Do you remember the wonderful film “White Sun of the Desert” and its hero, customs officer Vereshchagin? There was no longer a border or a country whose interests he stood guard over, and Vereshchagin still guarded his customs. “I don’t take bribes. I feel bad for the state!” – catchphrase this handsome strongman with principles and sovereign thinking has become the personification of the portrait of a real customs officer.
Remember the wonderful film “White Sun of the Desert” and its hero customs officer Vereshchagin in the magnificent performance of Pavel Luspekayev? There was no longer a border or a country whose interests he stood guard over, and Vereshchagin still guarded his customs, looking with disgust at the watermelons and black caviar that his wife fed him day after day. “I don’t take bribes. I feel bad for the state!” – the catchphrase of this handsome strongman with principles and sovereign thinking has become the personification of the portrait of a real customs officer.
This is exactly how principled and conscientious a person should be who guards state interests. Should be - this is the key phrase, since the portrait of a modern customs officer is very different from the “film” one. And it's not that modern world there are no Vereshchagins left, but the fact is that many young people choose the profession of a customs officer thoughtlessly. They are seduced by the supposed benefits, forgetting about the significance and features of this profession. Therefore, today we will try to talk about all the nuances, disadvantages and advantages of the customs officer profession, and we hope that this will help you consciously approach the choice of your future job.
Who is a customs officer?
Customs officer - an employee of the state customs service who monitors the movement of people, things, vehicles, goods and other items across the customs border, as well as performing customs clearance and collecting customs duties.
The name of the profession comes from the Old Russian word tamga (seal, tax, duty), which in turn has Turkic roots. Note that in Ancient Rus' the customs was called mytney (from the word myt - the name of the payment collected by local princes). Story customs officer profession originates in ancient times, when the first foreign economic relations between states arose. It was then that the need arose to control goods and people crossing borders. This is what the very first customs officers did, and their activities have remained virtually unchanged since that time.
Today, as before, the job of a customs officer is to clear goods transported across the state border. The professional responsibilities of this specialist include:
- registration of documentation for cargo;
- cargo inspection at customs, screening of citizens at the airport or train station;
- detection of contraband and goods prohibited for import or export;
- work at checkpoints;
- accounting of confiscated goods;
- investigation of offenses in the field of customs law.
More specifically, the customs officer must check the documentation for the goods and draw up his own declarations, determine the country of import and export of the goods and determine the amount of duties and their quantity, allow the cargo and citizens to cross the border. By the way, the range of duties of customs officers is so wide that within the profession there are several narrow specializations that depend on the specialist’s place of work: checkpoint worker, passport control worker, international customs department employees, etc. Therefore, when crossing the border, citizens, as a rule, have to deal with the most different representatives this profession. It does not matter where exactly this border passes: at the airport, at the railway station or in the sea harbour.
What personal qualities should a customs officer have?
Customs officer's work is associated with certain risks and temptations that impose a number of requirements on representatives of this profession. Firstly, they must be distinguished by a high degree of patriotism, integrity and honesty. In addition, any customs officer must have such personal qualities, How:
I would also like to say something about intuition. It is visually very difficult to determine whether a person or vehicle is carrying prohibited cargo or not. But experienced customs officers do this according to some signs that only they understand, “pulling the thread,” gradually unwinding the ball. In doing so, they rely not so much on knowledge of psychology and practical skills, but on their own intuition.
Also, the customs officer is required to have impeccable knowledge of laws, legal and legal subtleties, rules for maintaining documentation and possession formal business style speech. Economic knowledge is also necessary for a customs officer, especially those related to trade turnover.
Advantages of being a customs officer
Ask any customs officer: what are the advantages of his profession. And you will definitely hear in response: of great importance for society. After all, it is customs officials who guard the country’s national security, preventing the import of contraband and preventing the free movement of terrorists.
Undoubtedly advantage of being a customs officer can also be called demand. As customs continues to expand as a result of increased trade volumes and the number of people crossing the border, young professionals will find it easy to find employment.
Customs officers have the right to benefits, for example, early retirement and a substantial increase in it. Customs officers involved in checkpoints, searching for contraband and prohibited goods are treated like military personnel and, accordingly, can count on the same benefits.
