This guide is for information only and is not legal advice. Last verified October 17, 2026. Rules change, so always confirm with the official source (CBP) or ask the officer at the port.
In short
- If you live in the US, your usual exemption is US$800 every 31 days. The 48-hour rule doesn't apply to trips from Mexico, but a lower limit may apply if you cross very often, so ask at the port.
- Alcohol: 1 liter within the exemption (21+). In Texas you may bring 1 liter plus one case of beer per person every 30 days, and the state charges tax.
- Citrus and raw eggs are prohibited. Guava, mango, peach and pomegranate are restricted. Declare all food.
- Cash: more than US$10,000 in total must be reported on FinCEN 105.
- Declaring is free; not declaring gets fined. When in doubt, tell the officer.
Your exemption as a US resident
US citizens and residents returning home get a personal exemption of US$800 in purchases, usable once every 31 days. Normally you need to have been away at least 48 hours, but CBP says: "This time limit does not apply if you are returning from Mexico or from the U.S. Virgin Islands."
There is also a smaller US$200 exemption for people who can't use the $800 one, for example after several trips within 30 days. How that rule interacts with the Mexico exception isn't entirely clear, and many border guides apply the $200 limit to same-day trips. If you're a Winter Texan who crosses to Nuevo Progreso every week or two, ask the CBP officer which limit applies to you.
Above your exemption, the next tier is charged a flat 3% rate, and a family travelling together can combine their exemptions on one declaration. CBP's customs duty page lists the exact amounts.
If you're a visitor (you don't live in the US)
Visitors get a US$100 gift exemption, provided they stay at least 72 hours and haven't claimed it in the last 6 months. Alcohol and tobacco are not included in it.
Alcohol and tobacco
- Alcohol: 1 liter within the exemption, 21 and older only.
- Texas: 1 liter plus one case of beer per person every 30 days. Texas charges state tax on alcohol and cigarettes even when you're within the federal exemption.
- Tobacco: 200 cigarettes (one carton) or 100 cigars within the exemption.
- Cuban cigars: prohibited.
Food, fruit and plants
This is where most people run into trouble at the Rio Grande Valley bridges. The golden rule: declare all food, even if you think it's allowed. The officer decides; declaring doesn't get you in trouble, hiding does.
Prohibited:
- Citrus: orange, grapefruit, tangerine, sour orange and sweet lime.
- Raw eggs (CBP has reported a sharp rise in seizures).
- Marigold (cempasúchil), chrysanthemums, orange jasmine (murraya), soil, tejocote and unpeeled sugarcane.
Restricted (may be seized): guava, mango, peach and pomegranate.
Generally allowed: solid cheese (not ricotta, not cottage cheese, nothing containing meat), cooked eggs, and commercially packaged shelf-stable products.
Raw pork and avocados with the seed: usually prohibited. We couldn't find a current official page confirming this, so ask before you buy them.
Because of New World screwworm, the US has suspended live cattle imports from Mexico since May 2025, and dogs need a special certificate. If you travel with a dog, see our Spanish guide Cruzar la frontera con perro.
Medicines
Many visitors cross to Nuevo Progreso for the pharmacy or the dentist. The usual practice is to bring only personal-use quantities, in the original container, with the doctor's prescription. We couldn't review a current official CBP or FDA text on this, so if you're bringing large quantities or controlled medicines, ask first at the port or on help.cbp.gov.
Cash
You can carry any amount, but if the total (cash, checks and similar) is over US$10,000 you must report it on FinCEN 105. You can file online at fincen105.cbp.dhs.gov, and you still tell the officer. For the Mexican side, see Dinero en efectivo y armas en la frontera (Spanish).
Before you get in line
- Keep your receipts and know the total of what you bought.
- Keep any food where you can show it quickly.
- Check the live wait for Nuevo Progreso, Reynosa or Matamoros, and the quietest hours on Estadísticas.
- Have your documents ready; if you're not sure which ones you need, read Documents to cross into the US.
- Going further into Mexico on a longer trip? See Mexico tourist card (FMM).
Official sources
- CBP – What to expect when you return
- CBP – Customs duty information
- CBP – Requirements when traveling to Mexico
- CBP – Types of exemptions for visitors
- CBP – Southwest border agricultural restrictions
- CBP – Raw eggs from Mexico are prohibited
- USDA APHIS – Milk, dairy and eggs
- FinCEN 105 e-filing
Something changed at your bridge, or something's unclear? Write to us at hola@alpuente.mx.