international immigration
Are there any restrictions in international law on charging a person to return to their own country?
<p>I came across evidence today of a country that charges its own citizens $10 to cross a land border back into its own territory.  Since I have never come across this before, I was wondering whether there are any common treaties or principles of customary international law that would normally restrict this?</p>

<p>I was thinking along the lines of Article 13.2 of the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Universal Declaration of Human Rights</a>, "Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country", which presumably extends to people that don't have $10.  But I realise the UD does not have much status internationally.  Is there anything else?</p>

<p>It is accepted that legally crossing a border requires a passport. Passports are not issued without charge. In essence this is exactly the same thing.</p>

<p>"Having a right" and being able to exercise that right without cost (monetary or otherwise) are two different things. Americans have a right to bear arms: this does not place an obligation on the US government to issue everyone a free gun.</p>
