Cigar Limits....Cuban Citizen to US

[Mojo Rising]

Going to Havana via JFK. 3/19-3/26. I’ll post my results.


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[UnionCityCubano]

10 minutes ago, Mojo Rising said:

Going to Havana via JFK. 3/19-3/26. I’ll post my results.


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My uncle is traveling with them as well he is coming from jersey. He is flying out of JFK. What has been your experience in the past.

 

 

[Mojo Rising]

My uncle is traveling with them as well he is coming from jersey. He is flying out of JFK. What has been your experience in the past.
 
 

I’ve only returned from Cuba through JFK once. My experience was seamless. Myself and my traveling companion had about 150 sticks each. No issues.


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[jerrybrowne]

Just got back, flying through EWR. Zero issues. I think they are more focused on the coronavirus rn.


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[UnionCityCubano]

14 hours ago, jerrybrowne said:

Just got back, flying through EWR. Zero issues. I think they are more focused on the coronavirus rn.


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Thank you. How was your haul?

 

[UnionCityCubano]

15 hours ago, Mojo Rising said:

 

I’ve only returned from Cuba through JFK once. My experience was seamless. Myself and my traveling companion had about 150 sticks each. No issues.


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Nice!!!

[UnionCityCubano]

16 hours ago, Mojo Rising said:

Going to Havana via JFK. 3/19-3/26. I’ll post my results.


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Hey let me know if you see fundaderos or lanceros. Please. Been looking for awhile Thank you

[jerrybrowne]

22 hours ago, UnionCityCubano said:

Thank you. How was your haul?

 

Pretty good.  Plenty of great boxes out on the shelves right now which is surprising given the festival just ended......

[UnionCityCubano]

4 hours ago, jerrybrowne said:

Pretty good.  Plenty of great boxes out on the shelves right now which is surprising given the festival just ended......

pics?

[StogieSteve23]

On 12/6/2019 at 10:03 PM, cbenham73 said:

Does anyone have experience coming through Fort Lauderdale?

I've come through FLL 3 times in the last three years from HAV.  I've never had issues. Two of the three times I didn't try much over the allowable limit and was with another person to help split up my haul.  The third time I had way more (see pic) but did not get checked and was by myself. I wouldn't try doing it again.  Wouldn't recommend getting more than you can ultimately be taxed on or afford to lose if they feel like confiscating upon entry into the US. 

Security in HAV is easy.  Just make sure you have all your Facturas from every box you purchased (including customs if you can get them) when going through security.  If they say that you need to go with them to another room to check the cigars, do not be alarmed.  They are matching everything up between the boxes/facturas.  Side note, if you plan on buying any of the nice Hotel Nacional marble ashtrays, don't put them in your carry-on.  I didn't think about it and did and had to bribe the bag scan guy to let me get it on the plane. Put it in your checked luggage and pay the weight fee.  

Hopefully this helps you a bit!  

[UnionCityCubano]

2 hours ago, StogieSteve23 said:

I've come through FLL 3 times in the last three years from HAV.  I've never had issues. Two of the three times I didn't try much over the allowable limit and was with another person to help split up my haul.  The third time I had way more (see pic) but did not get checked and was by myself. I wouldn't try doing it again.  Wouldn't recommend getting more than you can ultimately be taxed on or afford to lose if they feel like confiscating upon entry into the US. 

Security in HAV is easy.  Just make sure you have all your Facturas from every box you purchased (including customs if you can get them) when going through security.  If they say that you need to go with them to another room to check the cigars, do not be alarmed.  They are matching everything up between the boxes/facturas.  Side note, if you plan on buying any of the nice Hotel Nacional marble ashtrays, don't put them in your carry-on.  I didn't think about it and did and had to bribe the bag scan guy to let me get it on the plane. Put it in your checked luggage and pay the weight fee.  

Hopefully this helps you a bit!  

Beautiful Haul!!!! Would you recommend FFL over MIA? Whats in the black box on the left? This is a huge haul? I live in the 305

[StogieSteve23]

Thanks brother! Black box on the left is a HDM Petit Belicosos.  I cant speak to MIA because I try and fly FLL international if I can (obviously depending on price and flight times) and have never flown back from HAV to MIA.  I live up in PB County so I go with FLL simply for proximity to my house.  

