Dubai: If you are planning to travel to or depart from Saudi Arabia and have gifts, personal items, jewellery or cash above Saudi Riyals 60,000 (Dh58,706), you must fill out and submit a declaration form online.
According to Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority of Saudi Arabia (ZATCA), submitting the declaration form is compulsory.
Passengers arriving and departing from Saudi Arabia can fill out the e-Declaration form online through the ZATCA website - zatca.gov.sa, or mobile app – ‘ZATCA’, which is available for Apple and Android devices.
Six types of items that require the customs declaration form
1. Cash that is worth Saudi Riyals 60,000 (Dh58,706) or more.
2. Jewellery and precious stones worth Saudi Riyals 60,000 (Dh58,706) or more.
3. Goods in commercial quantities.
4. Goods with Excise Tax.
5. Restricted and prohibited goods and items.
6. Gifts or personal purchases worth Saudi Riyals 3,000 (Dh2,935) or more.
How do you fill out the customs declaration form?
According to ZATCA, there are two ways to declare cash, personal goods, and jewellery.
1. Declare the items online
Filling out the disclosure form can be done online through the ZATCA website - https://zatca.gov.sa/ and the mobile application ‘ZATCA’.
If the declared items are personal purchases, gifts worth more than Saudi Riyal 3,000 (Dh2,935) or tobacco products and derivatives, then you can complete the declaration process online, without having to visit the customs declaration office at the airport.
2. Submitting the form at the customs declaration office is mandatory for some items
According to ZATCA, if the declared goods include cash, jewellery and precious stones worth more than Saudi Riyals 60,000 (Dh58,706) or if they are restricted or prohibited items, then the traveller is required to visit the declaration office at the airport to complete the declaration procedures, even after having completed the declaration process electronically.
Passengers can find the declaration offices after the flight check-in counters before entering the departure area.
For arriving travellers, the customs declaration office is located after the passport counter and baggage reclaim.
Steps for filling out the e-Declaration form on ZATCA website:
So if you are carrying items that must be declared before you arrive or depart Saudi Arabia, here is how you fill out the disclosure form online:
1. Visit this link: https://eservices.zatca.gov.sa/sites/sc/en/edeclaration/Pages/EDeclarationPages/EDeclarationStartPage.aspx
2. Select whether you are arriving or departing Saudi Arabia.
3. Next, select one or more the options:
• Do you have tobacco products or their derivatives that are more than 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 500 grams or cigarettes or electronic hookahs, of more than one device (hookah) and 60 ml of its own liquids?
• Do you have any new possessions of total value exceeding Saudi Riyals 3,000 (Dh2,935)?
• Do you have currencies, or precious metals of value Saudi Riyals 60,000 (Dh58,706) or its equivalent?
• Do you have any possessions or materials that require a license or permit to enter Saudi Arabia?
4. Next, if you are a Saudi resident or citizen, you can access the form with your Absher account. If you are a visitor, click the ‘Start’ button.
5. Select the type of item you are carrying, it’s quantity and enter the items’ total value in Saudi Riyals. If you carrying cash, enter the amount and currency.
6. Click ‘Add to Cart’ and then click ‘Continue’.
7. Next, fill out your personal information:
• Enter your full name
• Select the passport type, passport number, issue country and nationality
• Enter the passport issue date and expiry date.
• Enter birth date
• Select gender
8. Enter your travel information.
• Select the travel type – air, land or sea.
• Chose the country you are departing from.
• Select the entry port from the drop down menu.
• Enter arrival date.
13. Next, enter your contact information, this includes your mobile number, email address, and home address or address in Saudi Arabia.
14. Click ‘Continue’.
15. Next, agree to the terms and conditions and submit the form.
16. You will then be directed to a payment portal, where you will have to pay the custom fees online with your credit or debit card.
17. After you have paid the prescribed fees and taxes, you will receive a reference number to follow up on the application.
19. Once the form has been approved, you will receive the e-Declaration form through the website and on your email address.
How much is the customs fees?
When you are filling out the declaration form online, you will see the total amount pop-up. The total amount differentiates based on the type of items and their value.
According to ZATCA, these are the additional fees to consider:
• 5% custom fees
• Saudi Riyal 20 (Dh19) for customs declaration issuance fees
• 15 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT)
Importing mobile devices and laptops do not have customs duties, but VAT is calculated, according to ZATCA.
Penalties and fines for failing to submit a declaration form
According to ZATCA, if an individual fails to submit a declaration for an amount that is equal to or exceeds Saudi Riyals 60,000, (Dh58,706) then a monetary fine of 25 per cent of the seized value is imposed for the first violation and 50 per cent if the violation is repeated.
If a restricted or prohibited item is not declared, all the materials and items will be confiscated, a customs fine will be imposed, and the individual will be referred to the relevant authorities, according to ZATCA.
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