TTPRADARGlobal Entry gets you through the arrival hall faster. The $800 exemption, the declaration duty and the limits on alcohol, tobacco and drugs come from separate customs regulations for returning residents.
CBP's Global Entry page also says membership does not exempt you from further inspection. You can be selected for examination like anyone else.
The $800 returning resident exemption
Under 19 CFR 148.33, a returning US resident can bring in up to $800 of articles acquired abroad duty-free. The value is the aggregate fair retail value, and the articles must be for personal or household use and travel with you.
Goods you intend to sell, or acquired on commission, do not qualify. An unused portion cannot be carried over to a later trip.
Arrivals from American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands or the US Virgin Islands have a higher limit of $1,600.
The 48-hour rule
The $800 exemption requires an absence of at least 48 hours, counted to the minute (19 CFR 148.35). Direct arrivals from Mexico are the exception and qualify regardless of time abroad. The $1,600 exemption for US Virgin Islands arrivals has no time requirement.
So a weekend dash that returns at hour 47 does not get the $800 treatment, unless you arrive directly from Mexico. Your membership status does not change that.
Families
Each family member gets their own exemption. Family members in one household travelling together can group their exemptions, and items can be grouped regardless of which member owns them (19 CFR 148.34).
What you must declare
You must list all articles acquired abroad that you have with you on arrival (19 CFR 148.13). That covers gifts, purchases and anything you were given, not just items above your exemption.
Items worth $5 or less each can be grouped as "Miscellaneous" up to $50 total. Each item is valued at the price you paid or its fair retail value where you acquired it.
We could not confirm the exact wording of the kiosk or app declaration questions from a citable page, so this article does not quote them. The legal duty is the one above: list what you acquired abroad.
Alcohol and tobacco
Alcohol and tobacco count inside the $800, and the standard exemption caps them (19 CFR 148.33(d)):
- Alcohol: 1 liter, and none for anyone under 21.
- Tobacco: 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars.
Higher alcohol and cigarette limits apply to arrivals from the insular possessions. Up to 2 liters of alcohol applies to some direct arrivals from beneficiary countries. Under family grouping, a family member under 21 cannot use the group exemption for alcohol.
Medication
FDA says it is generally illegal to import drugs for personal use. There is a limited exception for serious conditions, typically capped at a three-month supply.
The exception applies where effective treatment may not be available in the US, the product is not promoted to US residents and it poses no unreasonable risk. You must also affirm in writing that it is for personal use. In addition, you need either the name and address of a US-licensed doctor or evidence the treatment began abroad.
For foreign nationals, FDA says it will allow a 90-day supply. It suggests carrying a doctor's letter, an English-language prescription, or a copy of your passport or visa. Check FDA's personal importation page for the full conditions.
Food, and what it means for your membership
We could not verify the food rules or agricultural penalties from a citable page, so we are not quoting figures. The membership risk is documented.
Under 8 CFR 235.12, CBP can remove a participant who engaged in disqualifying activity or failed to follow program terms. For applicants, a finding of violation of customs, immigration or agriculture regulations is a disqualifier. Removal is by written notice, takes effect immediately, and the application fee is not refunded.
In practice: declare the food and let the officer decide.
What this article does not cover
We left out the exemption for non-residents and any rule on repeated use of the exemption. We could not confirm either from a citable official page. Check CBP's current guidance before relying on them.
For more on how the program works, see the Global Entry guide library.