Here’s What to Do
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is one of the primary international gateways on the East Coast, serving a wide range of routes to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. CBP officers at Dulles enforce federal currency reporting requirements actively on both arriving and departing international travelers — and seizures happen regularly. In August 2025 alone, CBP seized more than $111,000 in unreported currency from travelers at Dulles across three separate incidents.
If CBP has seized your cash at Dulles, do not try to handle this yourself. Do not call the Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures office to explain your situation. Do not write a letter without legal counsel. The process is adversarial, the deadlines are strict, and the way your case is presented will determine whether you get your money back.
Great Lakes Customs Law has represented clients with currency seizures at Dulles and at ports of entry across the country. Read on to understand what happened, what you are facing, and how we can help.
Why Dulles Is an Active Currency Enforcement Airport
Dulles serves as a major hub for long-haul international routes — particularly to Africa, the Middle East, and Europe — that consistently produce higher-than-average per-case seizure amounts. Travelers on these routes often carry significant sums of cash for legitimate purposes: family remittances, business transactions, real estate purchases, or travel expenses in countries where banking infrastructure is limited. That same pattern, however, draws heightened scrutiny from CBP officers who are trained to identify currency reporting violations.
CBP enforces the reporting requirement on departing travelers just as actively as on arrivals. Cash being carried out of the United States on a flight to Lagos, Cairo, Rome, or Doha is subject to exactly the same FinCEN 105 filing requirement as cash entering the country — a fact many travelers do not realize until after a seizure.
Recent Seizures at Dulles: What Actually Happened
In August 2025, CBP officers at Dulles seized a total of $111,225 in unreported currency across three incidents that illustrate how these cases arise:
- A traveler departing to Lome, Togo was found with $77,135 in unreported cash. This traveler was a Global Entry member — and the seizure resulted in the immediate revocation of their trusted traveler status in addition to the loss of their funds.
- A traveler headed to Rome, Italy attempted to depart with $14,300 in unreported cash.
- A passenger arriving from Cairo, Egypt was found carrying $19,790 that had not been declared.
None of these amounts are extraordinary. None required elaborate concealment. In each case, the violation was simply failing to file the required form — and the consequence was immediate seizure of the entire amount.
A Note on Global Entry and Trusted Traveler Status
The Togo-bound traveler’s case illustrates an important point that goes beyond the seized funds: a currency reporting violation can cost you your Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS membership. CBP treats trusted traveler program participants as having accepted heightened compliance obligations. A seizure — even one that is ultimately resolved in your favor through the petition or claims process — can result in revocation of trusted traveler status that may be very difficult to restore. If you are a Global Entry member and your cash has been seized, this adds further urgency to getting experienced legal representation involved early.
Common Reasons CBP Seizes Cash at Dulles
Under 31 U.S.C. § 5316, any person traveling internationally with more than $10,000 in currency or monetary instruments must file a FinCEN 105 form with CBP at the time of arrival or departure. There is no tax on the money and no limit on how much you can carry — the obligation is only to report it. Failing to do so, or reporting an inaccurate amount, gives CBP legal authority to seize the funds. The most common violations at Dulles include:
- Failure to report on departure — Cash being carried out of the United States without a FinCEN 105 filing. This is the most common scenario at Dulles given the volume of outbound long-haul international travel.
- Failure to report on arrival — Travelers arriving from international destinations who do not declare currency over $10,000 at the time of entry.
- Bulk cash smuggling — Currency concealed in luggage, clothing, or on the person with intent to evade the reporting requirement.
- Structuring — Dividing funds among traveling companions to keep individual amounts below $10,000. CBP treats a traveling couple, family, or group as a single reporting unit.
What Happens After a Dulles Cash Seizure
At the time of seizure, CBP will issue a Custody Receipt for Seized Property. Keep this document carefully — it contains your case information and the contact details for the FP&F office handling your case. Within 60 days, you should receive a Notice of Seizure and Information to Claimants from CBP’s Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures office, along with the Election of Proceedings form. This form sets your path forward. Your three options are:
- Administrative Petition for Remission or Mitigation — You ask CBP to return all or part of the money through an internal review process. This keeps the matter out of court but places CBP in the position of reviewing its own officers’ decision.
- CAFRA Seized Asset Claim — You formally contest the seizure and demand that the government pursue forfeiture through the federal courts. This shifts the burden of proof to the government and gives you access to judicial review.
- Offer in Compromise — You propose a settlement, paying a portion of the seized amount in exchange for return of the remainder.
Choosing the right option requires understanding your specific facts — the amount seized, the violation alleged, the strength of your documentation, and your goals. There is no universally correct answer, and choosing wrong can cost you a recovery you could have achieved with the right approach.
Read our detailed guide to the Election of Proceedings form and our analysis of which option is best for your situation.
Deadlines Are Critical — Do Not Wait
Once CBP issues your Notice of Seizure, you generally have 30 days to file an Election of Proceedings. If that deadline passes without a valid response, CBP can proceed with administrative forfeiture — the money is gone permanently without any court ever reviewing the seizure. There is no informal appeal process and no second chance once the window closes.
Beyond the filing deadline, building a strong evidentiary case takes time. Bank records, tax documentation, business records, and supporting statements need to be gathered and organized. The sooner you engage an attorney, the better positioned your case will be when the deadline arrives.
In the meantime, do not call the FP&F office. Do not make any statements about the money or its source without legal counsel. Everything you say after a seizure becomes part of the record. Read our guide on why you must remain silent after a seizure.
What Evidence Will You Need to Get Your Money Back?
Regardless of which proceeding you elect, recovering seized cash from CBP requires demonstrating two things: that the money came from a legitimate source, and that it was intended for a lawful purpose. This is not a presumption of innocence situation — the burden falls on you to affirmatively prove the money’s legitimacy.
Supporting documentation typically includes bank records and withdrawal history consistent with the amount seized, tax returns or other income documentation, business records or contracts explaining the intended use, statements from family members, employers, or business partners, remittance records or currency exchange documentation, and any documentation specific to your circumstances — property purchases, medical expenses, business dealings, or other lawful explanations for carrying currency.
The organization and credibility of this evidence package matters enormously. A well-constructed petition that tells a coherent, documented story is very different from an explanation letter. CBP FP&F officers have seen every kind of submission — a weak or legally unsophisticated filing is easy to deny. Read our full guide to evidence and documentation for currency seizure cases.
Dulles CBP Field Office
Currency seizures at Washington Dulles International Airport are processed through the CBP Washington Dulles Area Port and its associated Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures office. The Washington Dulles Field Office handles the administrative forfeiture process, reviews petitions, and issues decisions on IAD seizures. Great Lakes Customs Law works with FP&F offices at ports across the country, including Dulles, and understands how these offices evaluate and decide cases.
Our Results at Dulles and Nationwide
Great Lakes Customs Law has represented clients with currency seizures at Washington Dulles and at ports of entry across the country. Jason Wapiennik has handled more than 700 currency seizure cases and recovered more than $11 million for clients nationwide. You do not need a Virginia- or DC-based attorney — you need the right customs attorney, and we represent clients at every major U.S. port of entry regardless of location.
See our currency seizure case results.
Get a Free Consultation Today
If CBP seized your cash at Washington Dulles International Airport, contact us now for a free currency seizure consultation. The sooner we review your case, the more options are available to fight for a full recovery.
Read our full CBP Money Seizure Lawyer’s Guide or reach out directly using the contact options on this page.