Importing Research Materials - Formal Entry Requirements
September 18, 2019 - Kristen Bullard
It is highly recommended that you contact U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) dtwagcargo@cbp.dhs.gov, well in advance of your shipment or travel date, to discuss the need for a FORMAL ENTRY of your research materials. They will assist with that decision and provide further instruction.
Common situations that require a FORMAL ENTRY include imports that are likely to need a permit or certification such as (but not limited to):
- Most things presented with a USDA/CDC/FWS/FDA permit
- Any human origin material or human pathogen material (will likely have CDC requirements)
- Any wildlife material (will likely have FWS requirements)
- Any livestock-related material (will likely have USDA/VS requirements)
- Any plant-disease related material or items to grow (will likely have USDA/PPQ requirements)
- Anything with particularly high-value, in large quantity, or is suspected to be misappropriated intellectual property
- Anything that doesn’t have enough information/documentation for us to answer any of the above concerns
- Anything that is not declared
CBP can require a FORMAL ENTRY for any research material. Again we highly recommend that you contact the US CBP to discuss your import process requirements. dtwagcargo@cbp.dhs.gov