Thanks to the specifics of the job, a customs officer develops very well his powers of observation, analytical skills, intuition, memory and attentiveness. These qualities, without any doubt, are useful not only when performing professional responsibilities, but also in everyday life. And the skills and knowledge in the field of jurisprudence and foreign economic activity will allow a former customs officer to easily obtain a leadership position in a commercial enterprise.
Disadvantages of the customs officer profession
The most important disadvantage of the customs officer profession– this is constant pressure from people who want to circumvent customs rules, avoid paying duties or import prohibited goods. We can say that almost every customs officer has the risk of encountering them. Not everyone can resist temptation, resist, and remain an honest employee under the pressure of this kind of temptation.
This leads to the next disadvantage of this profession - high staff turnover. According to statistics, in our country customs is one of the most corrupt systems, and only 2-3% of customs officers can be called crystal clear. Well, since our state is actively fighting corruption and regularly introducing more and more anti-corruption measures, the ranks of customs service employees are often “cleansed”.
The disadvantages of this profession are also associated with the psychological stress that exists in the work. The constant need to be fully prepared, to strain attention and memory can lead to nervous breakdowns, stress and prolonged depression.
Where can you become a customs officer?
To become a customs officer It is not at all necessary to have a specialized education. However, since this profession requires a large amount of diverse knowledge, the presence higher education in general is prerequisite. Knowledge and skills in the field of customs can be obtained through special courses.
But still, we recommend obtaining this profession in specialized universities, since in this environment, graduates of customs academies are valued most of all. In addition, only highly qualified customs officers can count on fast career growth, especially if the education in the specialty “Customs Affairs” was received in such best universities Russia, How.
Valery Seleznev, Head of the Main Directorate of Customs Control after the Release of Goods of the Federal Customs Service of Russia
Customs officers are not only stationed at the border, but can also come to a store or warehouse with questions. Who does customs have the right to check?
Checking the legality of the import of goods cannot be limited to checking only one importer. The movement of goods involves both the carrier who transported the goods, the temporary storage warehouse in which the goods were stored, and the declarant who submitted the goods to customs control. The Customs Code provides for the possibility of inspections against all persons who directly or indirectly participated in transactions with goods that were under customs control. In addition, customs may check the organization or individual entrepreneur, if they participated in the circulation of goods that were imported with violations (for example, customs duties were not paid or prohibitions and restrictions were not observed).
To some, such customs powers may seem broad, but in fact they are needed to speed up foreign trade operations at the border, especially in the context of Eurasian integration. Today this is the main wish of business addressed to customs. Business cares about speed foreign trade. For the sake of the speed of movement of goods, businesses agree that customs have the right to carry out control activities after the goods are released.
- Sudden checks?..
There are scheduled and unscheduled inspections. “Surprise” inspections are exclusively unscheduled; they are, as a rule, focused on identifying offenses and are based on the results of their own analytics, information from departments of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, other regulatory and law enforcement agencies, indicating high degree risk of possible violation.
Scheduled customs checks in to a greater extent are preventative in nature. Preventive inspections are focused on monitoring persons with a low risk of committing customs offenses. They form part of our work to ensure that customs administration shifts from the declaration stage to the post-release stage.
At the same time, a significant part of the work is not visible to market participants. This is analytical and organizational work, aimed at suppressing payment evasion schemes and ensuring the legality of the movement of goods by market participants. After all, not only the completeness of customs payments is important to us. It is equally important to protect the Russian consumer from low-quality goods that can harm health, as well as to protect the market from counterfeit goods that harm the economy.
Customs administration will gradually shift from the declaration stage to the stage after the release of goods. By providing participants in the foreign trade market with significant simplifications at the declaration stage, we will carry out inspections later when necessary.
- How frequent and effective are inspections?
Today, slightly more than 900 specialists are involved in customs control after the release of goods. They annually carry out almost five thousand customs checks regarding legal entities and individual entrepreneurs.
This year, the effectiveness of inspections has increased to 78%. This suggests that we have begun to choose objects of control more efficiently and are trying to disturb those who really work conscientiously less.
On average, each customs inspection brings the budget 831 thousand rubles in the form of additional customs duties and fines. In just 8 months of this year, based on the results of 2.7 thousand customs checks, the budget additionally received over 2 billion rubles.
In addition, based on the results of customs inspections, 1,814 cases of administrative offenses and 94 criminal cases have already been initiated.
