Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
Customs declaration must for inbound travellers to Saudi Arabia
Travellers coming to Saudi Arabia carrying purchases or gifts worth over SR3,000 ($798.8) or its equivalent in foreign currencies must declare them and pay the due customs duties and taxes, said a report.
Travellers coming to Saudi Arabia carrying purchases or gifts worth over SR3,000 ($798.8) or its equivalent in foreign currencies must declare them and pay the due customs duties and taxes, said a report.
According to the Kingdom’s Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the required measure is part of the Common Customs Law for GCC countries, said a report in Saudi Gazette.
The Authority also called on travellers coming to or departing from Saudi Arabia to declare currencies, jewelry, or valuable items worth over SR60,000 ($15,977.7) or more or its equivalent in foreign currencies, or any goods prohibited or restricted in the Kingdom, including cigarette and tobacco products.
The Authority said it will impose a fine equivalent to 25 per cent of the value of the seized items, in the event of non-declaration or erroneous declaration of currencies or tradable instruments, if the violation takes place for the first time. For repeat offenders, the fine will be 50 per cent of the value of seized items, if where there is no suspicion that the seizures are related to a crime or a money-laundering offense.
In the event that the seizures are suspected of being linked to a crime or money laundering, the whole amount will be withheld and the violator will be referred to the Public Prosecution, the report said.
The Authority explained that the approval procedures are available online on the declaration page of the Saudi Customs website via the link www.customs.gov.sa/ar/declare .