Can I transport a ham from Spain to Guatemala via USA?
I would like to take a ham from Spain to Guatemala, with a layover in Miami.
Is this permitted? Aside from the possibility of import duties, are there any sanitary restrictions that would make it impossible or complicated?
Best Answer
From the US Customs and Border Protection site:
Meat, milk, egg, poultry, and their products, including products made with these materials, such as dried soup mix or bouillon, are either prohibited or restricted from entering the United States, depending on the types of animal diseases which occur in the country of origin. Fresh (chilled or frozen), dried, cured, and fully cooked meat is generally prohibited from most countries. Canned meat is allowed entry, except beef, veal, lamb, mutton, venison, elk, bison, etc., from countries affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
Pork should be commercially canned and labeled in unopened containers. Pork and pork products are not admissible from Mexico, except for cooked pork in small amounts for a meal.
Looking at the USDA lists, Spain almost always has an asterisk, with remarks about even though Spain is free of the common meat diseases, Spain is near countries that are not, and/or imports meat from countries which are not (known to be disease free.)
Personal opinion is you could try, but ensure you declare it, and take your chances. A CBP officer may confiscate it, and then again, may not.
As far as Guatemala goes, according to Frommers
What You Can Bring into Guatemala -- Visitors to Guatemala may bring any and all reasonable goods and belongings for personal use during their stay. Cameras, computers, and electronic equipment, as well as fishing and diving gear for personal use, are permitted duty-free. Customs officials in Guatemala seldom check arriving tourists' luggage.
Pictures about "Can I transport a ham from Spain to Guatemala via USA?"
Can you bring ham back from Spain to us?
Cured hams (prosciutto, Serrano ham, Iberian ham) and salami from areas within France, Germany, Italy and Spain may not be brought into the United States by travelers. These items may only enter in commercial shipments because there are special restrictions that require additional certification and documentation.Can you bring ham back from Spain?
In general, it is not allowed to bring any type of meat product in your carry-on luggage, however you can travel with vacuum-packed products if your suitcase is checked; however, it is always better to check the legislation in order to avoid problems.Can you bring cured meats into the US?
No. The United State Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Meat and Animal Products Regulations prohibit travelers from bringing in fresh, dried, and canned meats, dehydrated soup mixes, and meat products from most foreign countries.Can I bring food to Guatemala?
What You Can Bring into Guatemala -- Visitors to Guatemala may bring any and all reasonable goods and belongings for personal use during their stay.Guatemala to Mexico | Guatemala to America by road 2020 | US-Mexico border.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: William Fortunato, Maria Orlova, Anete Lusina, Tim Samuel