Dubai: If you’re travelling to Dubai, it’s important to familiarise yourself with the iDeclare platform by the Dubai Customs Authority. The authorities have made it easier than ever to declare goods and cash electronically, ahead of time, so that you can breeze through the airport.In our guide below, learn how to declare items electronically, with Dubai Customs’ iDeclare portal.What is Dubai Customs?Dubai Customs is the government authority that inspects and monitors luggage and passengers, collects duties on restricted or commercial goods, and stops illegal practices, at Dubai’s airports. It acts as a line of defence for all ports of the country.According to Dubai Customs’ website, the customs zone or area of jurisdiction at Dubai Airports begins right after the completion of passport control procedures, managed by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) at the Arrivals Hall, until the passenger leaves the customs gates, in addition to the customs clearance offices at the Departures Hall.What is a customs declaration?Dubai has strict rules regarding the import and possession of certain items by travellers. Understanding these requirements allows for a smooth, seamless journey.When you pass through the red or green channel at Dubai Airports, you’re making a customs declaration – red means you have goods, currency, or restricted items to declare to customs authorities, while green means you have no prohibited, restricted, or dutiable goods to declare.The declaration can also be made verbally, in writing, or electronically, according to Dubai Customs Authority. It is essentially the process of providing information about imported goods to customs authorities.Customs officials may conduct inspections of passengers’ personal belongings, if their bags are flagged. The procedures for confiscation, collection of payable customs duties, or exemptions, are based on the following guidelines for permitted, controlled and prohibited items, set out by the Dubai Customs Authority.How to declare items electronically before arriving in DubaiYou might be flying into the UAE with cash that amounts to more than Dh60,000, or might need to bring in certain plants or insects for research purposes.If you are unsure whether you need to declare certain items, or if you want to declare them before travelling to Dubai, you can use Dubai Customs’ iDeclare platform to register the information electronically, ahead of your arrival in the UAE.iDeclare is an online app, launched by Dubai Customs in 2018, to simplify the customs clearance process for passengers by enabling self-declaration of their commercial goods, personal effects or cash, either pre- or post-arrival at the airport, saving them both time and effort.By submitting the customs declaration ahead of time, passengers will be able to reduce wait time, while enhancing security and compliance by providing up-to-date information to the authorities.Follow these steps to submit your customs declaration with iDeclare:Download the iDeclare app via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.On the home screen, tap the ‘Check Eligibility’ button. Here, you’ll see a list of items that you scan, to see if they apply to you. Options include ‘Gifts whose value exceed Dh3,000’, and ‘Electronic cigarettes or vaporisers’. Select the items you want to bring into the UAE.If you are eligible for customs declaration, you will receive a prompt to ‘Declare Now’. Tap on this button.Sign up to register with your full name, passport number, date of birth, address, and other personal details.Once you sign up, you can access your Dashboard, where you can select ‘Create Declaration’.Next, select ‘Declaration Type’. You can select from the following categories:Goods import: If you are bringing in commodities like gold, electronics, and leather items that can be carried.Temporary admission: If you are bringing in commodities like gold, electronics, and leather items for a short term and not on a permanent basis.Currency import: If you are bringing in currency notes or travellers cheques above the permissible limit of Dh60,000.Once you select the category, you will be prompted to enter your flight number, date of arrival, port of loading, port of discharge, and address.Upload any relevant documents related to the items you are bringing into the country, such as certificates, and letter of explanations.Click ‘Submit’ before you depart, or in-flight. You will then receive a reference number, which you can share at the red channel at the airport. You can also use iDeclare to declare items you are taking out of the country, using the same process.
