The U.S. Customs and Border Protection office issued a series of questions and answers for travelers leaving the United States.

Q: What documents do I need to travel to another country or be readmitted into the United States?

    You must check with your destination’s country embassy or consulate to find out which documents are required to enter their country.  To reenter the United States you generally must have a passport or proof of residency such as a birth certificate or green card.

Q: How do I apply for a passport?

    Passports are issued by the Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

 Q: I am here on a Visa. Can I leave and come back into the United States?

    A: There are many types of visas issued to visitors to the United States. Each visa has certain restrictions placed on it. The Office of Consular Affairs has general information about travel restrictions associated with each visa, and you should contact them about the terms of your particular visa. As a general rule, travel to Canada or Mexico is permitted if you are here on a B1 or B2 Business or Visitors visa. If you wish to change your status or extend your length of stay, you should contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Q: What can I take into France, China, etc.?

    Each country’s laws are different. Check with the nearest consulate office for information on a particular country that you will be visiting. The airlines that fly to the country you are interested in may also be of assistance.

Q: How can I get my VAT refunded?

    As a general rule, you must obtain your VAT (value added tax) refund as you are leaving the country where you paid VAT as part of the purchase price of an item. Most countries will not refund the tax after you have departed their country. If you want a VAT refund, you should plan on extra time at the airport or land border departure point to have the refund paperwork processed. Some countries will allow you to obtain refunds by mail for the VAT you pay in the stores if you have the proper form stamped by Customs at the airport. Many American tourists understand this requirement to mean that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the validating agency. This is not true. The only agency that can validate a VAT form is an agency of the country where the purchase was made. The visitor must allow extra time before departing to have their form stamped. Some countries have kiosks in the airport for this purpose. In others, the visitor must seek out the Customs office.

Q: Why was I charged duty on my duty-free purchases?

     Many travelers are confused by the term duty-free as it relates to merchandise they buy in duty-free shops. Buying an item in a duty-free shop does not mean that you will not have to pay duty on the item when you take it into your destination country. It only means that the item you are buying does not reflect the cost of duty or taxes that would have been added to the item if it had been formally imported into the country where the duty-free shop is located.

Q: Why did U.S. Customs and Border Protection take my food?

    Because CBP Officers are stationed at ports of entry and along our land and sea borders, and they are often called upon to enforce laws and requirements of other government agencies. This is done to protect community health, preserve domestic plant and animal life, etc. Many fruits and vegetables are either prohibited from entering the United States or require an import permit. Every fruit or vegetable must be declared to the Customs officer and must be presented for inspection, no matter how free of pests it appears to be. Failure to declare all food products can result in civil penalties. Meats, livestock, poultry, and their by-products are either prohibited or restricted from entering the United States, depending on the animal disease condition in the country of origin. Fresh meat is generally prohibited from most countries. Canned, cured, or dried meat is severely restricted from most countries. Bakery items and all cured cheeses are generally admissible.

Q: How can I prove I didn’t buy my watch/camera during my trip outside the United States?

  Foreign-made personal articles taken abroad are subject to duty each time they are brought back into the United States unless you have acceptable proof of prior possession. Documents which fully describe the article, such as a bill of sale, insurance policy, jeweler’s appraisal, or receipt for purchase, may be considered reasonable proof of prior possession. Items such as watches, cameras, compact disc players, or other articles which may be readily identified by a permanently affixed serial number or marking, may be taken to the CBP office nearest you and registered before your departure. The Certificate of Registration (CBPF 4457) that you will be given will expedite the free entry of these items when you return. Keep the certificate as it is valid for as long as you own the article(s).