At the customs house

Every day many people travel throughout the world either on business or for pleasure. Those who cross the frontier of the state have to go through customs. The customs service is designed for carrying out customs control to regulate import and export of goods and currency. The place where customs or duties are paid is called a customs house.

Every country has its own customs regulations, which stipulate what articles are liable (subject) to duty and what are duty-free. Sometimes an article which falls under customs restrictions and is liable to duty is allowed as duty-free if a traveller doesn’t exceed a certain fixed quota. These are listed in a duty-free quota list.

Customs restrictions also include a prohibited articles list. This is a list of items which may not be brought into a country or taken out of it. An official paper giving permission to take items, which fall under special customs restrictions, in or out of a country, is known as an import or export licence.

If a traveller has any item which comes under customs restrictions, he is asked to declare it. That is, he is asked to name the item, stating its value and other particulars. The declaration is made orally or in writing on a special form. In this case a traveller fills in the form. The practice seems to vary in different countries. Upon payment of duty a traveller is given a receipt.

If you are going abroad you are supposed to learn the rules of leaving and entering the foreign state. To be on the safe side, you should know what is allowed or prohibited to be brought in or taken out. Before packing your luggage consult the prohibited articles list which is available at the customs.

Among the articles that are prohibited for taking out of the country in accordance with customs legislation of all the states you will find works of art, different types of prints, manuscripts, valuable musical instruments, cancelled securities, numismatics, stamps and other articles of artistic, historical and cultural value. Though strict prohibition applies to antiques, you may be allowed to take some original painting or drawing out provided you got a special licence for it and paid duties. The list of prohibited commodities both for bringing in and taking out also includes arms, explosives, military equipment and narcotics.

Everybody leaving for a foreign country ought to know that there can be articles liable to duty and duty free. As a rule, personal effects, gifts and souvenirs (the cost of the latter must not exceed a certain limit stipulated by the customs regulation) are duty free. Money not declared and therefore concealed from the customs control is liable to confiscation as smuggling. Prohibited or restricted articles though declared are usually detained, and the traveller can collect them on his way back.

When the passenger enters or leaves the country, he must fill in an entry or exit declaration which is to be produced to the customs officer. The passenger is to fill in his name, citizenship, country of residence, permanent address, purpose and duration of his visit in block letters. He must also declare all dutiable articles.

To make a trip to most countries every traveller must have a visa, single, multiple or transit, which is issued by the foreign Embassy or Consulate. The visa may be prolonged in case of necessity, but the time for which it is valid must not expire, otherwise the traveller will not be allowed to leave the country. The overseas passport is also necessary. All the documents are carefully studied by the customs officer.

To go through customs means to have your luggage inspected by customs men. The traveller puts his bags and suitcases on the moving conveyer belt for checking. To prevent smuggling, modern methods and techniques have been developed which help customs officers examine the inside of the luggage. TV-cameras and monitors are installed everywhere at the customs house. When the passenger puts his hand luggage on the conveyer belt, special monitors are scanning the enclosure. They are able to detect everything, even if it has been concealed in the very secret corner.

Customs men know from experience the exact places of concealment of goods. It may be a double bottom or cover of the suitcase, a hollowed book, an inside pocket, a tooth-paste tube, a stick; even toys and dolls can be used for that. Customs officers are trained to recognize travellers who are carrying illegally and they can prevent smuggling. The smuggling of drugs has increased a great deal in recent years and has become a world problem. Customs men in different countries supply one another with helpful information.

In the United Kingdom there is a system of red and green symbols in operation at big airports. If you have nothing more than the allowances and no prohibited or restricted goods or goods for commercial purpose, go straight through the channel indicated by the green symbol unless the officer on duty asks you to stop. If you have more than the allowances or if you carry prohibited or restricted goods or goods for commercial purpose, go to the channel indicated by the red symbol.

So, if you follow the customs instructions and if you do not break any law, you will enjoy your trip abroad.