Outward Bound - From the United States

1.  Must file an International Flight Plan.  If you know your return date, file a second flight plan from the foreign AOE to a US-AOE.
(we will discuss why on your return "Northbound" flight)

2.  Must have U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets for each person on board.

3.  Activate your out-bound flight plan before leaving the U.S.

4.  Your first landing must be at an Airport of Entry to clear Customs and Immigration.

5.  Prior to landing, close your flight plan.  If unable to close in the air, use 1-800-WX-BRIEF.

6.  Have all documents prepared in advance if possible.  It makes life easier for everyone.

7. Be cooperative with customs and immigrations.  They will assist you if you have any questions.

Inward Bound - To the United States

1.  You must file an international flight plan when leaving for the United States and request that they advise US customs unless you filled it prior to leaving the U.S. 

2.  Depart for the US.

3.  Contact US Flight Service as soon as possible via radio to both amend your arrival time and open your flight plan. (remember the second flight plan you filed prior to leaving the US?)

Big rule: You must give US Customs one hour notice prior to landing, however, you can amend a flight plan with thirty minutes notice so.... by filing your return when leaving the US and then amending it in the air, you can cross thirty minutes sooner. It has been said that the fine for breaking the one hour rule can be up to US$5,000 however it have never heard of this being assessed.

4.  US Flight Service will give you a squawk code to use until crossing the border.

5.  Close your flight plan (in the air is ok) prior to landing at your US-AOE
6.  Taxi to Customs and all must stand by your aircraft until directed otherwise by a US Customs agent. (bathroom trips must wait and it can be tough)
7.  If you bring prohibited food, like fruit, bread, etc., this is an excellent time to eat up because if you don't, there is a good chance you will have to toss it.
8.  To speed things up and look like someone who knows what they are doing, it is best to have your general form (8 1/2 x 11) filled out prior to landing.

Documents, identification, and paperwork needed for a U.S. citizen to travel internationally.

If traveling in the Western Hemisphere, (Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central and South America) a U.S. citizen should have either a valid U.S. Passport OR a certified copy of their birth certificate or baptismal record with current photo identification issued by a government agency (state I.D. card, driver's license, Military I.D.). (Minors under the age of 14 are not required to show a photo ID, State Departments of Motor Vehicles will usually provide a non-driver's license for people 14 and older. Public School photos are also acceptable.)

There is a proposal to require Passports for air and sea passengers traveling to the Caribbean, Central and South America that will take effect on December 31, 2005. Under this same proposal, Passports will be required for air and sea passengers traveling to Canada or Mexico starting December 31, 2006, and for land travel to Canada or Mexico starting December 31, 2007. When the proposal is formally adopted, the CBP website will make that announcement.

If traveling from outside the Western Hemisphere, all U.S. citizens MUST present a passport, including children. Due to heightened security it is strongly recommended that U.S. citizens also present their passports - if they have one - even when returning from travel only to Canada or Mexico. (Some airlines require a passport even for travel to another country in the Western Hemisphere and will not let you board without it. Call to make sure you know their requirements.)

If a U.S. citizen does not have a passport or a certified copy of a birth certificate, the following may be accepted as proof of citizenship: - A U.S. state or federal government-issued birth record (note: hospital-issued birth certificates are not acceptable) or baptismal record. If a U.S. citizen child was recently born, and no copy of the birth certificate is available, bring whatever paperwork the hospital has given you as a record of the birth. If you do not have a certified copy of your birth certificate, one can be requested from the Vital Records office in the State where you were born.

Laminated Birth Certificates are not useful for purposes of establishing citizenship because it is impossible to determine if the seal is raised (an attribute of a certified copy).- Certificate of Citizenship, or Certificate of Naturalization [note: notarized photocopies or notarized fax copies of such certificates are acceptable, but affidavits of citizenship and voter registrations are not).

Neither of the above will be acceptable unless accompanied by a government issued ID.

At this time, there is no legal requirement for U.S. citizens to present ID for re-entry into the U.S. However, If you travel internationally in the Western Hemisphere without any of the above documents, be prepared for very long delays while CBP Officers attempt to verify your citizenship. Such research is very time consuming and places a heavy burden on CBP Officers whose time could be better spent identifying travelers who are trying to enter the U.S. unlawfully.

For information about what documents are required for a U.S. resident to enter a foreign country, we advise you to contact the embassy or consulate general of the country you intend to travel to in order to find out what documents they require you to have for entry. It is important to understand that some Western Hemisphere countries require you to have a passport for entry into their country, even though the U.S. does not require you to have one to re-enter the U.S.

What You Must Declare

Items you purchased and are carrying with you upon return to the United States.

You must state on the CBP declaration, in U.S. currency, what you actually paid for each item. The price must include all taxes. If you did not buy the item yourself—for example, if it is a gift—get an estimate of its fair retail value in the country where you received it. If you bought something on your trip and wore or used it on the trip, it’s still dutiable. You must declare the item at the price you paid or, if it was a gift, at its fair market value.

Joint Declaration
Family members who live in the same home and return together to the United States may combine their personal exemptions. This is called a joint declaration. For example, if Mr. and Mrs. Smith travel overseas and Mrs. Smith brings home a $1,000 piece of glassware, and Mr. Smith buys $600 worth of clothing, they can combine their $800 exemptions on a joint declaration and not have to pay duty.

Children and infants are allowed the same exemption as adults, except for alcoholic beverages.

Register Items Before You Leave the United States
If your laptop computer was made in Japan – for instance – you might have to pay duty on it each time you brought it back into the United States, unless you could prove that you owned it before you left on your trip. Documents that fully describe the item—such as sales receipts, insurance policies, or jeweler's appraisals—are acceptable forms of proof.

