New Customs Rule Would Affect Gay LGBT Couples
A proposed federal rule change would expand the definition of “family”
and allow non-married couples and others who live in one household and
are traveling abroad together to reenter the United States with a single
U.S. Customs declaration.
This would mean a gay couple could go through together, as a “family”.
Nowhere does the proposed rule change mention gay or lesbian partners.
The wording specifies “two adult individuals in a committed relationship
wherein the partners share financial assets and obligations,” not
including “roommates or other cohabitants.”
Customs estimates an annual savings of 72,600 “burden hours” under
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The government believes the change
would effect more than a million travelers a year or four minutes per
response.
At present, gay couples traveling together must each go through Customs separately.
Read more at Steve Rothaus / Miami Herald.