- Which part of the business that sells imported goods do you cover with inspections? How do you choose objects?
Using all forms of control, including after release, customs inspects no more than 10% of consignments of goods. The selection of control objects is a delicate intellectual work. In addition to our own resources, we use information from law enforcement and other regulatory authorities. Participants in foreign economic activity and the media also provide food for thought. As a result, inspections include a variety of objects, including sellers of imported goods. These are large importers and members of well-known associations (for example, associations of trading companies and manufacturers of electrical household and computer equipment, associations of companies retail), and wholesale and retail chains, and online stores, and individual entrepreneurs.
Let me give you an example. This year we analyzed data on the domestic fur market and conducted an audit in Moscow. As a result, goods worth more than 100 million rubles were withdrawn from circulation. These are foreign-made fur, leather and cashmere products. The goods are expensive and of high quality, but the audited organization could not provide data on customs declaration and payment of customs duties. In addition, it turned out that this business was organized in a very strange way: by the founders or general directors organizations supplying goods to the organization being inspected were persons who were or are serving sentences in prison, as well as citizens who at that moment lost their passport. But this is no longer our question; other law enforcement agencies are now dealing with this.
- What violations do you most often encounter?
The most common violations are inaccurate declaration of customs value, incorrect indication of the HS HS code, non-compliance with prohibitions and restrictions, non-compliance with the conditions for placing goods under the customs procedure, violation of rights intellectual property. Violations are also identified among persons who have special rights and obligations, for example, when applying simplified procedures or when providing services in the field of customs.
There are often cases when we identify Russian goods with foreign labeling on the domestic market. It is offered to buyers as imported, but it is not. In this case, we transfer the material to the authorities. A year ago, we checked three stores in Moscow that operated under the sign “Sale of customs goods.” In two of them the goods were not foreign. One actually contained small goods from Southeast Asia, but legally imported.
Detected violations often suggest that legislative framework needs improvement. For example, sometimes it is impossible to identify the goods being inspected with the goods declared in the declaration. Let me explain, there are products that are easy to identify: for example, mobile phones have an IMEI code, which is indicated in the declaration. But a number of goods, for example shoes, do not have such signs, and it is impossible to simply compare the information in the declaration with the means of identification applied to the product. Therefore, we have studied international experience in product labeling and are studying this issue in relation to our country.
- Businesses often complain about the many controllers. Do your checks duplicate the work of other services?
All organs executive branch, including the Federal Customs Service of Russia, are working to eliminate duplication of functions. We do everything to ensure that our control functions do not overlap. But each regulatory body has its own subject of inspection. The Customs Service checks the correctness of calculation and payment of customs duties, compliance with prohibitions and restrictions, as well as other issues within the competence of the Federal Customs Service of Russia. Customs authorities carry out inspections aimed at confirming the legality of the movement of goods and the completeness of payment of customs duties. In this we do not overlap with the tax authorities, who, including on the basis of customs documents, check the results economic activity taxpayer.
We do not impose requirements that significantly complicate the organization’s activities. Our work is aimed both at ensuring the complete payment of customs duties and at ensuring trade in safe and high-quality imported goods. When selling goods on the domestic market, a respectable buyer has the right to inquire from importers about the legality of importing these goods and request copies of supporting documents. This is probably not so burdensome for an entrepreneur, as opposed to the fact that a low-quality product that can be harmful to health may enter the market. Moreover, during checks specifically on the sales market, in most cases, our request is met with copies of customs declarations issued when importing goods.
Customs control at the airport is one of the procedures that must be completed in addition to the usual inspection, passport control and registration. They go through customs when departing and arriving from the country. This article will describe how to go through customs control at the airport.
What is customs control
Customs control is a procedure that is carried out on a par with the inspection of personal belongings, which all passengers undergo in order to get into the waiting room. However, if everyone passes the inspection, then customs must be cleared only if the passenger has a certain list of things.
Customs clearance at the airport is carried out for security purposes. All those who carry weapons, antiques or large sums money. All these and other similar things must be declared. If the passenger does not have such things, this means that he must go through the so-called green corridor at the airport.
Baggage check
If the passenger still has items that must be declared, he passes through the red corridor. There you need to fill out the appropriate piece of paper in two copies. One must be kept with you and then presented to the staff of the airport terminal where the passenger arrives.
