custom check at Heathrow

Hi everybody, I will arrive in London in a few days and wonder what I should prepare for the custom check. I guess I may have to declare my personal laptop when I pass through the custom at the Heathrow airport. Does anyone also bring a laptop to UK and what to do when passing the custom check point at the airport? Thanks for your advice!

Reply 1

Fishcat

guofangbu

Hi everybody, I will arrive in London in a few days and wonder what I should prepare for the custom check. I guess I may have to declare my personal laptop when I pass through the custom at the Heathrow airport. Does anyone also bring a laptop to UK and what to do when passing the custom check point at the airport? Thanks for your advice!

Where are you coming from? Within the EU?

EDIT: Just noticed you're coming from china, so not in the EU!

Try the HM Customs and Export website here:

http://www.hmce.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageImport_Home

Reply 2

Fishcat

http://www.hmce.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageImport_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000282&propertyType=document

Does this help?

They say that if you're not sure, then go to declare it anyway. The people at the "something to declare" desk will help you out as to whether anything needs declaring or not.

Reply 3

hornblower

6

guofangbu

Hi everybody, I will arrive in London in a few days and wonder what I should prepare for the custom check. I guess I may have to declare my personal laptop when I pass through the custom at the Heathrow airport. Does anyone also bring a laptop to UK and what to do when passing the custom check point at the airport? Thanks for your advice!

I would not bother. Walk through the Green Zone - you have nothing to declare.

Reply 4

priya

14

i always just walk straight through, whether i have stuff to declare or not. usually i'm not aware that i have stuff to declare. everytime we come back from india mum brings truckloads of jewellry and perfume and all sorts that gets given as presents to her...nobody's stopped us yet.

Reply 5

katiesado

1

i'm pretty sure you don't have to declare your laptop. i agree with priya, don't bother. most of the times i've come to london there isn't anyone even posted in the customs area.

Reply 6

InterCity125

1

No. Only British Citizens buying one aborad would have to delare - to pay tax on it.

Heathrow customs seem okay - never seen a customs officer yet at terminal 1 or 2 - bu it may be different at 3 or 4.
Immegration takes ages, though - long queues for evening arrivals.

Reply 7

hornblower

6

InterCity125

No. Only British Citizens buying one aborad would have to delare - to pay tax on it.

Heathrow customs seem okay - never seen a customs officer yet at terminal 1 or 2 - bu it may be different at 3 or 4.
Immegration takes ages, though - long queues for evening arrivals.

Immigration does take an awfully long time; I was at Heathrow Terminal 1 last week. It's probably because they now swipe passports through a machine.

Reply 8

sz72

5

guofangbu

Hi everybody, I will arrive in London in a few days and wonder what I should prepare for the custom check. I guess I may have to declare my personal laptop when I pass through the custom at the Heathrow airport. Does anyone also bring a laptop to UK and what to do when passing the custom check point at the airport? Thanks for your advice!

no i dont think so,
i think they'll check your health documents and of course your passport,then ask you a few questions and that's it.

someone has warned me that recently they might check if you carry any pirate DVD/software etc, be careful!

Good Luck! :biggrin:

Reply 9

Fishcat

priya

i always just walk straight through, whether i have stuff to declare or not. usually i'm not aware that i have stuff to declare. everytime we come back from india mum brings truckloads of jewellry and perfume and all sorts that gets given as presents to her...nobody's stopped us yet.