Travelling to the UK from outside the EU

You have to go through Customs if you arrive in the UK af­ter travelling from or through a country that is not in the EU. You must declare:

— any goods over the allowances listed below that you have bought in a country that is not in the EU

— any prohibited or restricted goods

— any commercial goods

If you have something to declare, go the red point or into the red channel.

Only go through the green (nothing to declare) channel if you are sure that you have no more than the Customs allowances and no prohibited, restricted, or commercial goods.

If you arrive by air and transferring to a flight to another EU country, you do not collect your hold baggage until you reach your final destination. At the transfer point, you only have to declare goods in your cabin baggage. At your final destination, you must declare goods in your hold baggage.

This is usually the same if you are transferring to a UK do­mestic flight, but in some cases Customs must clear both your cabin baggage and your hold baggage at the transfer airport. The airline will tell you when this is necessary.

You may be arriving with goods for your personal use that you have bought and paid duty and tax on in another EU coun­try. You will not have to pay any more duty or tax as long as you can show, if Customs ask you to, that you have paid duty and tax (by producing the receipt, for example) and that the goods are for your personal use.

THE CUSTOMS ALLOWANCE

For travellers arriving from outside the EU

200 cigarettes or

100 cigarillos or

50 cigars or

250g of tobacco

2 litres of still table wine

1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 % volume or

2 litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine, or other liqueurs 60cc/ml of perfume

250cc/ml of toilet water

$136 worth of all other goods including gifts and souvenirs

For travellers arriving from inside the EU 300 cigarettes or 150 cigarillos or75 cigars or400g of tobacco 3 litres of still table wine

1.5 litres of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 % volume or 3 litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine, or other liqueurs 75cc/ml of perfume 375cc/ml of toilet water

PEOPLE UNDER 17 CANNOT HAVE THE TOBACCO OR ALCOHOL ALLOWANCE