Travelling with cameras - customs and excise

[JonathanRyan]

I know i've seen this form somewhere but I can't find it online.

I need to travel abroad (out of the EU). I'll be taking, err, a fair bit of camera kit with me. There used to be a form you could fill out serial numbers and get stamped on the way out to say you left the UK with certain kit. So that when you come back into the UK there's no problem with import duty.

I'm not seriously worried they would charge me duty on my collection of beaten up cameras but it might save a longer than necessary wait at Gatwick.

Anybody know where I can find it?

 

[st599]

Do you mean C&E 1246 or a Commerce Carnet?

 

[PMN]

Are you taking your camera equipment with you as hand luggage? I've taken my camera gear (or at least some of it) outside the EU countless times and never had to make any kind of declaration for what I've been carrying. As far as I'm aware there's no requirement to do this, or at least if there is then I've missed doing it on my last 400 or so flights!

 

[JonathanRyan]

Do you mean C&E 1246 or a Commerce Carnet?

Probably not a commerce carnet - the wording on 1246 seems "unclear". Not sure. Do you have experience of these?

Are you taking your camera equipment with you as hand luggage?

Yes.

AFAIK it's not a requirement. But when you return to the UK an over zealous customs officer can ask you to prove you didn't buy them abroad. The mythical form is one of the easiest ways to do that.

I'm all for not annoying customs officers after a long flight.

 

[PMN]

If you're happier listing everything then it's probably a good idea to do so, although unfortunately I can't help with where you find the appropriate form. I honestly doubt you'll have a problem if you don't though, I've done around 200 flights a year for the last couple of years both inside and outside the EU always carrying a reasonable amount of camera gear with me, and never once been questioned about it.

Just do whatever you feel happiest doing though.