To make things easier, you can register certain items with CBP before you depart— including watches, cameras, laptop computers, firearms, and CD players—as long as they have serial numbers or other unique, permanent markings. Take the items to the nearest CBP office and request a Certificate of Registration (CBP Form 4457) ( ports ) . It shows that you had the items with you before leaving the United States and all items listed on it will be allowed duty-free entry. CBP officers must see the item you are registering in order to certify the certificate of registration. You can register items with CBP at the international airport from which you’re departing. Keep the certificate for future trips.

User Fee Decals

Introduction
The Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1985 authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect fees on incoming commercial vehicles, private aircraft, and private vessels. You are required to pay the fee if:

There is more detailed information related to the requirements of the User Fee Decal in 19 CFR 24.22. For 2005, the costs of the CBP User Fee Decals are as follows:

Required Information
 

Aircraft: Company or owner name, address, telephone number, manufacturer's name, year, and tail number.

Options for Applying for Decals
Online - Whether you are ordering decals for the first time, or you are renewing your decals, you can do so by applying online. If you prefer to use this method to renew your decals, you should disregard the renewal package you will receive in the mail. Applying online is fast, easy, and the system is very user friendly. (To receive your order in 4 to 6 days, use a "ship to" address in the United States and select the expedited shipping option.)

Note: Your web browser must be set for 128 bit encryption to apply for decals online.

If you would like to apply for your 2005 decals online, please copy and paste the following link into your browser:

https://tradelinks4.mellon.com/cbp/Dispatcher

Or, click on "Apply Online for Decal" in the "on the web" section at the right of this screen.

All Information on the CF-339 Must be Complete. No abbreviations are permitted, except certain universally accepted address elements, i.e., state or province, street, drive, avenue, and the like. Applicants from Canada and Mexico should take care not to use abbreviations common only to their particular country as application processors may not be familiar with them. If your address is not clear, the issuance of the decals will be delayed.

Refunds
As indicated in previous years, there will be no refunds. Please ensure the accuracy of your order to avoid duplication. Once the decal has been issued, the transaction is final. You may be eligible for other options (See Exchanges).

Replacements
When an aircraft decal has been damaged due to repair or repainting, the following documents must be submitted to obtain a new decal:

1. A copy of the CF339 that was returned to you with the decal number assigned.
2. A copy of the paid repair or repaint bill that is signed by the company that did the work, with the company's name and address on the signed invoice or letterhead.
3. Identify any name or tail number changes.
4. A signed statement with a brief explanation of the circumstances that required the repair or repainting, with a contact name and telephone number.

Exchanges
Because a decal is assigned to a specific conveyance, it cannot be transferred to another conveyance. CBP will exchange a decal/transponder for a different conveyance if a written request is postmarked no later than 30 calendar days after it was issued*.

Decal exchanges - The following documentation must be submitted for decal exchanges:

1. The UNUSED decal.
2. A new CBP application (CF339 form) for the vessel or aircraft that will be assigned the replacement decal.

Payment
PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE PAYABLE TO CBP AND DRAWN ON A UNITED STATES BANK IN U.S. DOLLARS. FUNDS DRAWN ON A FOREIGN BANK IN U.S. FUNDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. PAYMENTS THAT DO NOT MEET THIS CRITERION WILL BE RETURNED TO THE APPLICANT UNPROCESSED.

CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH VISA, MasterCard, American Express OR DISCOVER.

Delivery Options

There are various mailing options available for the delivery of decal orders. The applicant is responsible for the cost of the optional shipping method requested. Selection of the optional shipping method will require a second payment instrument or an additional charge to the credit card for the additional cost involved. Applications will be returned when there is only one payment instrument for the decal order and the optional shipping costs. As used below, the term "per application" for the purpose of determining shipping costs is defined as the same name and "ship to" address for all the decals requested, regardless of quantity.

If your "ship to" address is within the United States, your shipping options are:

1. Standard first class mail. This will be the method used to ship your decal order unless you select the expedited shipping option. CBP will provide first class mail service at no cost to the customer.
2. Expedited next business day delivery (street addresses only - no P.O. Boxes). There is an additional cost of $6.00 per application for this service and it will require 2 payment instruments; 1 for the decals, and 1 for the shipping. If a credit card is the method of payment, CBP will place 2 charges against the card; 1 for the decals, and 1 for the shipping.

If your "ship to" address is located in Canada, your shipping options are:

1. Standard first class mail. This will be the method used to ship your decal order unless you select the expedited option. CBP will provide first class mail service at no cost to the customer.
2. Expedited mail service is available (Approximately 3 business days, street addresses only - no P.O. Boxes). This may be used for Canadian "ship to" addresses. There is an additional cost of $11.00 per application for this service, and will require 2 payment instruments; 1 for the decals, and 1 for the shipping. If a credit card is the method of payment, CBP will place 2 charges against the card; 1 for the decals, and 1 for the shipping.

If your "ship to" address is located in Mexico, your shipping options are:

1. Standard first class mail. This will be the method used to ship your decal order unless you select the registered mail option. CBP will provide first class mail service at no cost to the customer.
2. The U.S. Postal Service's Registered Mail. This may be used for "ship to" addresses in Mexico. There is an additional cost of $8.00 per application, and will require 2 payment instruments; 1 for the decals, and 1 for the shipping. If a credit card is the method of payment, CBP will place 2 charges against the card; 1 for the decals, and 1 for the shipping.

Applicants requesting "ship to" addresses not located in the United States, Canada, or Mexico will receive their decal orders via the U.S. Postal Service's first class mail, paid for by CBP. It is permissible to designate a "ship to" address within the United States, even though your residence or business address is elsewhere. This will allow you to request the overnight courier option available for an U.S. address, if you wish.