Traveling to US with more than $10,000 in cash or equivalent

[artloversplus]

<p>Lastly, regarding wiring the funds to a bank account. To the government, it is the same as bring cash through the custom. You have to report the amount on form 8300 and indicated the source and use of funds anyway. The difference is one you don’t have to face the CBP officer, the other you will be interrogated.</p>

<p>It is a business decision and since my friend does not have an account in the USA, he’d rather bring the cash with him.</p>

[patsmom]

<p>

Patsmom - Did you often see people carrying several hundred thousand in cash? How unusual (or common) is this? Would the inspectors scrutinize the documentation on $600K more than they would for $10K?

@Gourmetmom‌, I wouldn’t say it was common but it happened often enough. This was in south Florida, where this kind of thing isn’t too unusual. It was more common to see large sums being transported OUT of the country rather than into the US, though. It’s hard to say whether a CBP officer would pay more attention to the person bringing in $600K as opposed to one bringing $10K. It would depend on whether that passenger had a record in the system or displayed some other behavior that would make the officer suspicious. </p>

<p>

Would inspectors after asking why the cash was being transported and learning it was intended to buy antiques, then ask where, and then investigate that dealer/individual?

@alh - The officer might ask for some documentation or proof that the passenger was coming to buy antiques. If he felt that the story was false or suspicious, he might make some type of report. If the officer found no reason to doubt the passenger’s story, he would probably do nothing other than to just collect the FinCEN105 and send him on his way. </p>

[Hunt]

<p>The risks of doing this are obviously much less if it’s traveller’s checks. But it’s still silly.</p>