Heathrow Airport Customs: Effective Email Communication Strategies

Heathrow Airport customs is a busy place, with many passengers passing through each day. Since the UK left the European Union on 1 January 2021, there have been some changes to the customs process, including the closure of the blue channel for arrivals from EEA countries. Passengers arriving from the EU are now required to make a customs declaration by selecting the green or red channel. If you're collecting your baggage and checking in to your next flight, you'll need to pass through customs at Heathrow. This also applies to those travelling from the Channel Islands, although they don't go through passport control. If you're carrying a large amount of cash or goods, you'll need to declare these at the red customs exit.

How to declare goods at Heathrow customs

If you are travelling through Heathrow Airport and need to declare goods, you will need to pass through customs. If your baggage is checked through to your final destination, you will clear customs there. However, if you are collecting your baggage and checking in to your next flight yourself, you will need to pass through customs at Heathrow.

If you are travelling from the Channel Islands, you will need to clear UK customs but you do not need to go through passport control.

If you are arriving from the EU, you will need to make a customs declaration by selecting the green channel (nothing to declare) or the red channel (goods to declare). The blue channel, previously used for arrivals from EEA countries, has closed. If you are carrying cash or goods with the equivalent value of €10,000 or more, you will need to stop by the red customs exit to declare. You can check the government website to find out how much you can bring into the UK and what to declare.

What to do if you're carrying cash or goods over €10,000

If you are carrying cash or goods with a value of €10,000 or more, you must declare this at Heathrow Airport customs. If you are travelling from the Channel Islands, you need to clear UK customs but you do not go through passport control. If you are collecting your baggage and checking in to your next flight yourself, you need to pass through customs at Heathrow.

If you are travelling to Northern Ireland and carrying more than €10,000, you must follow the rules for taking cash into Northern Ireland. The earliest you can make a declaration is 72 hours before you plan to travel. You must declare cash of €10,000 or more if you carry it between Northern Ireland and any non-EU country. If you are travelling as a family or group with more than €10,000 in total, you still need to make a declaration.

At Heathrow Airport customs, follow the 'goods to declare' or 'red channel' signs, and tell a Border Force officer you want to declare cash. They may give you a paper form to fill in or take your declaration themselves. If there is no way to make a declaration at the port or airport when you arrive, call 0300 322 9434 and make your declaration over the phone. If you do not declare cash that you should have, all the cash you are carrying can be seized by a Border Force officer. You may have to pay a penalty of up to £5,000 to get it back.

Customs authorities may ask you to fill in a cash disclosure form if you send cash by freight, post or parcel between Northern Ireland and any non-EU country. This includes if you send cash from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. You must declare who is carrying the cash, who owns it and who the recipient is, including passport or ID document number and address. You must also declare your journey, with any countries you pass through in transit, including flight numbers or ferry routes, and the source of the cash.

How to clear customs if your baggage is checked through to your final destination

If your baggage is checked through to your final destination, you will clear customs at that destination. If you are collecting your baggage and checking in to your next flight yourself, you will need to pass through customs at Heathrow.

If you are travelling from the Channel Islands, you will need to clear UK customs but you do not need to go through passport control. If you are arriving from the EU, you will need to make a customs declaration by selecting the green channel (nothing to declare) or the red channel (goods to declare). If you are carrying cash or goods with the equivalent value of €10,000 or more, you must stop by the red customs exit to declare.

In most cases, if your bags are checked through to your final destination and you have your onward boarding pass, you will go through transit security when you land at your connecting airport instead of customs. This is similar to the security check you would have had before your departing flight. You will need to empty your water bottle and put your laptop and phone through the x-ray machine. When you complete this check, you will exit into the gate area with the other departing passengers. The lines for transit security are usually much shorter than for actual customs.

In the US, you will usually need to pick up and carry your bags through customs at your first port of entry, before dropping them again at a special baggage drop just past the customs area. There are some itineraries where you will go through immigration at one airport and customs at another airport. This is called progressive clearance and is generally used on itineraries which enter the US, make two or more landings, and then depart the US. There are some preclearance airports where you will clear US customs and immigration before you depart, and your luggage will be checked through to your final destination.

How to pass through customs when travelling from the Channel Islands

When travelling from the Channel Islands, you will need to pass through customs. This is a straightforward process, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

Firstly, it's important to note that while passports are not required for entry to the Channel Islands, you will need to present valid photo identification at check-in. Accepted forms of ID include a driving licence, national identity card, or another official document bearing your photograph. If you are unable to provide valid photo identification, you will be refused travel.

If you are travelling by yacht, there are additional requirements. You must fly a Q flag until you obtain clearance, and you will need to fill out a customs declaration form, which can be posted in a yellow customs box or handed to a customs official. This applies to yachts arriving in Guernsey and Jersey if you are arriving from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), have non-EEA nationals on board, or have goods to declare.

When travelling from the Channel Islands to France, you don't need to do anything specific to clear customs. However, if you are continuing on to the UK, you will need to follow the usual UK customs formalities. In French waters and ports, it is recommended to fly a red ensign and French courtesy flag.

It's always a good idea to check the latest customs regulations and requirements before travelling, as they can change over time.

How to contact Heathrow airport customs

Heathrow Airport's contact centre can be reached on 0344 335 1801.

If you are collecting your baggage and checking in to your next flight yourself, you need to pass through customs at Heathrow. If you are travelling from the Channel Islands, you need to clear UK customs but you don't go through passport control.

If you have a single Heathrow import or export shipment and you want rapid, low-cost and fuss-free customs clearance, or your goods are showing as being at customs at Heathrow, you can contact Heathrow Customs for help. They can also help if you have multiple shipments per day and need a customs partner to ensure that goods are declared on time, tracked through customs and data provided to you and your supply chain partners and vendors.

Frequently asked questions