Declaring money causes great apprehension for many people, and out of a misunderstanding of the process, mistakes are made.
When entering the US, you must declare all cash, traveler’s checks and other negotiable instruments exceeding $10,000. You can do this by filling out FinCEN Form 105. The form must be filled out and presented to CBP officers before you go through passport control.
If you do not declare cash, you may be fined up to $5,000 or sentenced to 5 years in prison. In addition, you may be barred from entering the US for 3 years.
To fill out FinCEN Form 105, you may need the following information:
– Your full name;
– Date of birth;
– Citizenship;
– The purpose of your visit to the US;
– The amount of cash or monetary instruments you are carrying;
– The country of origin of the cash or monetary instruments;
– The destination country of the cash or monetary instruments;
– The purpose of the cash or monetary instruments.
After you fill out the form, a CBP officer will check your documents and cash. If they have any questions, they may ask you. If your documents are in order, you will be allowed to go through passport control.
When crossing the US border and declaring money:
– Be honest with the CBP officer;
– Have all necessary documents with you;
– Be prepared to answer the CBP officer’s questions;
– Do not try to conceal cash.
If you have any questions about declaring cash when entering the US, you can ask a CBP officer.
Each arriving traveler or responsible family member must provide the following information (only ONE written declaration per family is required). The term “family” is defined as “members of a family residing in the same household who are related by blood, marriage, domestic relationship, or adoption.”
You do not need to declare money on your debit/credit card.