Entering or leaving the EU with € 10,000 or more, where do you declare it?

If you are entering or leaving the European Union (EU) with cash or gold worth €10,000 or more, you must always declare it at the point where you enter or leave the EU. How you travel matters: by plane, boat, or car.

Choose your situation.

  • Making a declaration in the Netherlands

    Are you departing from the Netherlands to a country outside the EU, or are you arriving in the Netherlands from a country outside the EU? If so, you will have to make a declaration in the Netherlands. You can find out where to do this below.

    You are travelling from the Netherlands to a country outside the EU

    • If you are departing from Schiphol Airport: make your declaration to Customs in departure hall 3 (office for Tax refund/OB-teruggave).
    • If you are departing from another airport: go to Customs at the airport of arrival or departure.

    Make sure to make your declaration before checking in your luggage and going through the security check.

    You arrive in the Netherlands from outside the EU

    Go to the exit with the 'Goods to declare/ Aangifte goederen' sign when you get to Customs. You can make your declaration there.

    Making a declaration in a non-EU country?

    Different rules apply in countries outside the EU. Ask whether you need to make a declaration at Customs in the country of arrival or departure.

  • You must make a declaration at the Customs Office belonging to the port of entry. You can find the Customs Offices for Dutch ports in the Customs Offices List.

    You can make your declaration in 2 ways:

    • directly, without the mediation of a shipping agent or shipbroker
    • through the mediation of a shipping agent or shipbroker

    Making a declaration without the mediation of a shipping agent or shipbroker

    Crew members and passengers of ships can make a declaration themselves, without the mediation of a shipping agent or shipbroker. You make a declaration by handing in the cash declaration form at the Customs Office of the port of entry or departure.

    Making a declaration with the mediation of shipping agent or shipbroker

    Crew members and passengers of ships can make a declaration through a shipping agent or shipbroker. A shipping agent can also make a declaration themselves if the captain orders cash or gold to be brought on board or taken off board.

    Before bringing cash or gold on board or taking it off board, the shipping agent sends the cash declaration form via email to the Customs Office belonging to the port of entry or departure.

  • You must make your declaration at the point where you enter or leave the EU.

    Example: Istanbul - Rotterdam

    You are travelling by road from Istanbul (Turkey) to Rotterdam (the Netherlands). You must make your declaration at the point where you enter the EU, such as Greece or Bulgaria.

    Example: Rotterdam - Tangier

    You travel by road from Rotterdam (the Netherlands) to southern Spain and then sail to Tangier (Morocco). You must make your declaration at the point where you leave the EU, in this case Spain.

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