[madandana]

On 3/27/2020 at 3:32 PM, UnionCityCubano said:

Beautiful Haul!!!! Would you recommend FFL over MIA? Whats in the black box on the left? This is a huge haul? I live in the 305

Avoid Miami 

[Ethernut]

On 4/3/2020 at 7:29 PM, madandana said:

Avoid Miami 

This is the man that would know! :D

 

[Mojo Rising]

Avoid Miami 

Avoid Miami: there is a nuance to that advice.

If Miami is your destination— yes. But if Miami is your hub, then it’s not really an issue IME. Checked bags go through the carousel and onto the next flight with little to no scrutiny.


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[JY0]

Agree 1000%, avoid going through Customs in Miami if you can.

[JIK]

Anyone else have issues going through miami? 

[1daniel]

Finally feel comfortable enough posting this, but I had major issues at FLL a few months ago. Spent a few days in Havana and purchased anywhere from 150-250 sticks ( cant remember exact number). Flew back into FLL as a layover for my final destination on the west coast. Landed, went to the carousel to pick up my checked in luggage and proceeded to immigration with my suitcase that I just picked up and my carry on. There was a line of about 20-35 people in front of me waiting to talk to an agent to get their passport checked. Every single person that I witnessed finish their interaction with the immigration person was sent to secondary inspection. At this point I panicked a bit and remembered that I had global entry, so I got out of the peasant line and went into the global entry line ( I was the only person in that line). I get called up next to the counter and gave him my global entry card and passport. He asked if I had anything to declare and I said no ( big mistake? I thought I was safe with global). He said ok, I immediately felt relief and after giving me back my documents, he told me to go through those doors (secondary inspection) and I just felt overwhelmed with anger, grabbed my baggage and went to secondary. As others have mentioned, those people appear to have no rules and do whatever they want and when they want. He started by putting all my luggage through the machine and when it came out he started looking through it. I had no boxes and the sticks were all naked. Well, he found them and opened up my tupperdor and immediately started acting like an asshole and making snark comments about how terrible they smell, that he hates smoke, and how illegal it is to bring back Cuban products and that he was going to throw them away.  I was already angry and I started popping off to him as well because I figured I had nothing to fear at this point as they were all going to be thrown away anyways. He asked for my passport and I gave it to him forgetting that my global entry card was in there. He looked at both and started chuckling and said there goes your global entry. I didn't say anything else at this point because the only thing going through my mind was to not hit him lol. Fck Florida, that was my first time ever in that state and will be my last. I will never even fly through there ever again. As you can tell, I'm not angry anymore....lol

[Corylax18]

36 minutes ago, 1daniel said:

Finally feel comfortable enough posting this, but I had major issues at FLL a few months ago. Spent a few days in Havana and purchased anywhere from 150-250 sticks ( cant remember exact number). Flew back into FLL as a layover for my final destination on the west coast. Landed, went to the carousel to pick up my checked in luggage and proceeded to immigration with my suitcase that I just picked up and my carry on. There was a line of about 20-35 people in front of me waiting to talk to an agent to get their passport checked. Every single person that I witnessed finish their interaction with the immigration person was sent to secondary inspection. At this point I panicked a bit and remembered that I had global entry, so I got out of the peasant line and went into the global entry line ( I was the only person in that line). I get called up next to the counter and gave him my global entry card and passport. He asked if I had anything to declare and I said no ( big mistake? I thought I was safe with global). He said ok, I immediately felt relief and after giving me back my documents, he told me to go through those doors (secondary inspection) and I just felt overwhelmed with anger, grabbed my baggage and went to secondary. As others have mentioned, those people appear to have no rules and do whatever they want and when they want. He started by putting all my luggage through the machine and when it came out he started looking through it. I had no boxes and the sticks were all naked. Well, he found them and opened up my tupperdor and immediately started acting like an asshole and making snark comments about how terrible they smell, that he hates smoke, and how illegal it is to bring back Cuban products and that he was going to throw them away.  I was already angry and I started popping off to him as well because I figured I had nothing to fear at this point as they were all going to be thrown away anyways. He asked for my passport and I gave it to him forgetting that my global entry card was in there. He looked at both and started chuckling and said there goes your global entry. I didn't say anything else at this point because the only thing going through my mind was to not hit him lol. Fck Florida, that was my first time ever in that state and will be my last. I will never even fly through there ever again. As you can tell, I'm not angry anymore....lol

