Travelling from outside the EU

Customs controls on arrival at the airport or port

 If you are arriving:

• directly from a non-European Union (EU) country
• or
• from the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands or Gibraltar

go through either the green or the red channel.

Use the GREEN CHANNEL if you have goods that:

• are within your duty-free allowances
• and
• are not prohibited or restricted.

Use the RED CHANNEL if:

• you have more than your duty-free allowance of goods
• you have prohibited or restricted goods
• or
• you are in doubt.

If you are arriving from a non-EU country via an EU country (for example, New York – London – Dublin), use the BLUE CHANNEL (EU arrivals) only if all your baggage (hand luggage and hold luggage) was cleared by customs at your first airport or port of arrival in the EU. Otherwise, use the red or green channel.

The blue channel is a facility for intra-EU travellers exiting the baggage collection area. However, customs officers can carry out selective checks on travellers using the blue channel to combat the smuggling of prohibited and restricted goods or excise offences.

By choosing the green or red channel, you are effectively making a customs declaration.

Note

If you have goods in excess of your allowances, or if you have prohibited or restricted goods, you must declare them to a customs officer at the airport or port.

Further information

If you need further information contact Customs.