Customs

Non-EU allowances

If you come to UK from a country outside the EU, there are limits on the amount of tobacco, alcohol, perfume and other goods you can bring with you, without paying duty.

Leaving the airport through customs

Most UK ports and airports have three exits or 'channels', while some have only one exit, with a red point phone for declaring goods. 

Use the Red Channel if you:

• have goods to declare; or
• have any sums of cash (notes, coins, bankers' drafts or any cheques including travellers' cheques) of 10,000 Euro or more (or the equivalent in another currency); or
• have commercial goods; or
• have tobacco products from an EU country that are over the limits for imports from that country; or
• are not sure what you should declare.   

Use the Green Channel if you are travelling from a non-EU country with:

• no more than the customs allowances: and
• no banned or restricted goods

Use the Blue Channel if you are travelling from a EU country with:

• no banned and restricted goods; and
• no tobacco products  that are over the limits for imports from that country.  
• If you bring in goods on which tax has been paid in an EU country, you do not have to pay any tax or duty on them in the UK. 

The amounts you are allowed

When travelling from a non-EU country you can bring the following into the UK for your own use without paying UK tax or duty: 

• 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 (such as port or sherry), sparkling wine or other liqueurs
• 60cc of perfume 
• 250cc of eau de toilette 
• £145 worth of all other goods including gifts and souvenirs   

If you have not exceeded your allowances, go through the green channel. If you have any more than these allowances you must declare the goods in the red channel or use the red point phone. If you do not, you are breaking the law and may be prosecuted. 

You should also be aware that: 

• If you are under 17 you cannot bring tobacco or alcohol into the UK.
• You are entitled to the allowances above, only if you travel with the goods and do not sell them. 
• If you bring in something worth more than the limit of £145, you must pay charges on the full value, not just the value above £145. 
• You and anyone you are travelling with cannot pool your individual allowances to bring in an item worth more than the limit. You will have to pay charges on the full value of the item. 
• If you are bringing back any duty-free or tax-free goods you bought when you left the UK, these count as part of your allowance.   
• If you also have tobacco or alcohol goods that you bought in an EU country (other than tobacco products over the limit for imports from that country), you will not have to pay any more duty or tax on these so long as: they are for your own use; and you can show that you have paid duty and tax in an EU country, for example by producing the receipt.   

Air transfers

If you arrive by air and are transferring to a flight to another EU country, at the transfer point you need only declare goods in your hand baggage. You do not declare your hold baggage until you collect it at your final destination. 

The same usually applies if you are transferring to a UK domestic flight. But in some cases we must clear both your hand luggage and hold baggage at the transfer airport. The airline will tell you when this is necessary. 

Customs & immigration 2

Prohibited & restricted goods

To protect health and the environment, some goods are prohibited – banned completely – from being brought into the UK, and others are restricted - you cannot import them without authority such as a licence. Below, we have listed some examples for you to use as a guide, but be aware that these are only a small selection of goods prohibited and restricted in the UK. If in doubt you should contact the National Advice Service at HM Revenue & Customs:

Prohibited goods

• Unlicensed drugs, such as heroin, morphine, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates, LSD and cannabis. Though cannabis is now a Class C drug in the UK, bringing it into the UK is still illegal and may result in seizure and prosecution.
• Offensive weapons, such as flick knives, butterfly knives, push daggers, belt-buckle knives, death stars, swordsticks, knives disguised as everyday objects, knuckledusters, blowpipes, spring-operated telescopic truncheons, and some martial arts equipment.
• Indecent and obscene material featuring children, such as books, magazines, films, videotapes, laser discs and software.
• Pornographic material other than that which depicts the type of consensual sexual activity between adults, which can be legally purchased in the UK.
• Counterfeit and pirated goods and goods that infringe patents when brought into the UK from outside the UK (such as watches, clocks and CDs, and any goods with false marks of their origin).
• Meat, dairy and other animal products (such as fish, shellfish, eggs and honey) from outside the EU, except:
• Powdered infant milk, infant food and special foods required for medical reasons which do not need to be refrigerated and are proprietary branded products, with packaging intact unless in current use.
• Meat, milk, eggs, honey, fish and their products for your own consumption from Andorra, Norway, San Marino, the Canary Islands and the Channel Islands.
• Meat, milk and their products for your own consumption from Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, with a combined total weight of not more than 5kg per person.
• From some other countries you are allowed to bring in up to 1kg of food not containing meat or milk derivatives eg fish, eggs and honey. For advice call the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), 08459 335577 or visit DEFRA.
• Live birds – with some exceptions, there are currently strict restrictions on the import of live birds.

Restricted goods

Firearms, explosives and ammunition, including electric shock devices (such as stun guns) and gas canisters. For advice call Customs National Advice Service, 0845 010 9000.

Live animals must normally have a British import (rabies) licence and must be quarantined. But dogs or cats that meet the conditions of the Pet Passport Scheme can be imported without quarantine. Live birds, including pets, must normally have a British health import licence. For advice call DEFRA Animal Health,            +44 (0)20 7904 6000      .

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. For advice call DEFRA Global Wildlife,             +44 (0)117 372 8749      .

Certain plants and their produce, including trees, shrubs, potatoes, certain fruit, bulbs and seeds. For advice call DEFRA Plant Health, 08459 335577.

Radio transmitters such as CB radios that are not approved for use in the UK. For advice call The Radiocommunications Agency,             +44 (0)20 7211 0463      .

Items prohibited for hand luggage (airports)

In light of recent security threats in Britain, allow extra time when you are at the airport for the increased security checks, and ensure you do not carry any of the following in your hand luggage:

• Scissors
• Razor blades
• Knives with blades of any length
• Household cutlery
• Tweezers
• Hypodermic needles (unless required for medical reasons)
• Tools or toy/replica guns (metal or plastic)
• Catapults
• Knitting needles
• Sporting bats
• Billiard, snooker or pool cues
• Darts

Resource == http://www.visitbritain.co.uk/about-britain/practical-information/customs-and-immigration/prohibited-restricted-goods.aspx .