Travel Guides
Practical planning for shoppers traveling abroad. Use these guides to organize your own records, then check current rules with official sources for each destination and your return home.
Shopping Abroad
- Before buying, note the item, merchant, purchase date, price, and currency.
- Keep the receipt or a clear copy where you can find it later.
- Review your purchases together before your return journey.
Cruise Shopping
- Keep onboard and port purchases in the same running record.
- Separate purchases by traveler if your group is tracking its own spending.
- Check the rules that apply to each port and to your arrival home.
Duty-Free and VAT
“Duty-free” at a shop and a destination’s tax-refund program do not determine what you must declare when entering another country. Save the paperwork and confirm the current rules with the relevant authorities.
Travel Preparation
- Review passport validity, entry requirements, and travel advisories.
- Make room for receipts and important purchase documents.
- Plan how you will carry purchases safely on the return trip.
Customs and Declarations
Make a complete, accurate record of purchases and gifts for your own reference. Follow the instructions of the customs authority at your destination or point of entry.
Official Sources
Start with government guidance for your itinerary rather than assuming one rule applies everywhere.
Read the full guides
- Travel Preparation Guide — documents, payments, connectivity, packing, and a free printable checklist.
- Shopping Abroad Guide — transaction details, currency, receipts, and higher-value purchases.
- Cruise Shopping Guide — onboard and port purchases, records, and disembarkation.
- U.S. Customs & Declarations Resources — official government starting points.