What you can bring back legally from your hols
So, you found a cheap flight to New York, changed your hard-earned cash into dollars, shopped until you dropped and when you landed back at the airport and walked through the Green Channel, Customs and Excise wanted a word. By the time you paid your fine the only bargain you got was your New York flight …
What is the limit for purchases made in European Union countries?
The European Union (EU) is 28 countries strong, composed of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (excluding the Canary Islands and Gibraltar), Sweden and the UK (excluding the Channel Islands).
Watch out if you’re holidaying in Cyprus. The island is part of the EU, but goods from any part of it that’s not controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus (that is the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) are treated as non-EU imports.
British visitors to EU countries are allowed to bring back, as gifts or for personal use, anything they wish, but there are a few exceptions. Dangerous, indecent or counterfeit items, or goods made from endangered species, are not permitted. Travellers can bring in as much tobacco and alcohol as they can carry so long as it is for personal use and not for re-sale.
And outside the EU?
Bargain hunters holidaying outside the EU or in the Canary Islands, Channel Islands or Gibraltar can bring back either one litre of spirits or strong liqueurs, or two litres of fortified wine (port or sherry for example), sparkling wine or any other drink of less than 22 per cent volume. These limits can be combined as long as the total allowance is not exceeded.
Four litres of wine (still wine, that is) and 16 litres of beer can be brought back on top of the spirits/fortified wine allowance.
The tobacco allowance is 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco.
Finally, the allowance for other goods, such as perfume, electrical and souvenirs, is £390. If you’re travelling by private plane or boat, the allowance is lower – £270.
Which customs channel should I use at the airport?
If your journey commenced in an EU country and you have no banned or restricted goods and no tobacco products that are over the limits for imports from that country use the blue channel.
Use the green channel if you flew in from a country outside the EU and are bringing back no more than the customs allowances and no banned or restricted goods.
If you have any more than these allowances – or aren’t sure if you do or not – use the red channel or use the red point phone.
The rules on the amount of duty due on excess of the limits are complicated and finding out your liability in advance is difficult, but reckon on having to pay anything from a quarter to a third of the value.
To avoid a fine at the airport and being held by Customs and Excise, go through the red channel, or use the red point phone. Hold on to your sales receipts, especially if you got a bargain, or Customs and Excise will apply a realistic price when calculating the duty you owe. It may be far higher than the one you paid.
If you are tempted to wing it, beware. Customs and Excise target arrivals from shopping hot spots such as the US, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong at odd times of the day and night and they know all the tricks. They also have a wide range of powers, and can, for example, run a check on your recent credit-card purchases.
