How much cash or gold can I take with me when travelling?
That is, of course, up to you. However, you may have to declare it to Customs.
If you are carrying cash or gold worth less than € 10,000, you do not need to declare it.
If you are carrying cash or gold with a (total) value of € 10,000 or more and plan to stay within the European Union (EU), you do not need to file a declaration.
If you are carrying cash or gold with a (total) value of € 10,000 or more and you are travelling into or out of the EU, you must declare it.
First, read the rules that apply to carrying cash and gold. Then check what you need to do in your situation.
Taking cash or gold when travelling
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If you are carrying cash with a value of € 10,000 or more, you must declare it to Customs when entering or leaving the EU. You do not have to pay tax on this amount, but Customs must be informed that you have it with you.
It does not matter whether the money belongs to you or someone else. The person transporting the cash must declare it, even if you are carrying the cash on behalf of someone else.
It also does not matter how you transport the cash. It can be as hand luggage or as hold luggage.
Euros or other (foreign) currency
It does not matter whether you are transporting euros or other (foreign) currency. What matters is whether the value, when converted into euros, is € 10,000 or more.
If you want to know what the exchange rate is for foreign currency, you can find this out using hulpmiddel Wisselkoers zoeken (Exchange Rate Search Tool) (only available in Dutch). We use the same exchange rates to determine the euro value of an amount of foreign currency.
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The rules distinguish between:
- gold with a gold content of at least 99.5%
- gold coins with a gold content of at least 90%
- other gold objects, such as jewellery
Gold and gold coins
Are you carrying gold with a value of € 10,000 or more in any of the following forms?
- nuggets and gold bars with a gold content of at least 99.5%
- coins with a gold content of at least 90%
If so, you must declare it to Customs when entering or leaving the EU.
It does not matter whether the gold belongs to you or someone else. The person transporting the gold is responsible for declaring it, even if you are carrying the gold on behalf of someone else.
It also does not matter how you transport the gold, whether as hand luggage or as hold luggage.
Gold jewellery and other gold objects
If you are carrying other gold items, such as gold jewellery, different rules apply. If you bring products worth more than € 430 per person from outside the EU into the EU, you have to declare it and pay tax. Read more about this at Ik heb producten buiten de EU gekocht – moet ik dan belasting betalen? (I purchased products outside the EU - do I need to pay tax?) (only available in Dutch).
Inside or outside the EU?
Choose your situation.
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Are you travelling from the Netherlands directly to an EU country, or from an EU country directly to the Netherlands? If so, you do not need to declare it to Customs in the Netherlands.
However, other EU countries may have different rules, and you may need to declare the money to Customs when entering or leaving that country. Check with the Customs authorities in the EU country where you are departing or arriving.
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Are you travelling from the Netherlands directly to a country outside the EU, or from a non-EU country directly to the Netherlands? If so, you must always declare the cash or gold you are carrying to Customs.
Example 1
You are flying from Tokyo to Amsterdam with € 9,000 in your hand luggage and €8,000 in your hold luggage. The total value of the cash is more than € 10,000, so you are required to declare it.
Example 2
You are flying from London to Amsterdam with € 6,000 and $ 7,000 in your hand luggage. The total value of the cash converts to more than € 10,000, so you are required to declare it.
Example 3
You are flying with your partner from Amsterdam to New York. You are carrying € 12,000 and your partner is carrying € 5,000. You must declare the cash because you are carrying more than € 10,000. Your partner does not have to declare anything because their amount is less than € 10,000.
Example 4
You are flying with your partner from Amsterdam to Istanbul. Your partner has given you € 7,000 and you are carrying € 8,000 yourself. This means you are transporting a total of € 15,000. You must declare it because you are carrying more than € 10,000.
Are you taking € 10,000 or more on both the outbound and return trip? Each time you enter or leave the EU, you must declare the amount. This applies to both the outbound and return trip.
How do you declare cash and gold?
You complete the declaration form and submit it to Customs. You can also request this form from Customs when entering or leaving the EU.
Where do you declare cash and gold?
You declare it to Customs at the point where you enter or leave the EU.
Example
You are flying from Tokyo to Amsterdam.
- Are you flying directly to Amsterdam without any layovers? In that case, you declare it in Amsterdam.
- Do you have a layover in Frankfurt? In that case, you declare it in Frankfurt.
How you travel matters: by plane, ship, or car. For more information, read Entering or leaving the EU with € 10,000 or more - where do you declare it?.
What happens after you make a declaration?
After making a declaration, you will receive proof that you have done so.
What happens to the information from your declaration?
The Dutch Customs authorities forward the information from your declaration to the Financial Intelligence Unit Netherlands (FIU Netherlands). This is done because the EU aims to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism in this way. You can find more information about this on the website of FIU-the Netherlands and the European Commission's website.
What happens if you don’t declare?
If you don’t declare, make an incomplete declaration, or make an incorrect declaration, you may be fined at least € 1,000. You could even face imprisonment.
If you fail to declare when required and miss your flight or ship due to our inspection, Customs will not be held responsible for this.