£150 limit

[glenbois]

Was just thinking about this today when I realised that our flight gets in at 2:30 a.m. at Cardiff airport - I cant imagine customs will be overly concerned with a flight load of tourists coming back from Orlando at that time of the night.

Having said that I am much more worried about the weight of our luggage due to the shrinking luggage allowances that seemed to have got reduced hugely since the last time we went.

 

[Ware Bears]

Both times we've been to Florida we went over our limit and came through the red channel as DH works for the government and cannot risk not declaring. Both times we've been asked what the most expensive single item was and how much it was, they've looked through our receipts which I keep handy ready to show them, then we've just been waved through without having to pay any extra.

I'm not sure if this is correct but I always understood that if you didn't declare and were then stopped and found to be over the limit, not only could you be prosecuted but the goods could be confiscated.

 

[PaulaSB12]

What happened to that raise in limit which was supposed to happen last year?

 

[mickg7dyd]

What happened to that raise in limit which was supposed to happen last year?

Our "friends" in the EU wouldn't allow it. Shows who really runs our Country doesn't it?

Mick.

 

[Hilary]

When we flew back from Miami last month, a girl from our flight was alongside us as we headed towards customs. She had a new boxed set of golf clubs on her trolley along with her ordinary baggage, and I expected her to go through the red channel, especially as there were plenty of cutoms officials in evidence. She went through 'nothing to declare' and wasn't stopped. Are golf sets that cheap in the US (less than £145)??!!

 

[UKDEB]

Some of these points have already been made, but they're worth reiterating.

• If you choose to go through the green channel and are stopped you'll probably get away with paying the duty and VAT, but your items could be confiscated.
• The onus is on you to prove that duty is not payable (i.e. that any items in questions were purchased before your trip). In theory, this means you should carry with you any receipts for newly purchased high value items, particularly latest models of electronic equipment, golf clubs and the like.
• Posting receipts home is a pointless exercise. If Customs are suspicious and the stakes are high enough, they have the power to intercept your mail.
• Most Customs Officers don't give a monkey's about holiday-makers returning with a few additional items (hence Elaine's experiences with the red channel), although you'll undoubtedly be charged duty if your stash includes high-value single items. Of course, it's always possible to fall foul of a jobs-worth.
• If you choose the green channel and get stopped, be polite and honest. They've heard it all before and rubbing them up the wrong way won't help your case one iota.

 

[dc1964]

Some of these points have already been made, but they're worth reiterating.

• If you choose to go through the green channel and are stopped you'll probably get away with paying the duty and VAT, but your items could be confiscated.
• The onus is on you to prove that duty is not payable (i.e. that any items in questions were purchased before your trip). In theory, this means you should carry with you any receipts for newly purchased high value items, particularly latest models of electronic equipment, golf clubs and the like.
• Posting receipts home is a pointless exercise. If Customs are suspicious and the stakes are high enough, they have the power to intercept your mail.
• Most Customs Officers don't give a monkey's about holiday-makers returning with a few additional items (hence Elaine's experiences with the red channel), although you'll undoubtedly be charged duty if your stash includes high-value single items. Of course, it's always possible to fall foul of a jobs-worth.
• If you choose the green channel and get stopped, be polite and honest. They've heard it all before and rubbing them up the wrong way won't help your case one iota.

Then the obvious answer if you are worried is stick to the limit

 

[amberandolly]

I wonder what happens when you are wearing stuff that makes you over the limit ?
My DD was wearing Guess from head to toe, including watch and handbag - well over £145!
Her BF was wearing his Oakleys ($300 worth alone) , his nike airmax (another $100, his lacoste shirt ($100).
As long as you aren't silly enough to leave price tags on, how can they prove you bought them there, especially when they've been worn?
£145 is a ridiculously low amount for goods - I bought a pair of keen sandals that cost more than that alone.

 

[milomummy]

Just out of interest, is this rule specific to the UK?? Only, I am flying from and back into Germany so I'm intrigued.
My friend who has been before told me to take the tags off absolutely everything and throw away all boxes etc. I thought she was joking but I can see now she wasn't.
I will ask my travel agent the next time I see him, but would be good to hear from anyone who knows before then!
Also,ref luggage...he told me that we all (me, dh and ds, 5) have a luggage allowance of 2 hold cases each weighing a maximum of 23k each and hand luggae of 10k, does this sound right?
I am used to flying cattle class on ryan air where you get a 15k hold/10k hand luggage allowance which is always strictly enforced. I know it;s different between my europe jaunts and long haul but it seems a very generous allowance.

 

[kirst_al UK]

Just out of interest, is this rule specific to the UK?? Only, I am flying from and back into Germany so I'm intrigued.
My friend who has been before told me to take the tags off absolutely everything and throw away all boxes etc. I thought she was joking but I can see now she wasn't.
I will ask my travel agent the next time I see him, but would be good to hear from anyone who knows before then!
Also,ref luggage...he told me that we all (me, dh and ds, 5) have a luggage allowance of 2 hold cases each weighing a maximum of 23k each and hand luggae of 10k, does this sound right?
I am used to flying cattle class on ryan air where you get a 15k hold/10k hand luggage allowance which is always strictly enforced. I know it;s different between my europe jaunts and long haul but it seems a very generous allowance.

The 2 cases @ 23kg pp sounds about right - who are you flying with??

However the 10kg pp does sound alot ....

 

[PoppyAnna]

I must say that I've never given it a second thought
We've been way over the limit on all our trips then, when I think about it I pack most of the items (clothes mostly) in their carrier bags with the reciept in the bag and the tags in place DOH! It's a miracle I haven't been "caught"
When I think about my trips to new york in the past and what I've spent, I'm starting to feel a bit guilty, and lucky

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Here are the rules in details

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:

• 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

If you are not bringing in spirits, strong liqueurs or fortified wine, your allowance of still table wine doubles.

Andrew

 

[barnaby1]

I have never seen a customs controller in sight when returning home.

Its mostly clothes that myself and my family usually buy, so labels and receipts are removed and destroyed before returning home. As far as i know they cant do anything about it then since they cant prove where you bought the stuff.

I dont think ive ever brought anything back worth more than £145 that hasnt been clothes.

Same here for us. We usually take almost nothing and then just wear the new stuff as well so it looks like normal luggage.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

How can they prove where some of the stuff was bought if it doesn't have price tags on it. i.e. DS games - these could have been bought in England, also Clinique and stuff like that. Large electrical items are a different matter of course.

 

[UKDEB]

How can they prove where some of the stuff was bought if it doesn't have price tags on it. i.e. DS games - these could have been bought in England, also Clinique and stuff like that.

The point is that they don't have to prove it wasn't bought in England. You have to prove it was. Of course, in reality they're not going to worry about certain items. If you had items that were questionable, they might then go on to ask about other items.

 

[Maves Wife]

slighty off topic however is clinque stuff much cheaper in the states - my mum loves the suntan lotion/creams

 

[Goofyish]

slighty off topic however is clinque stuff much cheaper in the states - my mum loves the suntan lotion/creams

There was a thread about Clinique a few weeks ago - take a look here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=25475929#post25475929&highlight=clinique

 

[NatalieMT]

This is probably really bad but last time I'm sure I didn't declare anything - I only bought cheapish clothes from A&F and MAC makeup, couple of bottles of perfume and some rather expensive sunglasses. I'd cut the tags off the clothes because I'd worn some of them I think. Anyways didn't get stopped.

Oviously if I'd been buying a lot of alcohol or cigarettes I would have declared.