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How much cash can I safely carry into the USA and avoid civil forfeiture?

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5

I'm planning a trip to the USA soon (from Germany). I'd like to know how much cash I can bring in without problems.

Just to clarify, I am not talking about the $10000-or-file-a-form limit. I'm talking about the point where the authorities will assume that with that much cash, I must be a drug dealer (I'm not), and will confiscate my money with little or no hope of my ever seeing it again.

I realize this is an open-ended question, and there is no precise threshhold -- that much depends on the authorities I come in contact with. But can someone give me some idea of where the effective boundary is?

usa customs-and-immigration international-travel money

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

David Richerby

14.9k94790

asked 3 hours ago

JenniferJennifer

29526

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Just don't bring large quantities of cash. Regardless of civil forfeiture, there's the risk of having it stolen. Use cards instead.
  
  – David Richerby
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The tonight show by John Oliver had a main feature about civil forfeiture (which is on YouTube) in which a few cases were mentioned. I don't recall the exact numbers, but they appeared to be relatively low to me (in the order of 100s of dollars). There was some other question on this site that implied that you should never drive a car with California license plates in Texas if you are concerned about civil forfeiture - so refuse such rental cars.
  
  – DCTLib
  3 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Any amount can be seized if it is believed to be the proceeds of crime. You are not legally obliged to declare the cash you are carrying if it is under $10,000. If you look like you're involved in drug dealing, or otherwise cause CBP to believe you are a criminal and that the cash you carry is the proceeds of crime, then they may seize it. If you have a valid explanation for it (whatever that may be) and appropriate evidence to back that up, then they will probably not suspect you of anything. The amount of money rarely has anything to do with it, it's the explanation of why you have it.
  
  – Richard
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  What do you need cash for in the USA? (Answer: nothing) Why bother?
  
  – only_pro
  21 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Which currency would you be crossing the border with? Euros, or USD? How would you come to possess USD? It doesn't add up: Germany is a first world country, functional banking system, member of G8 and all the relevant treaties, most people in your social tier (people who travel to the US for <your purpose of visit here>) are full members & participants in that banking system, and they just use that banking system, e.g. credit cards. So what are you up to?
  
  – Harper
  8 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

5

I'm planning a trip to the USA soon (from Germany). I'd like to know how much cash I can bring in without problems.

Just to clarify, I am not talking about the $10000-or-file-a-form limit. I'm talking about the point where the authorities will assume that with that much cash, I must be a drug dealer (I'm not), and will confiscate my money with little or no hope of my ever seeing it again.

I realize this is an open-ended question, and there is no precise threshhold -- that much depends on the authorities I come in contact with. But can someone give me some idea of where the effective boundary is?

usa customs-and-immigration international-travel money

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

David Richerby

14.9k94790

asked 3 hours ago

JenniferJennifer

29526

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Just don't bring large quantities of cash. Regardless of civil forfeiture, there's the risk of having it stolen. Use cards instead.
  
  – David Richerby
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The tonight show by John Oliver had a main feature about civil forfeiture (which is on YouTube) in which a few cases were mentioned. I don't recall the exact numbers, but they appeared to be relatively low to me (in the order of 100s of dollars). There was some other question on this site that implied that you should never drive a car with California license plates in Texas if you are concerned about civil forfeiture - so refuse such rental cars.
  
  – DCTLib
  3 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Any amount can be seized if it is believed to be the proceeds of crime. You are not legally obliged to declare the cash you are carrying if it is under $10,000. If you look like you're involved in drug dealing, or otherwise cause CBP to believe you are a criminal and that the cash you carry is the proceeds of crime, then they may seize it. If you have a valid explanation for it (whatever that may be) and appropriate evidence to back that up, then they will probably not suspect you of anything. The amount of money rarely has anything to do with it, it's the explanation of why you have it.
  
  – Richard
  1 hour ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  What do you need cash for in the USA? (Answer: nothing) Why bother?
  
