Hi all
I have a general question as a newbie with respect to receiving eggs from international locations. Specifically, I have purchased some eggs from Japan & was wondering if there are any specific customs requirements I would need to be aware of? if so, is there a good reference resource from which such customs requirements can be obtained. Appreciate any input. Thanks

I've gotten eggs from Europe and Canada and have never had the need to do anything through customs. The eggs usually just come in a padded envelope through the USPS without any problem.

Hi Carlos, Thanks for your reply. My eggs from Japan arrived without any issue. Guess I will continue with a "no action required" approach.

I don't doubt that this was your experience, Carlos, as it has been the experience of many.  However, the legalities are much more complicated than that.  I would be lying if told you I could cite them intimately.

My layman's understanding of the simplest cases however is this:

A person can make a non-commercial import of up to 7 animals at one time without an importers license.

  This assumes, of course, that none of the animals are prohibited species.  One egg is considered one "animal", so getting seven fish, or seven eggs is theoretically fine (though somewhat at the whim of the official looking at it at that moment).  I have personally gone through Agriculture Department inspection with seven fish after a flight from Germany and that went fine.  Eight animals or more, however, always requires an import license, must go through a specific facility, etc.

   I can't site specific federal publications, but I'm sure they are available online if you want to dig and try to figure out what applies.  My knowledge comes to me from my friendship with a licensed importer who has to be very well versed in the rules as well as the experience of a friend who got into legal difficulty with US federal law.  His issue was specifically from repeatedly having eggs, bought through Aquabid, mailed to him.  It wound up costing him very significant money to settle it all once the enforcement machine focused on him.

   So your results may vary, but I wanted to make sure folks weren't left with the impression that importing killies and eggs is perfectly legal and no problems with the authorities are possible.   The rules are very limiting and working outside them can cause significant grief.

Hi Andy - thanks for sharing your experience. My expectation was that there were probably some regulations around this issue and it sounds like there are. Will do some digging & see what I can find.