I agree that FLL is a terrible airport to transit back from Cuba through, its the only place I've had cigars pinched. (it was only 40 though) But your anger is misdirected. Thank Trump, not Customs. When he added to Cuba to the state sponsor of terrorism list it instantly made importing anything from Cuba illegal. Punishable by up 6 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. You also lied to an agent, so your Global entry was gone at that point, most people I've seen get pulled aside have fruit, meat, etc but it seems they're always running a lot of people through secondary there. They run all the checked bags through an Xray machine before they hit the carousel, I'm guessing they saw the cigars and marked your bag tag, so it didn't matter what you told the agent, he saw the super double secret mark and you were going to secondary regardless. It sucks, but its the current law. 

I've had better luck (even this year) going through Houston, Tampa was fine pre pandemic, but I haven't transited through their in several years. 

[Arabian]

46 minutes ago, 1daniel said:

Finally feel comfortable enough posting this, but I had major issues at FLL a few months ago. Spent a few days in Havana and purchased anywhere from 150-250 sticks ( cant remember exact number). Flew back into FLL as a layover for my final destination on the west coast. Landed, went to the carousel to pick up my checked in luggage and proceeded to immigration with my suitcase that I just picked up and my carry on. There was a line of about 20-35 people in front of me waiting to talk to an agent to get their passport checked. Every single person that I witnessed finish their interaction with the immigration person was sent to secondary inspection. At this point I panicked a bit and remembered that I had global entry, so I got out of the peasant line and went into the global entry line ( I was the only person in that line). I get called up next to the counter and gave him my global entry card and passport. He asked if I had anything to declare and I said no ( big mistake? I thought I was safe with global). He said ok, I immediately felt relief and after giving me back my documents, he told me to go through those doors (secondary inspection) and I just felt overwhelmed with anger, grabbed my baggage and went to secondary. As others have mentioned, those people appear to have no rules and do whatever they want and when they want. He started by putting all my luggage through the machine and when it came out he started looking through it. I had no boxes and the sticks were all naked. Well, he found them and opened up my tupperdor and immediately started acting like an asshole and making snark comments about how terrible they smell, that he hates smoke, and how illegal it is to bring back Cuban products and that he was going to throw them away.  I was already angry and I started popping off to him as well because I figured I had nothing to fear at this point as they were all going to be thrown away anyways. He asked for my passport and I gave it to him forgetting that my global entry card was in there. He looked at both and started chuckling and said there goes your global entry. I didn't say anything else at this point because the only thing going through my mind was to not hit him lol. Fck Florida, that was my first time ever in that state and will be my last. I will never even fly through there ever again. As you can tell, I'm not angry anymore....lol

as a non-US citizen going through U.S immigration is the most terrifying thing (feels like the Gestapo) on the other hand when I checked my bag through the machine here in my home country a few years ago, the officer was playing angry birds on his phone. so they took the cigars and revoked the card as well? 

[Corylax18]

3 minutes ago, Arabian said:

as a non-US citizen going through U.S immigration is the most terrifying thing (feels like the Gestapo) on the other hand when I checked my bag through the machine here in my home country a few years ago, the officer was playing angry birds on his phone. so they took the cigars and revoked the card as well? 

Haha. That's fair, as a U.S. Citizen, its still uncomfortable. In my experience, most of the agent are fine people, but plenty aren't. Its just the luck of the draw. Miami and FLL are notoriously stringent on flights from Cuba, those two airports get roughly 90% of the traffic coming back from the island. Multiple flights every day, they can catch a lot with relatively little effort, so its a "point of emphasis." 

When I flew back through Houston earlier this year, I was on a half full 75 seat plane. We were going through customs at the same time as 3 flights from the Middle east(including two A380s), Fiji, France, Australia and the UK. The few people on my flight where barely a blip on the radar. However, the agent checking my passport was VERY curious as to why I had been to Cuba 4 times in the last 18 months. I told him I go to chase tail and he waved me through with a laugh.  

