International travelers would have to file reports when carrying prepaid access cards and devices loaded with large amounts of money in or out of the United States, under a U.S. Treasury proposal made under pressure from Congress.

The rule, unveiled on Wednesday, is not expected to have a substantial impact on ordinary travelers, many of whom use debit or credit cards when overseas, but there are questions about how it can be enforced.

The rule represents an effort to get ahead of what law enforcement officials and others fear could be significant new digital tactics in international money laundering by drug dealers, militant groups and others.

"The proposal is intended to address certain devices that can be used as a substitute for currency, as they provide access to funds by any bearer of the device. This product attribute ... may enable the anonymous transfer or concealed transport of illicit funds across the U.S. border," the Treasury department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, said in issuing the proposed rule.

Travelers crossing U.S. borders only file a Treasury report if they are carrying more than $10,000 in cash or travelers checks.

The proposal would add prepaid devices -- such as prepaid cards, gift cards, and potentially cell phones -- to the list of "monetary instruments" whose value must be aggregated. When the total exceeds $10,000, the traveler would have to file a Currency and Monetary Instrument Report CMIR.L under the Bank Secrecy Act, a U.S. law aimed at combating money laundering and tax evasion.

Credit cards and debit cards, which are considered more visible to law enforcement, are exempt from the rule.

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