During customs control, the passenger will need the following necessary documents:
- passport or ID card;
- permission to enter the country\visa, if required;
- Statement of health and vaccinations received, if required;
- declaration form, which can be obtained in advance from the airport terminal employee.
Important! The list of documents may vary depending on the country of departure and arrival. This information must be obtained in advance by calling the airline or airfield information center.
How to pass customs control
The customs procedure at the airport is quite simple. To complete it, you must follow the instructions:
- Check in for your flight, then proceed to customs. There will be a sign at the airport after border control that will say “customs” or “customs control”.
- If there are no items to declare, then you need to follow the green corridor. Most often it is indicated by a green arrow or any other icon and the inscription “nothing to declare”. An example can be seen in the picture below, which shows the green corridor of Pulkovo Airport. Then the path lies to border control and inspection.
- If there are things that need to be declared, you need to follow the red corridor, indicated by a red arrow at the airport. The display will read “goods to declare”.
- It is necessary to present exactly what items the passenger has. Afterwards, an additional check will be carried out and things will need to be declared in writing on a special form. Then you need to go through border control and inspection.
- When arriving in another country, go through border control again and pick up your luggage. After this, you should go along the green corridor if the declaration is not needed, or along the red corridor if it is required. In the second case, you need to present a pre-filled declaration form to airport employees.
- After checking, you can safely leave the airport by following the “airport exit” sign.
Pay attention! Each country can set its own rules for transporting certain items, so before departure you need to clarify this in advance.
Green corridor Pulkovo
How to prepare for customs clearance
Customs control does not require special preparation from passengers, but there are several points that will help you pass it faster and easier. The list includes:
- calculate the amount of cash being taken out;
- know exactly which of the transported items need to be declared;
- find out what list of documents will be required when passing control;
- if possible, make an electronic form in advance;
- find out what things do and do not need to be declared in the country of arrival.
How to fill out the form correctly
To do this, you need to follow the following filling instructions:
- First name, last name and patronymic. Exactly as it is written in the passport and in large block letters, one in each box. You will also need to note the type of flight: entry, exit or transit.
- Citizenship, country of permanent residence and country of departure. Printed in capital letters, occupying one cell with one letter.
- Passport number. Numbers one per cell.
- Purpose of the visit, availability of accompanying minors and amount of hand luggage per piece.
- Transported currency. It is necessary to enter the name in large block letters in the left column, the quantity in numbers in the middle column, and the quantity in words in the right column.
- Jewelry, if any. On the left is the name, in the middle is the quantity in numbers, on the right is the quantity in words.
- Note whether the passenger has the listed items. The list includes ammunition, guns, antiques, taxable items and more.
- If there are items that are not listed in the previous paragraphs, then they must be entered in the following table. First enter the name, distinctive features and the issuing authority, then the quantity in numbers and words, in the very last column - the price of the product in US dollars. If not all columns are filled, then a dash is placed on the empty ones.
- If you have a vehicle, fill out the appropriate table. It is necessary to indicate information about the car itself and the engine (number, type, date of manufacture, etc.), then note the customs regime, then information about the power of attorney for the vehicle.
- The last thing to write down is the date the declaration was completed and the signature. The remaining field is for the customs officer at the airport.
Example of a customs declaration
Important! The form may differ in different countries. For exact information please contact the airport or airline. A sample of filling out the Russian Federation declaration at the airport can be seen below. This will be provided, for example, when flying from Moscow.
What can and cannot be carried
Each state sets its own rules for the transportation of certain items. Therefore, it is very important to find out in advance about the rules of the country to which the passenger is flying. A passenger enters the green corridor if he does not have the following items:
- weapons, ammunition, explosives;
- drugs, psychotropic, poisonous, radioactive substances;
- antiques;
- objects of flora and fauna or parts thereof;
- radio-electronic devices of high frequency;
- various media;
- goods whose total value would be above 10,000 euros;
- money more than 10,000 euros or the equivalent in another currency.
Caviar seized during an attempt to export
According to the law established by the Russian Federation, in addition to the items described above, the following are subject to declaration:
- objects of cultural value;
- any awards issued by the Russian Federation;
- fish or seafood with a total weight of more than 5 kg;
- sturgeon caviar with a maximum exportable weight of 250 g.
