2000 | 1950 | 2340 |
If you want to send something small and not very fragile abroad (for example, bracelets, earrings, keychains, bars of soap, a knitted sweater, etc.), then this method is the most optimal and inexpensive.
How to fill out a US customs declaration
Products must be packaged in such a way as to prevent damage during delivery. But you also need to take into account that customs officers may suspect something is wrong and open your parcel for inspection.
Envelopes and boxes can usually be purchased at the post office. But it’s best to do this in advance, because... on the day of sending there may not be a box or envelope of the required size and then you will have to resolve this issue in a hurry.
Once you have resolved the packaging issue, you need to fill out a customs declaration. Either download it from the same Russian Post website (at the very bottom of the page), or get it at the post office.
Addition: you can fill out the CN 23 declaration online on this resource, and then download and print it. I myself use this resource very often.
Important: the declaration is filled out in triplicate in the language accepted in the country of destination (for example, English, French, etc.). The information must be reliable and well written to avoid all sorts of misunderstandings.
A customs declaration is one of those important documents that is required to visit America. The declaration is mandatory to fill out , since without it you simply will not be allowed to enter the country. Thus, the question of the need to fill it out disappears by itself.
US customs requires that you provide only truthful information on the declaration form for security purposes. First of all, this is done for the safety of the life of the nation itself, as well as the environment. Thanks to this, the US Customs Service is also able to prevent the illegal import of goods into the country.
In the form provided, you must provide detailed information about yourself, your flight, temporary place of stay in the United States, etc. This data will help American services to identify you and, if necessary, contact you. In addition, this document contains information about the products that tourists carry with them, money, and all kinds of valuables. This will help determine whether you pose a potential threat to society and decide whether you can be allowed through the customs corridor.
Violation of the rules and regulations established by law for entry into the United States faces financial and sometimes criminal liability. Therefore, you should be especially responsible when filling out the declaration; it is better to prepare in advance.
The customs declaration is a multi-page document consisting of two parts: a main form and an additional form. Both parts are filled out by individuals aged 16 years and older if they have money or property that must be declared. The first form is aimed at filling out information about goods subject to declaration, as well as, if desired, about funds not exceeding 10 thousand USD. In turn, the second one is filled when cash is transported in excess of the limit.
What to do when you arrive in the United States
A visa received at the embassy gives you the right to cross the border of the state and stay on its territory for a certain time. As a rule, Russians arrive in America by plane. It will not be difficult to find your way around if you look around and find signs in the airport interior.
You need to go through control, which is done at the naturalization or immigration service posts. You should approach the official with documents ready to present. You may have to answer questions about your identity, purpose of arrival, etc. Be confident and answer clearly. The official asking the questions makes the final decision whether to allow you into the country or deny entry. Along with the passport and visa, he must also present a white card.
After examining the documents, the migration service inspector determines the period during which you must leave the country. It is important, even when receiving a visa, to understand that even if the permit is issued to you for three years, this does not mean that you can stay in the state for this entire period. It will be indicated on the I-94, at the bottom of the document in the “Departure Record” column, where information about your departure from the country is recorded.
As a result of the control, you will be allowed or denied entry into the United States, and the white card, among other notes, will contain useful information for you about when you must leave the United States. The migration card will be divided into two parts, the one containing the departure date will be attached to your passport and returned to you for presentation upon departure.
The final period of stay in the American state is usually set between 1 month and six months if the guest has a B-1/B-2 visa.
This is what a US B1/B2 visa looks like
If you are denied the opportunity to visit a country, it is better to comply. Another option is to go to an immigration judge. It is best to hire a lawyer, since if the judge agrees with the inspector, penalties will be taken against the applicant.
US Immigration and Customs Declaration: how to fill out without errors
US Customs, and Americans in general, do not understand why the Russians are carrying so much cash with them. The whole country keeps money in banks. We explain to the officers that it is inconvenient to pay with a Russian card here and, in general, there are a lot of reasons why it is easier for us to pay in cash.
And how could you not know that you have a thousand dollars more with you than you thought? Very often, passengers really forget that in their second wallet there were euros from a recent trip to Europe, and in another compartment there were several thousand rubles that they left for a taxi. In general, be careful when filling out the little blue piece of paper on board, and then you will have fewer questions and you will leave the airport much faster.
Advice. When the officer is talking, do not interrupt, listen to the end and calmly answer the question posed.
Many begin to panic, a million words and excuses.
The US customs officer is always right, there is no point in arguing or interrupting, you need to respect their position.
- To be or not to give birth in the USA? Prospects for the abolition of US citizenship by jus soli.
- Entering the USA with ESTA
- Restrictions on bringing cash into the USA
- Obtaining an American visa after giving birth in the USA
- Invitation from a doctor to give birth in the USA
- good to know
- FAQ
- risks
- Salt Lake City
- trips
- medicine
- prices
- USA visa
- documentation
- flight
- about Us
- about childbirth in the USA
- border
- housing
- birth with insurance
- childbirth without intermediaries
- reviews
- travel budget
- immigration
- hospitals
1. When do the new rules come into force and what items do they apply to?
The rules come into force on January 1, 2021. The new requirements apply to all goods sent abroad by individuals and legal entities.
If you do not have the opportunity to use electronic services and print out the declaration for presentation yourself, then until February 28, 2021 inclusive, you will be able to fill out a paper version of the declaration at the Post Office or when calling a courier. 2. What should I do if I do not have the opportunity to fill out a declaration on the website or in the mobile application?
At the moment, post offices and couriers do not have the ability to quickly enter data from a paper declaration into an electronic database. We are working on this task. In the meantime, a simple and convenient way to fill out an electronic customs declaration is the form on the website or mobile application of the Russian Post.
