How strict are customs on what you bring back?

[lynne1307]

Hi,

I think it would be very tempting to do lots of shopping in the US as everything looks much cheaper over there.
Question though, how strict are customs when you get back? Has anyone had any good/bad experiences?
What should you do if you "think" you may have overspent your allowance, indeed what is the allowance!!

thanks in advance for your advice

Lynne

 

[PoohBears#1fan]

Hi Lynne,

Personal allowance is £145 per person, and it can't be pooled for larger items.

We do stick to it and keep our receipts, I'm just not brave enough to attempt to deceive customs and tend to look guilty when I'm doing nothing wrong!!! lol

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Allowances can be found at the HM Customs & Excise site here. The allowance for gifts and souvenirs is £145 which is quite easy to exceed!

Regards

Rob

 

[Red-Snapper]

Without wishing to tempt fate we have never been stopped after getting back to Gatwick, in fact I cannot remember the last time we even saw a customs official at the desk !!

Coming back from a Carribbean flight is a different matter.

Not that we go over our limit anyway of course

 

[Grumpy John]

In all the years we have been going to Orlando we have never been stopped at Customs.

More often than not we will go out with a case within a case plus two empty holdalls that we lay on top of the case before closing.

These will come back all full (towels, polo shirts, trainers etc.).

I am sure customs are not interested in the fact that I have a dozens towels or a few polo shirts more than I should have.

Surely they are after bigger fish so to speak.

 

[signtalker]

I can only echo, what others have said,ive yet to see anybody at customs on the way back at Gatwick.Before I used these boards I didnt even know about the £145 limit!!

Keep your receipts just incase, and Im of the opion if you get caught ,you get caught! , just pay the duty!!

Jules

 

[vernon]

There are a few things that will make it more likely you'll get stopped, a big new shiney golf bag and set of clubs is akin to waving a big red flag at customs saying " I'M OVER MY LIMIT HERE !!!" I don't think they are too bothered with tourists who buy a couple of mickey teeshirts too many, it is more if people are coming in with a load of expensive electronics, perfume or golf clubs that could be resold on at a profit. Again if you come through with $2,000 worth of designer clothes that still have all the labels on it could be viewed your plan is to sell them, I'm never sure how they would know if somethings brand new if you've already worn the stuff ( unless it says Orlando 2004 on the front ).

 

[Deniseuk]

There was a piece on BBC news 24 this morning regarding the same subject. A women returning from florida bought loads off clothes and had to pay customs.They were saying because of the good dollar rate at the moment more and more people are going over to shop and customs are getting wise.

 

[Rain]

Last visit to Orlando we overpent our limit and decided we would go through the red channel.
We listed all our receipts ready. I think we had gone over by about $100 and did not want to just walk through green.
We got to the red channel at Manchester and it was not manned so I decided I would pick up the red phone and declare it . ( got some very strange looks) The customs officer just said thank you for letting us know go staright through, no charge!

I would alsways now declare, even if we do not get it free next time, I would feel better about it.

Lynda

 

[RUSHBURY]

Hi

We've never been stopped at customs at Glasgow airport and usually there is noone manning it.

Helen

 

[UKDEB]

Whilst it is true that the green channel at Gatwick is often unmanned for Orlando flights (often, but not always); and also that HM Customs and (most) Customs Officers are not interested in Joe Tourist bringing back a few too many consumer items, there are a couple of things worth bearing in mind.

If you are over your personal allowance, enter the green channel and get stopped, you may get lucky and just be required to pay the duty. However, the Customs Officer is entirely within his/her rights to confiscate the goods.

Many shops selling high priced items such as electronic equipment, watches, jewellery, etc., will offer to mail the receipt home. Customs have that one covered. If you <i>are</i> stopped with such items, the onus of proof is on you, and if they are suspicious, they can (and do) intercept your mail.

 

[eyoreaud]

Have to agree with Helen about Glasgow, we've never seen any customs guys either.

The best thing we found after flying with BA from Aberdeen via LGW is that on the way back our luggage isn't even put through customs because this is classed as an internal flight!

Now work that one out Not that we go over our limit MUCH

Luv Audrey,
xxxxxxxxxx

 

[billybluenose]

I bought the shiny new golf bag complete with £300 worth of golf clubs as mentioned above.
Was never stopped or quizzed once. They still had all the price tags dangling from them so were obviously new.
To be honest, I never knew about the £145 limit so would have thought twice about buying the clubs if I had.

 

[mickmin]

i can only echo what most people have said. we have never seen any customs officers at gatwick and as for the £145 limit thats a joke, you tell my wife that!!! we usually end up spending aboiut £2000 on sports wear trainers clothing etc and the same again on souvenirs snow globes etc. we go with 3 half emptycases and come back with 4 full cases and 1 or 2 holdalls.

 

[jjcollins]

Never been stopped


jj......

 

[lynne1307]

Wow! what a lot of advice!
this board is great for first timers like me.

Thanks to all for their input

Lynne
x

 

[JohnnySharp]

We have never had any problems with customs , I mean it is obvious loads of people spend more than the allowance.
Maybe they just turn a blind eye , after all it is Orlando, surely they realise everyone spnds money on souvenirs etc

One thing we always do with clothing is take the tags or labels off, just in case.

 

[Azune]

As an earlier post said, how would they know whether the goods were already yours on the way out? Without encouraging you to cheat, most plain sportswear etc, can have the labels removed and the bags ditched whilst over there and they will be none the wiser. Saying that I have been fairly lucky and have never been stopped, the first time I went I forgot about the customs thing and was wearing an orlando Planet Hollywood Jacket...still wasn't asked luckily!

 

[daipp]

Through my work I often do joint operations with Customs and just because you can't see them, I guarantee they can see you. Next time you are waiting for your luggage at Gatwick, take a look at the cameras behind you and the mirrors (two-way). Believe me they know exactly who and what they are looking for. Also, your luggage has probably been x-rayed before it comes to you!!!

The biggest collection of Customs officers (and dogs) I ever saw was at Norwich airport last May. They had just installed some new equipment and there were 22 officers there for some European arrivals. Knowing some of the officers present they told me they were watching a particular case as it was loaded with cigarettes.

The next time I saw the case, it was opened and the contents (hundreds of packs of cigarettes) on a table whilst the owner tried to explain what was going on!

It's illegal, don't try it, because if you are caught it could ruin your holiday.

David

 

[matty624]

Originally posted by daipp

It's illegal, don't try it, because if you are caught it could ruin your holiday.

David, I presume you're refering to smuggling cigarettes or the like, not Reeboks!
We've never been stopped, but the adrenaline kicks in everytime we walk through the green channel. DW spends at least £1500 on kids clothes etc every year! All labels removed.
It's a good question about proving what you're bringing back. Having been to Florida many times, there will be things we've bought previously which go out with us. If the onus is on us to prove where we bought it from (cost and when), it's going to be practically impossible...
Still it's not going to stop us taking that extra empty suitcase!
Ian