Accompanied baggage – Baggage that you have with you when you return to the United States
CBP – U.S. Customs and Border Protection was created in 2003, by combining the U.S. Customs Service, Immigration Inspection Service, Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service and the U.S. Border Patrol into one border agency.
DHS – Department of Homeland Security is the parent agency of CBP and was also created in 2003, after the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
Dutiable – Items on which duty may have to be paid. Most items have specific duty rates, which are determined by a number of factors, including where you got the item, where it was made, and what it is made of.
Duty-free – Also called the personal exemption, is the total value of merchandise you may bring back to the United States without having to pay duty.
Duty-free exemption – see Personal exemption
Flat duty rate – When determining the duty of the items a traveler brings with them upon their return to the U.S.: after the personal exemption of $200, $800 or $1,600; the next $1000 of merchandise will be charged a flat rate of duty of 1.5 percent or 3 percent.
GSP – Generalized System of Preferences, a trade program that gives duty preferences—that is, free or reduced rates—to certain developing countries.
Joint declaration – Family members who live in the same home and return together to the United States may combine their personal exemptions instead of each family member filing an individual declaration.
Personal exemption – the total value of merchandise you may bring back to the United States without having to pay duty
Prohibited Items – Items that are not allowed into the United States under any circumstances.
Restricted items – Items that are allowed into the United States but have a condition for importation. They may be limited in number or may need a license to bring into the United States.
Visa Waiver Program (VWP) - The Visa Waiver Program enables nationals of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.
