First Day Abroad

Customs and what you cannot bring, country by country

Two questions decide whether customs is a formality or an incident: how much you may bring in, and what must not be in the bag at all. The table below answers both for the countries we hold checked figures for; a dash means we have not verified a figure, never that there is no rule.

Allowances, cash and confiscations by country

CountryCigarettesSpiritsDeclare cash fromLeave at home
Argentina4002.5 LUSD 10,000E-cigarettes and vapes
Armenia--USD 10,000-
Australia252.25 LAUD 10,000Fresh food, seeds and plant material, Wooden items and shells (declare), Vapes without a prescription
Austria2001 LEUR 10,000-
Belgium2001 LEUR 10,000-
Belize---Camouflage clothing
Brazil--BRL 10,000E-cigarettes and vapes
Bulgaria2001 LEUR 10,000-
Cambodia---E-cigarettes and vapes
Canada2001.14 LCAD 10,000-
China--CNY 20,000Satellite phones, Political and religious material for distribution
Croatia2001 LEUR 10,000-
Cuba---Drones
Cyprus2001 LEUR 10,000-
Czechia2001 LEUR 10,000-
Denmark2001 LEUR 10,000-
Egypt---Drones without a permit
Estonia2001 LEUR 10,000-
Finland2001 LEUR 10,000-
France2001 LEUR 10,000-
Germany2001 LEUR 10,000-
Greece2001 LEUR 10,000-
Hong Kong---E-cigarettes and vapes
Hungary2001 LEUR 10,000-
Iceland--EUR 10,000-
India1002 LUSD 5,000E-cigarettes and vapes, Satellite phones, Drones without a permit
Indonesia--IDR 100,000,000E-cigarettes over the personal limit, Pornographic material
Ireland2001 LEUR 10,000-
Italy2001 LEUR 10,000-
Jamaica---Camouflage clothing
Japan2002.28 LJPY 1,000,000Pseudoephedrine cold medicines, Adderall and other stimulants, Some inhalers
Jordan---Drones without a permit, Antiquities
Kazakhstan--USD 10,000-
Kenya---Single-use plastic bags, Ivory and wildlife trophies
Kuwait-Prohibited-Alcohol, Pork products
Kyrgyzstan--USD 10,000-
Laos---E-cigarettes and vapes
Latvia2001 LEUR 10,000-
Lithuania2001 LEUR 10,000-
Luxembourg2001 LEUR 10,000-
Macao---E-cigarettes and vapes
MalaysiaNone1 LUSD 10,000-
Maldives-Prohibited-Alcohol, Pork products, Religious material for distribution
Malta2001 LEUR 10,000-
Mexico--USD 10,000E-cigarettes and vapes
Morocco---Drones
Nepal---E-cigarettes and vapes
Netherlands2001 LEUR 10,000-
New Zealand503.375 LNZD 10,000Fresh food, seeds and plant material, Hiking boots with soil on them
Norway--NOK 100,000-
Oman---E-cigarettes and vapes
Panama---E-cigarettes and vapes
Philippines--USD 10,000-
Poland2001 LEUR 10,000-
Portugal2001 LEUR 10,000-
Qatar-Prohibited-E-cigarettes and vapes, Alcohol, Pork products
Romania2001 LEUR 10,000-
Saudi Arabia-ProhibitedSAR 60,000Alcohol, Pork products, Non-Islamic religious material for distribution
SingaporeNone1 LSGD 20,000E-cigarettes and vapes, Chewing gum, Shisha tobacco, Cigarettes (no duty-free allowance at all)
Slovakia2001 LEUR 10,000-
Slovenia2001 LEUR 10,000-
South Africa2001 LZAR 25,000-
South Korea--USD 10,000-
Spain2001 LEUR 10,000-
Sri Lanka---E-cigarettes and vapes
Sweden2001 LEUR 10,000-
Switzerland--CHF 10,000-
Taiwan--USD 10,000E-cigarettes and vapes
Tanzania---Plastic bags, Ivory and wildlife trophies
Thailand2001 LTHB 450,000E-cigarettes and vapes, Kratom products, Cannabis for export
Turkey--USD 10,000E-cigarettes and vapes
United Arab Emirates4004 LAED 60,000Codeine and tramadol without paperwork, CBD oil, Poppy seeds, Drones without a permit
United Kingdom2004 LGBP 10,000Meat and dairy from most non-EU countries, Self-defence sprays, Flick knives
United States2001 LUSD 10,000Fresh fruit, vegetables and meat, Cuban cigars
Uzbekistan---E-cigarettes and vapes
Vietnam--USD 5,000E-cigarettes and vapes

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