Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cooked meats, and canned goods) and plants (vegetables, seeds, tropical plants,
and the like). Foreign tourists may bring in or take out up to $10,000 in U.S.
or foreign currency with no formalities; larger sums must be declared to U.S.
Customs on entering or leaving, which includes filing Form CM 4790. For
more specific information regarding U.S. Customs and Border Protection, con-
tact your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, or the
U.S. Customs
office
(
&
202/927-1770;
www.customs.ustreas.gov).
WHAT YOU CAN TAKE HOME
U.K. citizens returning from a non-E.U. country
have a Customs allowance
of: 200 cigarettes; 50 cigars; 250g of smoking tobacco; 2 liters of still table wine;
1 liter of spirits or strong liqueurs (over 22% volume); 2 liters of fortified wine,
sparkling wine, or other liqueurs; 60cc (ml) perfume; 250cc (ml) of toilet water;
and £145 worth of all other goods, including gifts and souvenirs. People under
17 cannot have the tobacco or alcohol allowance. For more information, con-
tact HM Customs & Excise at
&
0845/010-9000
(from outside the U.K., 020/
8929-0152), or consult the website at www.hmce.gov.uk.
For a clear summary of
Canadian
rules, request the booklet
I Declare,
issued
by the
Canada Border Services Agency
(
&
800/461-9999
in Canada, or 204/
983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/). Canada allows its citizens a C$750 exemp-
tion, and you're allowed to bring back duty-free one carton of cigarettes, 1 can
of tobacco, 40 imperial ounces of liquor, and 50 cigars. (Age requirements for
tobacco are set by the province or territory where you enter Canada). In addi-
tion, you're allowed to mail gifts to Canada valued at less than C$60 a day, pro-
vided they're unsolicited and don't contain alcohol or tobacco. (Write on the
package “Unsolicited gift, under $60 value.”) All valuables should be declared
on the Y-38 form before departure from Canada, including serial numbers of
valuables you already own, such as expensive foreign cameras.
Note:
The $750
exemption can only be used once a year and only after an absence of 7 days.
The duty-free allowance in
Australia
is A$400 or, for those under 18, A$200.
Citizens age 18 and over can bring in 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of loose
tobacco, and 1,125 milliliters of alcohol. If you're returning with valuables you
already own, such as foreign-made cameras, you should file Form B263. A help-
ful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is
Know
Before You Go.
For more information, call the
Australian Customs Service
at
&
1300/363-263,
or log on to www.customs.gov.au.
The duty-free allowance for
New Zealand
is NZ$700. Citizens over 17 can
bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture of all
three if their combined weight doesn't exceed 250g); plus 4.5 liters of wine and
beer, or 1.125 liters of liquor. New Zealand currency does not carry import or
export restrictions. Fill out a certificate of export, listing the valuables you are
taking out of the country; that way, you can bring them back without paying
duty. Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand
consulates and Customs offices:
New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers,
Notice no. 4.
For more information, contact
New Zealand Customs,
The Cus-
tomhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (
&
0800/428-786
or
04/473-6099; www.customs.govt.nz).
HEALTH INSURANCE
Although it's not required of travelers, health insurance is highly recommended.
Unlike many European countries, the United States does not usually offer free
or low-cost medical care to its citizens or visitors. Doctors and hospitals are