  – only_pro
  21 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Which currency would you be crossing the border with? Euros, or USD? How would you come to possess USD? It doesn't add up: Germany is a first world country, functional banking system, member of G8 and all the relevant treaties, most people in your social tier (people who travel to the US for <your purpose of visit here>) are full members & participants in that banking system, and they just use that banking system, e.g. credit cards. So what are you up to?
  
  – Harper
  8 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

I'm planning a trip to the USA soon (from Germany). I'd like to know how much cash I can bring in without problems.

Just to clarify, I am not talking about the $10000-or-file-a-form limit. I'm talking about the point where the authorities will assume that with that much cash, I must be a drug dealer (I'm not), and will confiscate my money with little or no hope of my ever seeing it again.

I realize this is an open-ended question, and there is no precise threshhold -- that much depends on the authorities I come in contact with. But can someone give me some idea of where the effective boundary is?

usa customs-and-immigration international-travel money

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

David Richerby

14.9k94790

asked 3 hours ago

JenniferJennifer

29526

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

David Richerby

14.9k94790

asked 3 hours ago

JenniferJennifer

29526

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

David Richerby

14.9k94790

asked 3 hours ago

JenniferJennifer

29526

edited 3 hours ago

David Richerby

14.9k94790

edited 3 hours ago

David Richerby

14.9k94790

asked 3 hours ago

JenniferJennifer

29526

asked 3 hours ago

JenniferJennifer

29526

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

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5

I realize this is an open-ended question, and there is no precise threshhold -- that much depends on the authorities I come in contact with. But can someone give me some idea of where the effective boundary is?

Your question cannot be answered, as the way you've asked it implies. Because there is no precise threshold, and because it depends on specifically which authorities you encounter, there is no effective boundary.

All we can tell you is that if you carry enough cash to have to declare it, and you do declare it, you're guaranteed to encounter CBP. CBP does not share the policy that some municipal police forces have of abusing civil asset forfeiture to acquire resources for the department, so filing the form probably does not increase your risk very much.

If you fail to declare your cash despite exceeding the limit, then there is a chance you won't encounter any authorities over the cash, but if you do encounter CBP in a spot check, you're pretty much guaranteed to lose the cash.

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

phoogphoog

77.7k12170252

add a comment | 

0

There is no such thing as a lower bound. Civil forfeiture laws and practices vary greatly from state to state. See, for example, https://ij.org/report/policing-for-profit/grading-state-federal-civil-forfeiture-laws/

It is certainly a rather unfair and frustrating practice of law enforcement, but on the other hand, it's not common either and the chance of you are encountering such a situation as a tourist a quite small.

The best protection is to carry no or little cash. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted and if you really need cash for anything, you can get it easily at the nearest ATM. Cash is used less and less: For example the food truck outside of Boston South station where you buy your morning coffee doesn't accept cash at all: plastic only. I sometimes go months without using cash.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

HilmarHilmar

23.5k13775

add a comment | 

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5

I realize this is an open-ended question, and there is no precise threshhold -- that much depends on the authorities I come in contact with. But can someone give me some idea of where the effective boundary is?

Your question cannot be answered, as the way you've asked it implies. Because there is no precise threshold, and because it depends on specifically which authorities you encounter, there is no effective boundary.

All we can tell you is that if you carry enough cash to have to declare it, and you do declare it, you're guaranteed to encounter CBP. CBP does not share the policy that some municipal police forces have of abusing civil asset forfeiture to acquire resources for the department, so filing the form probably does not increase your risk very much.

If you fail to declare your cash despite exceeding the limit, then there is a chance you won't encounter any authorities over the cash, but if you do encounter CBP in a spot check, you're pretty much guaranteed to lose the cash.

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

phoogphoog

77.7k12170252

add a comment | 

5

I realize this is an open-ended question, and there is no precise threshhold -- that much depends on the authorities I come in contact with. But can someone give me some idea of where the effective boundary is?