Important! Before transporting any item, you need to find out in advance information about permission to transport certain products. If an undeclared prohibited item is discovered, the passenger will be removed from the flight and the items will be confiscated.
Customs inspection at the airport is carried out for the safety of passengers. Items that cannot be freely transported must be declared by filling out a special form. Otherwise, the passenger may face serious consequences.
Before any trip abroad, you need to find out how customs control at the airport passes without problems. An inexperienced traveler may become confused and wander around the terminal, not knowing where and when to turn. But even if there is an assistant who can point you in the right direction, it is still better to prepare in advance for such checks.
It is known that you should arrive at the airport much earlier than departure. Two to three hours will be enough to complete all stages of registration and control. And in order to avoid any unforeseen circumstances and problems when removing luggage, you should first find out all the nuances of the inspection.
Airport procedures
Depending on the specific city and hall, the scheme and sequence of actions may differ, but the main stages of checks remain the same:
- Registering a ticket, receiving a boarding pass.
- Checking in baggage to a special compartment if suitcases do not fall within the carry-on baggage rules.
- Security control.
- Customs.
- Verification of passport data and other documents.
And if all procedures are mandatory in any case, then customs control must only be passed when crossing the border, that is, when traveling to another country. In order not to search for the desired area at the airport, it is better to navigate using the electronic display, which necessarily displays the check-in counter number.
You can also ask the airline employee who issues your boarding pass where you should go next. Similarly, the direction to subsequent stages of control is found using arrows and pointers.
Required documents
In order for a trip abroad to take place, you need to have a ready-made package of papers in hand and present them at the check-in counter, and then when going through passport control. You will not be allowed in if you do not:
- a valid passport;
- visa, migration card or other documents permitting departure from the country;
- medical certificates and insurance, sometimes vaccinations are also needed;
- When traveling with children, be sure to present their birth certificates, as well as permission from their parents.
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It is important to take into account the entry rules of the individual countries you are traveling to, as well as comply with Russian laws. For example, a person may not be allowed to board a plane when flying abroad if there are large unpaid loans, fines, alimony, etc.
Some countries do not allow travelers without vaccinations or additional medical screening. It is better to find out about such things in advance so that you can prepare.
In order to speed up checks and reduce waiting time, there are two customs corridors at all international airports - red and green. This ensures that passengers are divided into two streams.
To know which one you should go to, you should ask in advance what things are subject to declaration, are prohibited for export or import into a certain country, and what is checked at customs. Be sure to read the rules for passing customs control.
Thus, the green corridor is intended for the majority of passengers. According to statistics, up to 95% of tourists pass through it when traveling abroad. Those who are not carrying any prohibited items can be sent here.
The rules for free baggage allowance include:
- Personal items whose total value does not exceed $2,000.
- Cash in the form of cash, securities, etc. – up to 10 thousand dollars.
- Jewelry and decorations, but not more than 25 thousand.
- Alcohol in quantities up to 3 liters.
- No more than 200 cigarettes.
Please note that if you purchased jewelry for yourself in another country and want to bring it home, you will have to present the appropriate permits. But even when passing through the green corridor and regular security control, customs officers have the right to ask any passenger who seems suspicious to them to open their bag or suitcases and undergo a personal search.
Red corridor and declaration
What is customs control and how does it happen? full version? This is a set of precautions. Employees of this service are required to check items carried across the border by each passenger in order to prevent violation of certain prohibitions. And the red corridor is intended for those of them who need to fill out a declaration.
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This happens in such cases when the tourist transports:
- cash cash in the amount of more than 10 thousand dollars, and it does not matter in what currency;
- various precious metals, stones, jewelry, the total value of which exceeds 25,000 USD. e.;
- securities, shares, bonds, etc.;
- there is also a whole list of items that are prohibited for export - weapons, pyrotechnic materials, ammunition, some food products (fish, caviar), etc.;
- antiques, art objects;
- plants and animals - some of them are transported after special inspection and in the presence of documents, and, for example, specimens listed in the Red Book are completely prohibited for export;
- medical preparations - it is allowed to transport only those that a person needs to maintain life, in order to maintain health, but strictly according to medical indications, with an appropriate certificate from a doctor and limited quantities;
- various documents and other forms of storing information providing state secrets;
- narcotic substances, toxic mixtures, radioactive elements;
- awards, medals of the Russian Federation, etc.
