CUSTOMS RULES AND RESTRICTIONS
Persons from countries outside the European Union (EU), when passing through passport control, fill out a special form indicating passport data and the purpose of the visit. It is more convenient to fill it in advance. Forms are usually offered on planes and trains. At major airports, residents of EU and non-EU countries go to passport control along different corridors.
Import of goods from countries outside the European Union (EU)
When entering the UK from a non-EU country, a person may import duty-free goods in quantities not exceeding:
tobacco products – 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250 g of tobacco;
perfumes – 60 ml of perfume, 250 ml of toilet water;
alcoholic beverages – usually 2 liters of wine, 1 liter of spirits (strength above 22 degrees) or 2 liters of fortified wine, sparkling wine or port wine, sherry.
Duty-free importation of other goods, including gifts and souvenirs, is allowed, subject to the following conditions:
the goods are not intended for sale or other forms of alienation.
Import of goods from countries – members of the European Union
When entering the UK, a person is exempted from paying customs duties for goods for which payments have already been paid in one of the EU countries.
For duty-free importation of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, in addition to the above condition, the following two circumstances are required:
alcoholic beverages and cigarettes intended for personal use and not for sale or other commercial purposes;
alcoholic beverages (cigarettes) are transported in the person’s accompanied personal baggage.
The following quantitative guidelines for the maximum size of personal needs have been established:
tobacco products – 3200 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 400 cigarillos, 3 kg of tobacco;
alcoholic drinks – 110 liters of beer, 90 liters of wine, 10 liters of spirits, 20 liters of fortified wine (port wine, sherry).
When entering the UK from some Eastern European countries, there are other quantitative restrictions on tobacco products:
Czech Republic – 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco, or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos;
Estonia – 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco;
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia – 200 cigarettes.
Prohibited and restricted goods
Prohibited from entry into the UK:
meat
fish
honey
birds and products from them
bird eggs
Разрешено ввозить: до 1 кг готового к употреблению мяса birds andли полуфабрикатов и некоторые другие продукты животного происхождения, кроме мяса, молока, рыбы из Андорры, Норвегии, Сан-Марино и некоторых других “экологически безопасных” стран, а также сухого молока.
The ban on their import does not apply provided that they are intended for personal consumption.
It is also prohibited to import:
drugs
weapons
knives with pop-up blade
daggers
brass knuckles
expandable batons, etc.
counterfeit coins and banknotes
pornographic publications and films
plants
лекарств, за исключением honeyикаментов, предназначенных для личного использования (необходим рецепт для предъявления).
Transit prohibited:
antiquities and antiques without the permission of the relevant authorities
rare animal species
Restricted for import into the UK:
firearms
explosives and ammunition, including stun guns and gas cartridges
live animals (their importation is determined by special rules)
fur
Ivory
leather
stuffed animals and birds
plants
seedlings,
seeds
bulbs
longwave transmitters
For more information on customs regulations, please contact HM Revenue and Customs.
Phone: +44 (0) 20 8929 0152