AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel Reentering the US with large sums of money?

Troy, I have to caution you that in this day of laundering money for drugs and terrorism, I would think twice or three times before I entered the USA and didn't declare sums over $10,000. You could end up forfeiting the money plus other legal problems.

Troy....................if it was cash why would you bother?

Belize also has laws about how much currency you can carry out of Belize - mistakes by some folks who went up to Mexico with a bit too much $$ resulted in detention.

Diane, Is there a limit on US dollars brought into Belize? I vaguely remember the question of the Customs Form I filled out on the plane. Common sense tells me that they would want all the US $ they can get. Is it that you have to declare it but there is no penalty? Does anyone have this information?

The Us government allows you to take $10,000 per family abroad per visit. It's not a Belizean law.

Dog, I don't know if that makes sense. I can only bring $10,000 cash with me but I can spend $100,000 on my charge card or I can write a check against a US Bank for any amount? Or wire 6 figure amounts to Belize, why do they limit me to $10K cash? Strange

OK, Maybe I get it. The wire, charge or check leaves a trail. That must be it?

You got it...cash doesn't leave tracks.

Dog, Still, I know the laws on entering the US. The customs form was for entering Belize. It was on the inbound leg. Why would that be?

(I have never seen a web address that long) whew!

I'll make that easy....from US Customs Service:

"If you are traveling to the U.S. or a foreign country carrying negotiable monetary instruments valued at $10,000 or more, you are required to declare it to CBP on your Customs declaration (CBP 6059B). In addition, you are required to file the FinCEN Form 105 with CBP upon your departure or entry into the U.S. If you filled out the FinCEN Form 105, but were unable to give it to the CBP officer at the port of departure or arrival due to circumstances out of your control, it is advised that you forward it to CBP as soon as possible with a written explanation.

Failure to report negotiable monetary instruments in amounts over $10,000 may be subject to forfeiture and could result to civil or criminal penalties."

Here's the form and instructions!

http://www.fincen.gov/forms/files/fin105_cmir.pdf