It is advisable to familiarize yourself in advance full list prohibited and declared items, so that no difficulties or problems arise when passing customs control. Indeed, in the event of an attempt to remove certain items, service representatives are obliged not only to seize them, but also to call the police and open an administrative or criminal case.
In order to be able to transport some of these items across the border, according to the rules, you will have to fill out a declaration. The following data is entered into it:
- Personal information about the passenger.
- The number and age of children with whom the trip is made.
- List of transported items.
- Type of luggage
- Amount of money, securities, etc.
Such a form and an example of how to fill it out can be found on the airline’s website or at the airport. In order not to waste time at customs control and not to delay the queue, it is better to fill out the declaration in advance. They do this in two copies so that they can keep one of them for themselves. It is important not to lose the document, since when returning back you need to show it to customs officers.
Video: what do tourists need to know when going through customs control at the airport?
To make boarding and the entire check-in process for the plane as quick and easy as possible, it is advisable to do the following:
- Ask everyone in advance necessary documents and a list of items permitted for export.
- Pack your bags according to the airline's rules; it is also important to adhere to the size, weight and volume of your luggage.
- Check carefully to see if you have any prohibited items so you don’t have to leave them at the airport.
- Remove excess cigarettes, alcohol, and medications.
- In the form of cash, it is better to take with you only the minimum amount necessary for the trip, and transfer all other finances to the card.
It is important to clarify the list of items and products in accordance with the rules of the country you are traveling to. After all, each of them has its own requirements. Sometimes it is forbidden to take even Validol or Analgin with you. There are also strict restrictions on the export of exotic fruits or souvenirs. Don’t buy something in another country that you can’t bring home later.
Customs control- a mandatory measure when crossing the border both by land and by air. This procedure allows you to protect society from the import/export of unsafe goods, and also allows you to carry outaccountingentry/exit of persons. In this publication welet's sort it out, how to go through customs control, what its stages are and what a customs officer can do at the stagecontrol
How to pass customs control at the airport and on the ground
Customs control is aimed at identifying valuable cargo, dangerous items, and also to verify the identity of persons crossing the border. Depending on the type of transport and border crossing conditions, its order may vary.
Customs inspection procedure for air travel: red and green corridor
When crossing the border by air, the passenger will have to check in for the flight. It usually occurs several hours before the plane takes off. After this, you need to go through 3 control stages:
Baggage check-in. If a citizen is not carrying goods that require mandatory customs declaration (valuables, drugs, jewelry, large sums of money, etc.), then the main control criterion is safety. Objects that may be potentially dangerous during the flight (sharp objects, liquids, lighters, etc.) are checked in as baggage.
Search of citizens. It is carried out before departure upon presentation of the boarding pass and the main document. It is carried out superficially, using technology. To be scanned:
- Metal objects (keys, watches, smartphones, belt clips, etc.)
- Clothes, shoes, bags
Customs control. At this stage, the passenger notifies the customs authorities about the presence or absence of goods subject to mandatory declaration, as well as the amounts of imported/exported funds.
If there are goods subject to mandatory registration, a customs declaration is drawn up.
Important: You should pay close attention to this stage, because hiding dangerous items, explosives, drugs, etc. from customs officers, the passenger is detained until the police arrive, and the flight takes place without him.
Passport control occurs only after passing customs control. At this stage, the task of customs officers is to make sure that the passenger has reason to be on the territory of the Russian Federation. According to the law, issues with visas and rights to stay in a foreign country are resolved by air carriers, but not customs authorities. Therefore, a passport or other accompanying documents may be required by representatives of the carrier company before the flight.
When traveling by air, you will pass through the green or red corridor. The green corridor is an option if you are not carrying things that require mandatory declaration. By walking through it, you let the customs officers know that you are “clean.” But, despite this, a customs representative has the right to selectively inspect personal belongings.
The red corridor is intended for citizens who are transporting items requiring declaration, namely:
- Currency in the amount of more than 10 thousand dollars. (or equivalent)
- Souvenirs that may have cultural value (rare plants)
- Tobacco or alcohol in excess
- Narcotic substances for personal use due to health conditions (supporting documents required)
This is an incomplete list of items that a tourist must include in the declaration. You can fill it out in advance or directly during customs control.