[1daniel]

6 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

I agree that FLL is a terrible airport to transit back from Cuba through, its the only place I've had cigars pinched. (it was only 40 though) But your anger is misdirected. Thank Trump, not Customs. When he added to Cuba to the state sponsor of terrorism list it instantly made importing anything from Cuba illegal. Punishable by up 6 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. You also lied to an agent, so your Global entry was gone at that point, most people I've seen get pulled aside have fruit, meat, etc but it seems they're always running a lot of people through secondary there. They run all the checked bags through an Xray machine before they hit the carousel, I'm guessing they saw the cigars and marked your bag tag, so it didn't matter what you told the agent, he saw the super double secret mark and you were going to secondary regardless. It sucks, but its the current law. 

I've had better luck (even this year) going through Houston, Tampa was fine pre pandemic, but I haven't transited through their in several years. 

You're right, I should and do have anger toward that orangutan as well, but the customes agent was totally unprofessional as well and seemed as if he was almost taunting me. Do you have any more info on this marked bag tag with my checked in luggage? is it literally tagged or does it pop up in his computer while going through customs? Now that I have global for a few years, I honestly don't even care for it anymore. it has saved me maybe 20 minutes each time I have came back to the country. The tsa pre has been a lot more useful for me and from what I was reading, if my global is in fact revoked (nothing yet) I will still have tsa pre as its a separate function of global.

 

5 hours ago, Arabian said:

as a non-US citizen going through U.S immigration is the most terrifying thing (feels like the Gestapo) on the other hand when I checked my bag through the machine here in my home country a few years ago, the officer was playing angry birds on his phone. so they took the cigars and revoked the card as well? 

I totally get that as both of my parents were immigrants here in the states. I would have asked him if he was winning or losing on angry birds lol. I have been to several countries like that and I have been to others that act like you stole their wallet. I prefer the first choice.

[Corylax18]

3 minutes ago, 1daniel said:

You're right, I should and do have anger toward that orangutan as well, but the customes agent was totally unprofessional as well and seemed as if he was almost taunting me. Do you have any more info on this marked bag tag with my checked in luggage? is it literally tagged or does it pop up in his computer while going through customs? Now that I have global for a few years, I honestly don't even care for it anymore. it has saved me maybe 20 minutes each time I have came back to the country. The tsa pre has been a lot more useful for me and from what I was reading, if my global is in fact revoked (nothing yet) I will still have tsa pre as its a separate function of global.

Its literally just a sharpie mark on the bag tag. They do the same thing in Havana and may do it at other airports in the US as well. The method may also differ at other airports. It could be for anything you aren't allowed to bring through, too many cigarettes, produce, meat, etc.

[1daniel]

5 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

Haha. That's fair, as a U.S. Citizen, its still uncomfortable. In my experience, most of the agent are fine people, but plenty aren't. Its just the luck of the draw. Miami and FLL are notoriously stringent on flights from Cuba, those two airports get roughly 90% of the traffic coming back from the island. Multiple flights every day, they can catch a lot with relatively little effort, so its a "point of emphasis." 

When I flew back through Houston earlier this year, I was on a half full 75 seat plane. We were going through customs at the same time as 3 flights from the Middle east(including two A380s), Fiji, France, Australia and the UK. The few people on my flight where barely a blip on the radar. However, the agent checking my passport was VERY curious as to why I had been to Cuba 4 times in the last 18 months. I told him I go to chase tail and he waved me through with a laugh.  

lmao chasing tail, that's great. I agree with you about just Florida in general being 90% of the traffic and being a point of emphasis. The fact that my flight from cuba was the only one that was going through customs allowed them to just pad their stats and literally send every person through secondary. That way they all look busy and pad their stats.

 

5 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

Its literally just a sharpie mark on the bag tag. They do the same thing in Havana and may do it at other airports in the US as well. The method may also differ at other airports. It could be for anything you aren't allowed to bring through, too many cigarettes, produce, meat, etc.

very interesting, I never noticed before. I will keep an eye out for it. Maybe hiding or covering up the mark somehow can help get you through with out issues. Or maybe the agent will ask to look at the bag.