I got flagged bringing caviar into the States. Here’s what I learned.
A recent visit to Paris was a playlist of all of my favorite things: a weekend at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, cocktails at Little Red Door, a kouign amann (or three) from Stohrer, and dinner at Le George that ended with a candied tomato tart with cacio e pepe ice cream — cacio e pepe ice cream!
The real treat of the weekend, however, was being whisked away in a sidecar along the Seine River to meet Armen Petrossian — whose father was responsible for introducing caviar to France in 1920 — at the Petrossian House. The trip is part of a new Four Seasons La Vie en Bleu program that is one of the coolest things I've ever experienced.
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By 9 a.m. Armen and I were making our way through several types of caviar, sipping vodka in between to cleanse the palate. There are many varieties of roe on the market but only sturgeon can be called caviar. It takes upward of 10 years before a sturgeon produces eggs, hence the hefty price tag of quality caviar.
I left with new knowledge and my very own tin of 125 grams of Tsar Imperial, clocking in at around $600 a tin.
Read more: The best ways to get to Paris using points and miles
Deplaning in North Carolina, I ticked on my customs form that I was bringing back caviar, wine and oil, as I normally do. An agent pulled me aside and questioned me nonstop about my caviar. Beluga caviar is illegal and banned from the states because the beluga sturgeon is critically endangered. I assured her it wasn’t beluga, mainly because the price of beluga caviar is way out of my reach and Petrossian doesn't offer caviar from beluga sturgeon.
The customs agent called the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, whose agent pulled me into a separate room to question me further about my luxurious souvenir. The agent unzipped the mini-cooler and began to inspect. Sweating and fidgeting, I felt like I was in an episode of Locked up Abroad. I kept thinking, what if they take it? It was a gift but it’s still a lot to lose.
Caviar rules but there are also caviar rules — beyond the beluga ban. The most important is that travelers can only purchase and bring back a total of 125 grams of caviar. Anything over this limit will result in confiscation unless you carry a CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) permit — so do the math if you’re planning to bring back multiple smaller tins. The Fish and Wildlife agent also reiterated that it’s always wise to declare items. If you don’t or give false information, there’s a fine and you still end up losing your "imports" in the end.
Read more: 8 mistakes travelers often make during their first trip to Paris
The agent called in one more employee to make the final decision. They cleared the caviar and packed it back in its mini-cooler.
The caviar back-and-forth took a half-hour and my friend waiting in the cellphone parking lot was wondering where I was. “What took so long?” she asked me. “Caviar,” I said, laughing but frazzled.
Later that night we made blinis from scratch and indulged in the coveted black pearls. She finally understood why I was panicking at the thought of losing my can. “This is the best caviar I’ve ever had,” she said.
Read more: 15 things to see and do on your first trip to Paris
Bottom line
Be sure to buy caviar from a well-known, trusted source or from a brand directly. Ask exactly what caviar it is and have this information handy when going through customs. You can also order caviar online, although enjoying it with a Petrossian family member was worth the trip to Paris alone.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.