Customs inspection at the railway station: procedure
When crossing the border by train, the customs inspection process is not significantly different.
Customs inspection of luggage itself individual can be carried out:
- At specially equipped border railway stations
- At border customs control posts
- When driving in areas between the border and the railway station closest to the border
- Etc.
Searches of passengers can be carried out both at places occupied by passengers and at border stations.
Border crossing is regulated by Order No. 31 of the Ministry of Transport. According to the order, during control, passengers are prohibited from leaving their seats, and the dining car stops its work. Customs officers monitor the entrances and exits of carriages. Customs inspection of cargo in the luggage compartment is carried out in parallel with the inspection of personal belongings.
Control authorities have the right to demand from the train manager information about all suspicious persons, unauthorized passengers, etc.
Customs inspection when traveling by car
When crossing the border in your own or someone else’s car, you are also required to go through customs control. Depending on the legislation of the state itself, there may be different requirements both for the car in which you enter the country, and for its equipment and movement. Detailed information is presented on the resource of the Consular Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In case of traveling abroad from the territory of the Russian Federation, the following documents will be required:
- International passport and driver's license
- Passenger customs declaration regarding cars
- Documents and
- Visa documents
- International medical insurance (can be obtained from a travel agency or directly from an insurance company)
- Green Card - International Auto Insurance (size insurance compensation established by the legislation of the country where the accident occurred)
Important: standard MTPL policies are not valid in foreign countries
When inspecting a car, the employee evaluates not only the condition of the car, but also its equipment: the presence of a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, an emergency installation sign, the presence of a sticker indicating the country, a reflective vest.
In the absence of any documents, the customs service has every reason not only to detain the car, but also not to allow it to pass at the border.
What can customs inspect when crossing the border?
Personal customs inspection is regulated by Chapter 16 of the Customs Code of the Customs Union. Customs has the right to both a superficial assessment of property and a thorough inspection of it. Those. Customs officers are allowed to open seals and violate the integrity of the packaging in order to identify possible violations. Such a search may cause damage to personal property and reduce its value.
Important: At the same time, customs officers are prohibited from deliberately damaging property. Therefore, if you have become a victim of intentional actions, you should write a complaint to higher customs authorities.
Cargo inspection allows customs officers to even make cuts and cuts (for example, if there is a suspicion that the product is made of precious metal and this is hidden by applying paint to the surface). Customs inspection of vehicles is carried out in specially equipped places.
The search must be carried out in the presence of the declarant. In case of his absence, it is carried out in the presence of two witnesses. The reasons why the declarant may not be present during the inspection include:
- Failure of the declarant to appear at the place of inspection
- Lack of information about the declarant
- Threat to public safety, life and health of others, state security and other exceptional cases
- Sending goods by mail.
The rights of the declarant during an inspection include the following:
- Be present during the entire inspection without explanation
- Make statements that could potentially be related to the subject of the search
- Provide information about products, explain their origin, etc.
- Require that the above explanations and statements be reflected in the inspection protocol
- When filling out a customs inspection report, request a copy of it
- Demand that customs officers respect their rights and freedoms
- Submit a complaint if rights, freedoms or interests have been violated by regulatory authorities.
When carrying out this procedure, the authorized person draws up an inspection report for transport and cargo. It must reflect:
- Information about the persons conducting the inspection
- Information about witnesses present during the inspection
- Explanation of the reasons and motives for the search
- Results of the procedure
The task of the civil servant, at the stage of checking the cargo, is to convey information about the cargo as objectively as possible. In particular, the following information must be included:
- Shape of cargo, type, type of packaging
- Number of product units
- Availability of seals, product numbers, brands, etc.
- List of names of transported goods
Why is it necessary to correctly fill out a customs declaration for imported goods?
As a rule, customs officers conduct random checks of undeclared cargo. But based on the description of the goods, the characteristics of the supplier and other internal departmental directives, the service can conduct an unscheduled inspection of a specific cargo.
Those. if the declaration indicates the type of product “liquid”, this may be a reason to initiate an inspection, because Excise alcohol is often transported as a “liquid”.
Even when going on a tourist trip, you should notify the services about goods imported into the territory of a foreign state. If during a random check it turns out that the goods belong to the declared group, liability arises up to and including confiscation of the goods.