If you do not have the opportunity to use electronic services and print out the declaration for presentation yourself, then until February 28, 2021 inclusive, you will be able to fill out a paper version of the declaration at the Post Office or when calling a courier.
3. When will it be possible to digitize a declaration filled out by hand in branches?
This service will not be available in some branches until the end of February 2021 at the earliest.
If you do not have the opportunity to use electronic services and print out the declaration for presentation yourself, then until February 28, 2021 inclusive, you will be able to fill out a paper version of the declaration at the Post Office or when calling a courier.
4. Can I send a parcel and fill out an electronic declaration in the Russian Post mobile application?
Yes, the service is available to all users of the mobile application right now. Please note that you must print the completed electronic declaration yourself.
If you do not have the opportunity to use electronic services and print out the declaration for presentation yourself, then until February 28, 2021 inclusive, you will be able to fill out a paper version of the declaration at the Post Office or when calling a courier.
There is a special box for commercial shipments. These include parcels with goods sent to the counterparty as part of the transaction, regardless of their quantity and value.
- HS Code. This is a six-digit index in accordance with the WTO commodity coding system.
- Country of origin. The country in which the goods were manufactured and assembled is indicated, and not from where it is sent.
- License, certificate, invoice. If the parcel is accompanied by one or more of these documents, you need to cross out the corresponding box and enter the document number.
In the sample customs declaration, all data is filled out in accordance with modern requirements of the Russian Post. Form CN 23 is not filled out when sending parcels to Armenia. Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
To ensure the organization and improvement of postal communications and create favorable conditions in this area for the development of international cooperation, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) was created. The UPU is designed to stimulate the sustainable development of high-quality, efficient and accessible universal postal services in order to promote communication between the inhabitants of the planet (Charter of the Universal Postal Union, adopted in Vienna on July 10, 1964).
Russia is one of the members of the UPU.
Based on §5 Art. 22 of the UPU Charter approved the Rules for Written Correspondence. The forms provided for by the Regulations include the CN 23 customs declaration.
How to fill out a US customs declaration form
Here is a sample of filling out a customs declaration for a CN 23 parcel.
When sending parcels, as well as small packages and parcels, a special document is required - a customs declaration. This is exactly what the regulations of the Universal Postal Union, of which the Russian Federation is a member, require. For this reason, very often our compatriots are interested in how to fill out a customs declaration for a parcel on their own, how to do it correctly, and what advice is generally available on how to prepare this document.
This is especially popular if the cargo comes from afar, for example, from America or Europe. In this case, the parcel will be subject to customs control, and if necessary, it will be subject to customs inspection.
Important! Customs inspection is one of the forms of customs control, which means that the cargo sent in a parcel will be checked by opening the package. The second form of customs control is customs inspection, which boils down to a visual external inspection and examination of accompanying documents.
So, so that customs officers of various states do not have to constantly open the box and check it for the presence of items prohibited for shipment, a document is drawn up, which, in fact, indicates the entire contents of the parcel: type of goods, quantity and cost. This document is the customs declaration.
According to the standards of the Federal Customs Service, within a month one person has the right to duty-free receipt of goods from abroad for no more than 500 euros (this is the amount that will be established from January 1, 2021). The limitation also applies to weight. It should not exceed more than 31 kg. If these limits are exceeded, the recipient must pay tax. In this case, having a declaration will significantly simplify the work of customs officers.
It is important to fill out the declaration correctly, as customs officers will follow clear instructions, and if the package is suspicious, it will be detained at customs. In this case, receiving it may take a long time. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the design of this document.
Read more: How can a pensioner get back money spent on treatment?
As mentioned above, it is necessary to fill out a declaration when sending parcels, small packages and parcels. At the same time, when sending the last two types of items, the value of which is less than 300 SDR, you need to fill out a CN 22 declaration. But for parcels and other items whose value exceeds the specified limit, or at the sender’s request, a declaration of a different type is filled out - CN 23. Moreover, registration occurs in triplicate. It is necessary to understand what SDR means.
SDR (Special Drawing Right) is an artificial currency issued by the International Monetary Fund. It is issued exclusively in non-cash form. The exchange rate is calculated based on current exchange rates. If we talk about the dollar, then 1 USD is equal to 0.716 SDR. Accordingly, 300 SDR is 214.8 dollars.
Tips on how to fill out a customs declaration for a parcel can be found on the back of the form. There are the following recommendations for filling out:
- it is necessary to use the language of the destination country;
- give definitions and names as accurate as possible;
- providing distorted information is not allowed;
- Postal rates and fees are set by postal employees;
- the sender must put his signature.
Filling out a customs declaration for a parcel is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. You just need to carefully study the recommendations and act according to the advice.
Some rules for staying in the United States
Americans are extremely scrupulous about immigration documents, so be careful: when the deadline specified in I-94 is close, start packing your bags. You need to leave the country no later than the specified date.
If you break this rule, the next time you will have problems when preparing documents to visit the United States. Perhaps, due to the violation, this next time will not come soon.
If circumstances require you to stay on the American continent, try to contact the migration service in advance. This issue can be resolved legally. If you do not do this, you will become an illegal immigrant after your designated departure date.
Illegal immigration to the United States is severely punished. This is one of the few countries that can ban entry not for a certain time, but forever. Moreover, such sanctions may also affect the success of obtaining visas to other countries.
In addition to the migration card, a customs declaration is also filled out when crossing the border. This document is issued not for a specific person, but for the entire family.
Appearance of the US Customs Declaration
Whatever paper you fill out, be extremely careful, since the USA is a country of bureaucracy, where they can find fault with every letter, and even when there is, in fact, nothing to find fault with.