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 EU.

You must declare:

• any goods over the allowance listed in 'The Customs allowance' that you have bought in a country that is not in EU

• any prohibited or restricted goods (see 'Prohibited and restricted goods from outside the EU

• any commercial goods (see 'All other goods')

If you have something to declare, go to 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 allowance and no prohibited, restricted, or commercial goods. If you arrive by air and are 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.

You may be arriving with goods for your personal use that you have bought and pay 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 EU

-200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco

-2 litres of still table wine

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

-1 litres of fortified wine, spar­kling wine, r other liqueurs

-60 cc/ml of perfume 250 cc/ml of toilet water

-136 pounds worth of all other goods including gifts and sou­venirs

PEOPLE UNDER 17 CANNOT HAVE THE TOBACCO OR ALCOHOL ALLOWANCE

All other goods

If you bring something in worth more than the limit of 136 pounds, you will have to pay charges on the full value, not just on the value above 136 pounds.

If you are travelling as a fam­ily or group, you cannot pool your individual allowances to­wards an item worth more than the limit. You will have to pay charges on the full value of the item.

Prohibited and restricted goods from outside the EU

Certain goods are prohibited or restrict- ted to protect health and the environ­ment. We cannot list all the goods in­volved but we have listed some of them below.

Prohibited goods (e.g. goods which are banned completely): Unlicensed drugs, such as heroin, mor­phine, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, barbiturates, and LSD. Offensive weapons, such as flick-knives, swordsticks, knuckledusters, and some material arts equipment. Obscene material, and indecent and ob­scene material featuring children, such as books, magazines, films, videotapes, laser discs, and computer software. Counterfeit and copied goods such as watches, clothes, and CDs, also any goods with false marks of their origin.

Restricted soods (e.g. goods which you cannot import without authority such as a licence):

Firearms, explosives, and ammunition, including electric shock devices (such as stun guns) and gas canisters. Dogs, cats, and other animals, including rabbits, mice, rats, and gerbils. You must not bring these in unless you have a British import (rabies) licence. Live birds, including family pets, unless they are covered by a British health import licence.

Endangered species, including birds and plants, whether alive or dead, also such things as fur, ivory, or leather (or goods made from them) that have been taken from endangered species. Meat, poultry, and most of their products including bacon, ham, sausages, pate, eggs, milk, and cream. But you are al­lowed 1 kg of meat per person as long as it is cooked and in airtight containers. Certain plants and their produce. These include trees, shrubs, potatoes, certain fruit, bulbs, and seeds. Radio transmitters such as CB radios that are not approved for use in the UK.

3. Imagine you are a UK Customs Officer. How would you answer these questions?

VISAS

5. Have you ever travelled to a country where you needed a visa? How did you apply for it? Why do some countries require visas? Have you ever been to the United States? Did you need a visa?

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 2169