General Info

[LatinaLover#1]

Where do they still have forms? Isn't it all facial recognition now? You just tell the officer what you have when they ask, or if you have something over the limit you just tell them.

"Roasted Coffee: Travelers are permitted to bring unlimited quantities of roasted coffee in their luggage without restriction through any U.S. port of entry. However, as with all agricultural products, you must declare the product at entry."

Last October,2021 True no more paper forms to fill out in any of the major cities. I may be wrong but I think I remember answering some custom questions on the kiosk. Some many trips seem to melt together anymore.

[Fun Luvr]

Where do they still have forms? Isn't it all facial recognition now? You just tell the officer what you have when they ask, or if you have something over the limit you just tell them.

The OP mentioned putting coffee on the customs form, so I was responding to that. For approximately the last year, it has been only facial recognition for me when going through customs in the US.

[Nypher]

Where do they still have forms? Isn't it all facial recognition now? You just tell the officer what you have when they ask, or if you have something over the limit you just tell them.

"Roasted Coffee: Travelers are permitted to bring unlimited quantities of roasted coffee in their luggage without restriction through any U.S. port of entry. However, as with all agricultural products, you must declare the product at entry."

On my last trip down to CTG on JetBlue the flight attendant walked through the cabin and handed out the form for anyone who had anything to declare. At first I thought it was the immigration form so when she got to my row before she even spoke I told her I already filled out the CheckMIG, but she told me it was if I had to something to declare. I was surprised as I have not seen that form in a long time both entering and leaving US. Maybe its random?

[Mr Enternational]

I have Global Entry so I do not fill out any customs form. Sometimes the agent asks if I am bringing anything from Colombia, and I tell them coffee. They send me on my way without any further checks.

Where do they still have forms? Isn't it all facial recognition now? You just tell the officer what you have when they ask, or if you have something over the limit you just tell them.

"Roasted Coffee: Travelers are permitted to bring unlimited quantities of roasted coffee in their luggage without restriction through any U.S. port of entry. However, as with all agricultural products, you must declare the product at entry."

[Fun Luvr]

Unless you want to be selected for secondary. If you put Coffee on the customs form or they know you have it, they will select you for xray. It's an agricultural screen for bugs etc. I brought coffee home from CR years ago. If you don't mind going to additional screening ok but I just want to breeze through, I'll but the coffee in the USA.

Not saying you are wrong, but I have had different experiences. I always bring coffee from Colombia in my checked bag because the people in Panama will not allow ground coffee in carry-on bags. They say it is a powder. I have Global Entry so I do not fill out any customs form. Sometimes the agent asks if I am bringing anything from Colombia, and I tell them coffee. They send me on my way without any further checks.

[LatinaLover#1]

Liquor will need to go in check-in if you buy at other than duty free. And carryon from duty free is good only to where you first land.

Unless you want to be selected for secondary. If you put Coffee on the customs form or they know you have it, they will select you for xray. It's an agricultural screen for bugs etc. I brought coffee home from CR years ago. If you don't mind going to additional screening ok but I just want to breeze through, I'll but the coffee in the USA.

[ChuchoLoco]

Wanted to buy few bottles of liquor and coffee back to the states and is it better to purchase them at duty free?

Usually never buy anything and curious to see how is works.

Liquor will need to go in check-in if you buy at other than duty free. And carryon from duty free is good only to where you first land.

[Mr Enternational]

Wanted to buy few bottles of liquor and coffee back to the states and is it better to purchase them at duty free?

Usually never buy anything and curious to see how is works.

Go to the grocery store and buy it if you don't want to get ripped off. I bought coffee for my daughter once and some ladies shopping in the store told me to get Sello Rojo brand.

Don't know what kind of liquor you plan on buying. Really the only thing Colombia has is aguardiente. (They take shots of it; it tastes like black licorice - get the sugarless kind if you want to avoid a headache.) Things from any other country then you would come out better buying it at the store where you live.

[Nypher]

Wanted to buy few bottles of liquor and coffee back to the states and is it better to purchase them at duty free?

Usually never buy anything and curious to see how is works.

At Duty Free you will pay more than the local store. You do not have to declare coffee or liquor if its only a few bottles. I've brought back liquor and coffee many times, I just put it in my checked luggage, I just have to warn you, wrap that coffee several times in a sealed bag, its strong and will remain on your clothes until you wash them. If you're the carry on only type then you will not get through security with any liquor bottles and must go Duty Free. Also be aware just because you see something on the arrival side of Duty Free does not mean it will be on the departure side (I learned this the hard way in CTG when we came in they had allot of local Colombian rum, and I thought ill buy it to take back home when leaving, when time came to leave, they had zero on the departure side.)

Another thing to be aware of, unless you have a straight flight with no transfers in another country, Duty Free may be an issue.

I had an issue when leaving Asia I brought liquor from Duty Free on the departure side, allowed on the plane with it, landed in another country for my connecting flight to return to the US and they would not let me on the plane with it. They stated that because I did not buy it from Duty free in their country it is not allowed in the main cabin. I had the choice of buying a small suitcase right then and there in the airport put the liquor inside and check the bag for an extra cost and pray the bottles didn't break or forfeit the liquor. Needless to say the cost of the suitcase + bag check fee was more than the liquor that was inside it. A very expensive lesson.

[PussyRiot]

Wanted to buy few bottles of liquor and coffee back to the states and is it better to purchase them at duty free?

Usually never buy anything and curious to see how is works.

[World Travel 69]

Just put it in one of these.

Just copy and laminate the first two pages of your passport.

[Mr Enternational]

Seal it in plastic, just like I do with the copy of my first two pages of my passport.

Do you mean laminate it or just put it in a plastic bag? If you laminate it you will not be able to write the monthly boosters on it later.

[World Travel 69]

Seal it in plastic, just like I do with the copy of my first two pages of my passport.

I just got back last weekend from BAQ. My plans to fly for the Christmas / New Year Holiday took a very sudden turn when they changed the rule in early December. I was not Vaxd when the Ministry of Health proclaimed that all Non-Residents must either be fully vaxd or show a Neg PCR. At the time I couldn't find the Rapid PCR near me so I went with the Johnson 1 Poke as I still had time for the 2 weeks required to be considered FULLY VAXD.

I was shocked that I had my card checked twice in FLL Airport before leaving and it was heavily examined upon arrival in BAQ by La Migra. Once there I was asked to show it at several restaurants and clubs.

If you want to enter many of the upscale restaurants and night clubs you will need you Vax card with you at all times..

[Ornitomovil]

Thanks for checking.

I don't have the link, but I read it in Spanish (when it first came out) and it seemed very clear. Non residents need to be fully vaccinated to enter..

[Nypher]

If you want to enter many of the upscale restaurants and night clubs you will need you Vax card with you at all times.

My card is only a month old and almost worn out from constantly getting it out and showing it around. These things are larger than a normal wallet so you have to fold them and they are crappy card stock so it seems that they wear out pretty quickly. Don't really know what to do about that when it is unreadable.

Any thoughts on that would be helpful.

Be safe and have a blast..

Same thing happened to me in December in CTG Dolce did not let anyone in unless proof of vaccine was shown, same with upscale restaurants in Centro. But once we got to El Lagito, Bocagrande and Getsemeni no one asked. I leave the card in the safe and use the app, over here in NJ we have the Docket app that shows vaccine status and across the bridge in NY they have Excelsior Pass. You may want to check if your state also have its own version of the app and take a screenshot of the vaccine app as its faster to pull up a photo.