Travelers experience it all the time - a number of their items are either confiscated or told to be left at the airport before they board the plane because customs do not allow it. The avoided items depend on which country you are coming from or the destination that you are going to. You will even be surprised that some souvenirs that you buy are not even allowed to be brought out of the country because it is stated in their law. To save you from time, money and embarrassment, below are a number of things that you should be aware of.
- Absinthe - although the poisonous metal salts found in absinthe are different or totally gone from the modern absinthe created today, it is still considered illegal to bring in absinthe from other countries into United States because they lack regulation. If you really want the bottle, try to double check that there are no thujone present in it and that the word absinthe or any psychotropic images are not drawn on the label or the bottle.
- Plants or crafts that are made from them - customs will check to see where your seedlings come from. This is a saddening fact for gardening enthusiasts but it is not the end for them. Before you travel, have your plant applied for USDA Plant Protection and Quarantine which can be downloaded online or check which plants are prohibited at customs.
- Ivory - if your ivory is declared as an antique and is over 100 years old with special permission, you can bring in your ivory or jewelry containing ivory. Because of the rampant poaching of animals that carry ivory, particularly elephants, ivory aged below a hundred are not allowed into the states. If any of your souvenirs or jewelry is made out of ivory, whalebone or tortoiseshell, call the US Fish and Wildlife Service if it is okay to bring them with you or to purchase one.
- Ancient artifacts - churches and museums that hold several ancient artifacts are open to robbery and since there are a lot of cases regarding the disappearances of ancient artifacts, you will need an export permit to bring one. This is to ensure that the ancient artifact you are holding is not stolen although applying for one is really difficult to have.
Be sure to check out customs on which items that are not allowed entry of your country.