Customs declaration

[Donmandy]

It states that you are oly allowed to bring �145 worth of gifts and souvenirs into the UK. What I was wondering is how can they tell which are goods purcased from abroad and which are items that you took there and back. For example a personal laptop? Do I need to carry a receipt of purchase that states it was bought in the UK?

[jno]

it mightn't be a bad idea. They're quite experienced and can often tell what makes of what sell where; but with anything new it couldn't hurt to have evidence on you. But in truth they don't often pick people out to search anyway.

[legend760]

when my bro bought a laptop in the states he took a british plug with him.
and fitted it to the charger.
also he couldnt briong any packaging either.
it your responsibility to have receipts for anything you purchased to prove to customs if challenged.
i remember hearing about liam gallagher and patsy kensit , i think it was , being made to pay duty for furs and jewellery etc theyd bought worth thousands .

mind you they could afford it .

[vehelpfulguy]

A laptop bought from the US would have a different keyboard (letters in different places) than one from the UK.

The customs people are aware of this sort of thing so can easily spot it.

It is NOT a good idea to buy a laptop in the US for use in the UK for all sorts of reasons but different keyboard is one, lack of support is another (if it goes wrong the day after you get back here the UK based company will not support it), modem differences, software differences and and on.

[jno]

true, VHG - no � symbol. But I took the question to mean Donmandy was taking a UK laptop and wanted to be sure he wouldn't be suspected of buying one abroad.

[Donmandy]

I was just using a laptop as an example as it's very likely that I'll be taking a laptop with me for my trip but also referring to other items that may go above the value that you are allowed. I'll probably take receipts to be on the safe side. Am I correct that they only do random spot checks and that I may not get searched at all?

[Reverandfunk]

Lets be honest the majority of things you bring back are goint to be clothes and little nick nacks.

You know you are going to return then to the shop so you take all price tags of them. How on earth are customs going to prove that you brought them on your trip?

Did you buy this brand new pair of prada shoes on your trip sir?

No lol

[Reverandfunk]

Sorry are not going to return them

[jno]

yes, very few people are actually searched, though I suppose they will single out anyone who looks particularly shifty or scared (or is on a flight from Jamaica or other trouble spot)