Us customs can i bring spices

Travelers are permitted to bring without restriction any quantity of products composed solely of tea leaves Camellia sinensis: includes black tea, green tea, oolong, dark tea, white tea, yellow tea. Herbal tea products containing ginseng or goldenseal are permitted, subject to inspection, if commercially packaged and ready to be boiled, steeped, or microwaved in liquid.

Commercially packaged herbal products containing lemongrass are permitted subject to inspection; please see the Spices section of this page for guidance on lemongrass that is not commercially packaged. Dodder aka Semen cuscatae, Cuscuta chinensis, or tu si zi; Cuscuta japonica, or toshishi or tosaja is permitted in herbal tea products if contained in individual, ready-to-steep tea bags and dodder is processed sufficiently for seed color to be gray.

Herbal tea products containing citrus Rutaceae leaves, flowers, bark, roots, peel, or fruit are enterable if the product is commercially packaged and ready to be boiled, steeped, or microwaved in liquid, or if package is labelled as having undergone required heat treatment.

Otherwise, entry is prohibited. Herbal teas containing bark from Prunus trees apricot, cherry, peach plum, etc. Masala chai, if all components are finely ground, may enter any port except for Hawaii or Puerto Rico, subject to inspection. Roobios tea is permitted, subject to inspection. Any product containing barberry berberis leaves or Prunus apricot, cherry, peach plum, etc.

Still Have Questions? USDA-trained dogs help sniff out plants and animal products in luggage and carry-on items on international flights. Make sure you include any agricultural items on your Customs Declaration Form select form below. This form provides Customs and Border Protection officials with basic information about who you are and what you are bringing into the United States, such as agricultural and wildlife products and whether you have visited a farm prior to traveling to the United States.

Q: Can I bring spices into the U. Answered , 1 Comment. Subject: Can I bring spices into the U. We are moving to the U. Are we allowed to? What are the legal barriers we might face? Are there any documents we need to bring with us to show the customs people? Subject: Re: Can I bring spices into the U. Hello spicegirl, I have a large collection of spices myself and can imagine what loss it would pose to you not to be able to take them with you as you immigrate to the United States.

Can you bring spices on an international flight leaving the U. Yes, you can bring dried spices on an international flight departing from the U. The TSA applies the same rules for allowing spices through security at U. You can also bring spices into many foreign countries. But depending on the country, they might have to be in their original packaging and unopened. Can you bring spices on an international flight back into the U.

Yes, the United States generally allows travelers to bring most dried spices into the U. The exceptions are spices containing fruit or vegetable leaves or seeds including citrus leaves or seeds , which are typically prohibited. Note that even though spices is typically allowed, you must declare all foods that you bring into the United States — whether they are allowable or not — to U.

The penalties for failing to declare your food items can be steep; bear in mind also that the CBP routinely conducts random screenings for arriving passengers.