Your question cannot be answered, as the way you've asked it implies. Because there is no precise threshold, and because it depends on specifically which authorities you encounter, there is no effective boundary.

All we can tell you is that if you carry enough cash to have to declare it, and you do declare it, you're guaranteed to encounter CBP. CBP does not share the policy that some municipal police forces have of abusing civil asset forfeiture to acquire resources for the department, so filing the form probably does not increase your risk very much.

If you fail to declare your cash despite exceeding the limit, then there is a chance you won't encounter any authorities over the cash, but if you do encounter CBP in a spot check, you're pretty much guaranteed to lose the cash.

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

phoogphoog

77.7k12170252

add a comment | 

I realize this is an open-ended question, and there is no precise threshhold -- that much depends on the authorities I come in contact with. But can someone give me some idea of where the effective boundary is?

Your question cannot be answered, as the way you've asked it implies. Because there is no precise threshold, and because it depends on specifically which authorities you encounter, there is no effective boundary.

All we can tell you is that if you carry enough cash to have to declare it, and you do declare it, you're guaranteed to encounter CBP. CBP does not share the policy that some municipal police forces have of abusing civil asset forfeiture to acquire resources for the department, so filing the form probably does not increase your risk very much.

If you fail to declare your cash despite exceeding the limit, then there is a chance you won't encounter any authorities over the cash, but if you do encounter CBP in a spot check, you're pretty much guaranteed to lose the cash.

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

phoogphoog

77.7k12170252

share|improve this answer

answered 2 hours ago

phoogphoog

77.7k12170252

answered 2 hours ago

phoogphoog

77.7k12170252

answered 2 hours ago

phoogphoog

77.7k12170252

0

There is no such thing as a lower bound. Civil forfeiture laws and practices vary greatly from state to state. See, for example, https://ij.org/report/policing-for-profit/grading-state-federal-civil-forfeiture-laws/

It is certainly a rather unfair and frustrating practice of law enforcement, but on the other hand, it's not common either and the chance of you are encountering such a situation as a tourist a quite small.

The best protection is to carry no or little cash. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted and if you really need cash for anything, you can get it easily at the nearest ATM. Cash is used less and less: For example the food truck outside of Boston South station where you buy your morning coffee doesn't accept cash at all: plastic only. I sometimes go months without using cash.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

HilmarHilmar

23.5k13775

add a comment | 

0

There is no such thing as a lower bound. Civil forfeiture laws and practices vary greatly from state to state. See, for example, https://ij.org/report/policing-for-profit/grading-state-federal-civil-forfeiture-laws/

It is certainly a rather unfair and frustrating practice of law enforcement, but on the other hand, it's not common either and the chance of you are encountering such a situation as a tourist a quite small.

The best protection is to carry no or little cash. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted and if you really need cash for anything, you can get it easily at the nearest ATM. Cash is used less and less: For example the food truck outside of Boston South station where you buy your morning coffee doesn't accept cash at all: plastic only. I sometimes go months without using cash.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

HilmarHilmar

23.5k13775

add a comment | 

There is no such thing as a lower bound. Civil forfeiture laws and practices vary greatly from state to state. See, for example, https://ij.org/report/policing-for-profit/grading-state-federal-civil-forfeiture-laws/

It is certainly a rather unfair and frustrating practice of law enforcement, but on the other hand, it's not common either and the chance of you are encountering such a situation as a tourist a quite small.

The best protection is to carry no or little cash. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted and if you really need cash for anything, you can get it easily at the nearest ATM. Cash is used less and less: For example the food truck outside of Boston South station where you buy your morning coffee doesn't accept cash at all: plastic only. I sometimes go months without using cash.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

HilmarHilmar

23.5k13775

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

HilmarHilmar

23.5k13775

answered 1 hour ago

HilmarHilmar

23.5k13775

answered 1 hour ago

HilmarHilmar

23.5k13775