The Ivory Ban and Traveling with your Instrument or Bow

The Ivory Ban and Traveling with your Instrument or Bow

As you may have heard, JFK International has taken seven bows from violin players in the Budapest Festival Orchestra and then released them four days later for a fine of over $500...

Though there is an ivory ban, The US Fish and WIldlife Services had declared weeks ago that bows bought before February 2014 containing ivory are allowed into United States.

How can the confiscation of your instrument be avoided & what does this mean for string players?

According to the most revised set of rules for traveling into the US with bows containing ivory, you may bring the bow into the US if :

1. The ivory of your bow was legally acquired before February of 1976
2. The instrument was not sold or bough for profit after February 2014
3. Person or group traveling with the instrument has a cites certificate
4. A CITES musical instrument certificate/CITES document is present when traveling with the instrument.

Rules for obtaining a CITES certificate if your are planning on traveling:


   1. Know how long your CITES certificate is valid for, the cost to apply for it is $75 in the US.

   2. You must get the certificate in the country that you are currently living in

   3. It can take up to two months to obtain a cites certificate. To speed up this process because you are in a hurry, speak with a CITES official . 


IMPORTANT: You must call to inform US Fish and Wildlife at least two or three days prior to your date of inspection. You will need a photo of the bow, fully filled out 3-77 paper, appraisal describing your bow, and the CITES certificate. 


For more information visit the american league of orchestras web page: http://americanorchestras.org/advocacy-government/travel-with-instruments/endangered-species-material/protected-species-travel-tips.html

Good Luck!