Travel Essentials: Customs Entry (Personal)

Most countries allow a specific amount of alcohol to be transported.

Be prepared to have your suitcase searched.

A certain amount of tobacco is permitted.

There are special regulations regarding pets.

Passengers arriving from E.U. countries with goods purchased in E.U. countries:

• Alcohol: (for passengers 17 and over)
  90 liters of wine (up to 60 liters of sparkling wine), 10 liters of spirits over 22%, 20 liters of alcoholic beverage less than 22%), 110 liters of beer
• Medicinal Products:
  in quantities up to a maximum of 3 (single) retail packages.
• Tobacco:
  800 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos, 200 cigars, and 1 kg of smoking tobacco
  Certain regulations apply to tobacco products imported from Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania until end 2009:
  Estonia:  200 cigarettes or 250 g of tobacco products;
  Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania:   200 cigarettes 
• Personal Items:
  Foodstuffs, beverages and other consumables
  New items, appliances and gifts are subject to duties

Note : Goods purchased in the E.U. by E.U. residents can move freely throughout European Union member states, except motor vehicles.

Passengers arriving from non-E.U. countries:

(includes territories where E.U. rules on VAT and excise do not apply, such as the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, the French overseas departments, the Aland Islands and Gibraltar)

• Alcohol: (age 17 and older)
  4 liters of still wine, 1 liter of spirits over 22% volume, or non-denatured ethyl alcohol with more than 80% volume, 2 liters of alcoholic beverage less than 22% volume, or sparkling wines or liqueur wines, 16 liters of beer
• Fuel
  In any one means of motor transport, the fuel contained in the standard tank and a quantity of fuel not exceeding 10 liters contained in a portable container
• Medicinal Products:
  Sufficient for personal needs; in quantities up to a maximum of 3 (single) retail packages.
• Tobacco: (age 17 and older)
  200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, and 250 g of tobacco
• Other Goods (including perfume, coffee, or tea, toys, electronic devices)
  £340 worth of all other goods including gifts and souvenirs 

Prohibited 

• Any article that deals with endangered species: items made from ivory, fur skins, reptile leather
• Counterfeit and pirated goods
• Indecent and obscene materials featuring children and other pornographic materials that are considered illegal in E.U. countries
• Meat, milk, and other animal products
• Narcotics and unlicensed drugs
• Offensive weapons
• Pornographic material

Restricted

• Currency
  Amounts exceeding EUR 10,000 or equivalent in another currency, including drafts and checks, must be declared
• Endangered species
• Explosives and ammunition
• Firearms (incl. sporting guns and shotguns) and ammunition
  Must be supported by an appropriate license/certificate plus a permit; Visit the following website for further information: www.met.police.uk/firearms_licensing/
• Foodstuffs
• Hunting arms:  no special requirements apply if temporarily imported, except hunting arms must be declared on arrival.
• Live animals
• Personal consignments of meat, meat products, milk and milk products originated in non-E.U. countries are prohibited with the exception of:
  a.)  powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods required for medical reasons provided that:
  the product does not require refrigeration before consumption; it is a packaged brand product;
  the packaging is unbroken.
  b.)  personal consignments from the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland with a combined total weight that does not exceed 5 kg.
  c.)  personal consignments from Andorra, Norway and San Marino.
  d.)  upon arrival; when goods are declared by an authorized E.U. border inspection post for veterinary control. Goods must be accompanied by the necessary documentation from the official veterinary services of the country of origin, stating that the goods conform to the requirements for entry into the E.U.
  Note: up to 1 kg of other food from animal origin, if authorized, can be imported, without submitting it for veterinary control.
• Pets
  The U.K. has special regulations regarding pets. visit the Dept. of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website for specifics.
• Prescription Medications
• Plants and their produce
• Radio transmitters

Passengers from the U.S. may bring:

• 1 kg of food not containing meat or milk derivatives
• 2 kg of fruit and raw vegetables (but not potatoes)
• a bouquet of cut flowers
• 5 retail packets of seeds (but not seeds for potatoes).

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