A wee question. I've not been over for a while and I can't remember the details of my last arrival. From information online around about 2014 the Philippines transitioned to red and green Customs lanes on arrival and filling in customs declarations on the flight, before landing, became optional. I don't remember green or red lanes for Customs clearance at NAIA 3 in 2016 but I'm getting old and wasn't paying much attention last time. Can anyone give me some up to date info as I have a couple of presents for the kids (electronics) and I need to decide if I have to declare them, these are new items and I would like for once to give them the items in the original sealed boxes rather than without box and already opened which I would have to do if I tried to blag it. I don't mind paying the VAT and duty, total value of the items is about 13,000 peso, I think it might cost me about 14% extra, I have the UK receipts. The transit airport now x-rays hold baggage and may forward information about baggage of interest hence my concern, it was never an issue in the past, I am not carrying anything like the amount of stuff I used to carry and I have trimmed my camera equipment down by a huge amount, I still have all my old cameras in the UK but I have just trimmed my travel kit by quite a bit by optimising my lens and body collection. (bought a 7D mk ii Mike and a 17-55 f2.8 plus another EFS lens) Also would they want payment of duty and VAT in peso cash or would they accept a debit or a travel card or UK cash?
I don't think they've asked to look in my bags during at least the past 20 years... and I always have some electronic items and other goodies in both bags. Just remember to have your receipts easily accessible for new items, in case you have a particularly guilty-looking face. lol
Same here never checked in the last 14 years, just got a gut feeling this time. But can you remember Graham if there was a Green and Red lane on arrival like we have in the UK?
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...FjABegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw3eNKjNVOQld4fUFlatYpsv I think there are declare and nothing to declare lanes by way of passing by desks marked up. I don' think they are marked up red and green.
Yeah that might be my memory of it from 2016, It was very open plan just like the old NAIA 1 desks where everyone was almost asleep all the time. I found the 2014 Customs Administrative Order which details how it is all supposed to work, and my intention was to play it safe and declare the items but that means I will be checked for sure, it will be the first time I have ever done that and also the first time I have ever taken new boxed items through customs, I don't want the chance that the presents could get seized.
I wouldn't worry about any extra costs to pay on arrival in Phils, Jim. As Graham mentioned, I too have never been stopped on my many visits and I doubt anyone in customs would want to open a long nose's bag. There are so many tourists going in and it is my feeling they would not want to cause any problems by opening their bags. Even if they ever did, you could tell them it is pasalubong. I once went in with two Filipino tech friends and they were stopped but I was waved through but that was over 10 years ago. I used to take my scuba kit in and never saw any divers' bags being checked and those bags are big with all sorts of expensive things inside. It is not something I would worry about and you don't look like a smuggler, Jim. I always tick the "bringing in electronics" box but they know every tourist brings in cameras etc. I will reply to your photo comment in the photo section.
Ah that's good to know Mike, I never ever ticked the "bringing in electronics" box, apparently the customs declaration slip is not supposed to required but if a person is redirected to the 'red' lane they are to be asked if they wish to declare anything, according to the 2014 Customs Administrative Order memo. I'm taking my work laptop and personal ThinkPad plus two cameras, the 7D mk ii and the wee EOS M and I have a fishing Gilet with a million pockets for carrying loads of bits like batteries and phones, but I would not consider them to be declarable. And yeah the presents for the kids are pasalubong and they might be impressed if I use some Tagalog Grand, if I get a declaration form I will tick the box but just act dumb and proceed through the normal lane and see if they do anything, that way I can't get fined for an invalid declaration.
