o expedite the customs clearing procedure and avoid costly and inconvenient delays, do not include prescription medication in your household goods shipment. Instead, carry all prescription drugs with you as you enter the country or mail the medication into the United States. The United States only lets people who have a prescription bring in enough medicine for three months or less.

Avoid the temptation to consolidate your prescription medications into one container. Instead, keep your medicine in separate vials clearly labeled (in English) with the name of the medication and prescribing doctor, the dosage and the directions for use. Medication mailed into the States is routinely inspected; if your shipment does not contain sufficient documentation, the product will be detained until you provide the required paperwork.

It is also helpful to secure a letter from your doctor explaining the medications prescribed. Such a letter could also prove invaluable in an emergency situation. This kind of paperwork is especially important for people who get their medicine through a hypodermic needle, like diabetics.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration restricts the importation of drugs it has determined to be dangerous or fraudulent. To find out if your medication is included in this category, contact your North American agent, your local U.S. Embassy, or the U.S. Customs Service.