K1 Travelling to US with bunch of sealed video games

[Aphro01 0]

I’m traveling soon and have a question about some items I’d like to bring along to the US. In the time my fiancé and I have been together my partner has purchased (since they tend to be much cheaper here) several new/sealed video games for me to bring along to the US. Some titles are rare and I have multiple copies of them. Essentially I’d like to know if bringing a bag with 30+ games in it would be an issue for airport staff/TSA? Is there any chance they’ll reject our luggage or try to unseal the games as a security precaution? Thank you!

[JeanneAdil 6,719]

should be in checked in luggage

and yes,  customs can at any time search,  tear apart suspected contents

they may look thru one and if ok, determine the rest are fine

and it could be in your country or when u enter US 

 

BTW we have many online sites to buy vintage books,  games ,  videos 

[Chancy 6,243]

*** Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to Working & Traveling During US Immigration -- topic is related to travel/customs rules, not visa process ***

 

[Mike E 11,745]

if these are valuable they should not go into checked luggage, as the airline liability  will not cover you in the event of loss.  
 

Small chance of CBP unsealing them. This chance escalates  if you get a customs secondary inspection.   You can ask CBP to X-ray versus unsealing, by explaining that the value will drop if unsealed. Provide documentation of that fact.  
 

 Of course if CBP suspects the discs contain digital contraband, an x-ray won’t address that, and they will be unsealed.  
 

Smaller chance of that TSA will unseal.  This chance can be reduce by carrying the games as carry on.  
 

And if the games fit in a back pack you are wearing while dealing with CBP, IME there is less chance of CBP doing a secondary inspection of that.  

Edited November 6, 2021 by Mike E

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

The multiple copies could get CBP the idea that you want to resell and could trigger a custom fee. But that's the worst I can think of.

[SalishSea 18,232]

13 hours ago, Aphro01 said:

I’m traveling soon and have a question about some items I’d like to bring along to the US. In the time my fiancé and I have been together my partner has purchased (since they tend to be much cheaper here) several new/sealed video games for me to bring along to the US. Some titles are rare and I have multiple copies of them. Essentially I’d like to know if bringing a bag with 30+ games in it would be an issue for airport staff/TSA? Is there any chance they’ll reject our luggage or try to unseal the games as a security precaution? Thank you!

Multiple copies of the same titles for sealed games might look like you're importing them.  I would look up current limits on the value of items you may bring into the US before traveling.

[HRQX 4,145]

13 hours ago, Aphro01 said:

Essentially I’d like to know if bringing a bag with 30+ games

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info "duty is usually waived on personal effects more than one year of age." "For Customs purposes, clothing, jewelry, photography equipment, portable radios, and vehicles are considered personal effects"

[Cathi 5,795]

Looks suspicious of you're bringing in multiple copies of the same game. They may think you're bringing them here to resell.

Edited November 7, 2021 by Cathi