Passengers traveling via ESTA complete their customs declaration upon arrival at their first USA airport. A self-check-in kiosk scans the passport and fingerprints, and takes a selfie. If everything is in order, the machine prints out a ticket, which goes straight to an immigration officer. Members of the same family fill in the form at the kiosk together, but friends traveling in a group, for example, answer the questionnaire separately.
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USA Customs Declaration on Global Entry Kiosk
At all major airports, kiosks (machines) are used to process customs declarations instead of a printed form.
Kiosks are available at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Houston, New York John F. Kennedy, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Newark, San Francisco, Seattle-Tacoma, and Washington-Dulles.
For a complete list of airports, visit the CBP.gov website. The list also includes some airports outside the USA where the form can be completed in advance.
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How to Fill Out the Customs Declaration Form
The questions in the questionnaire are the same whether completed at the kiosk or on paper. The completed form is just an example of what it could look like. Naturally, fill out your form truthfully.
📝 What to Write in Each Field on the Form
- Your name in the order of last name, first name, middle name
- Date of birth in month/day/year format
- Number of family members traveling with the person completing the form
- The address where you will be staying in the USA, just fill in details like the name of the hotel and its location.
- Name of the country that issued your travel document.
- Passport number
- Country of permanent residence
- Countries you visited during your trip to the USA – for example, if you changed planes in London, write UK in the box.
- The flight number of the flight you took to the USA – for example, BA0187
- Check YES if your main reason for traveling to the USA is for business or work purposes
- Check if you are bringing:
(a) fruits, plants, food, insects
(b) meat, animals, animal or game products
(c) disease germs, cell cultures, snails
(d) farmland, or if you have recently visited a farm, ranch, or pasture - Check yes if you have recently come into contact with livestock (animals, not humans)
- Check yes if you are taking money, goods or valuables worth more than $10,000 or this value after conversion from another currency
- Check yes if you are taking any commercial material for sale (goods, samples of goods, etc.)
- The first box is filled in by USA residents, the second by tourists. For both, enter the value of the goods you intend to sell in the USA. If you are traveling as a tourist, generally enter zero.
After filling out the form truthfully, sign at the bottom of the form and write the current date in month/day/year format on the right.
📄 Sample of a Completed Customs Declaration
The questions on the self-checkout kiosk are the same as on the printed form:
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FAQ about Customs Declarations When Entering the USA
Where to Submit the Customs Form 6059B?
The form is handed in at the first USA airport to the customs officer at the checkpoint you will go through immediately after picking up your bags.
Can Food Be Imported into the USA? What Are the Rules?
Most foods are allowed, with exceptions such as meat products, fruits, vegetables, and milk. For a complete list, see the article on importing food into the USA. Always complete the customs declaration truthfully.
I Take Prescription Drugs Regularly, Can I Bring Them to the USA?
Yes, you can bring the medication in quantities equivalent to your normal consumption as long as it is packaged in its original container. Only importation of drugs containing narcotics such as Rohypnol is prohibited. Read more in the article on medicines.
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