Is it necessary to tell customs officials how much money you have?
Belarusian customs officials have started asking Belarusians how much money they have when they are crossing the border even if they do not have to fill in the customs declaration. Nobody knows why they do it: customs officials say it is done to control cash flow.
The European Radio for Belarus has found two problems you may encounter here.
Firstly, will there be any problems if you have more money when you return to Belarus later? Secondly, you are not shown the notes of customs officials, so can they make a mistake writing down the amount of your money?
Customs officials answered the second question immediately. They said it was impossible because it was a very serious case. They noted that the procedure was called verbal declaration and the rules about it were very strict.
A customs official: “If your sum of money is less than 3000 thousand USD you are not obliged to declare it. You simply tell customs officials about it. If you have from 3 to 10 thousand dollars you should declare it. You have to be given a special permission to leave the country with more than 10 thousand dollars”.
The permission means three documents: a note from the bank, a currency certificate TS-28 or a passenger declaration TD-24. Verbal declaration means customs officials ask you how much money you have on you. They can also ask you to fill in the declaration.
They may ask you to show them the sum of money. We asked customs officials what will happen if a person has less then 3 thousands but the sum he or she tells them is wrong:
Another customs official: “If you say you have 200 USD and it turns out that you have 2000 nothing should happen. Both sums are less than 3000 USD. But why should you do that: just say 2 thousands, nothing is wrong with it. You can simply say: I have less then 3 thousands without mentioning the exact sum”.
One more customs official says you will have problems if you tell them a wrong sum. You have to announce the exact sum of money without any rounding.
Another customs official: “You were asked about your money. You answered something and said you do not have more money. If they found more money on you a protocol would be drawn up and all your money would be confiscated. You would also have to pay a fine”.
ERB turned to a lawyer and customs agent Halina to clear up the issue. She noted that it depended on customs officials. Some of them may forgive you your mistake. But they can also punish you.
Halina: “Verbal declaration supposes you give the right information. You should not deceive anyone. If you have 2999 USD you do not have to declare it, but you are obliged to do it if you have 3001 USD”.
Furthermore, you should declare any sum of money you received as humanitarian aid abroad”.
The European Radio for Belarus has found two problems you may encounter here.
Firstly, will there be any problems if you have more money when you return to Belarus later? Secondly, you are not shown the notes of customs officials, so can they make a mistake writing down the amount of your money?
Customs officials answered the second question immediately. They said it was impossible because it was a very serious case. They noted that the procedure was called verbal declaration and the rules about it were very strict.
A customs official: “If your sum of money is less than 3000 thousand USD you are not obliged to declare it. You simply tell customs officials about it. If you have from 3 to 10 thousand dollars you should declare it. You have to be given a special permission to leave the country with more than 10 thousand dollars”.
The permission means three documents: a note from the bank, a currency certificate TS-28 or a passenger declaration TD-24. Verbal declaration means customs officials ask you how much money you have on you. They can also ask you to fill in the declaration.
They may ask you to show them the sum of money. We asked customs officials what will happen if a person has less then 3 thousands but the sum he or she tells them is wrong:
Another customs official: “If you say you have 200 USD and it turns out that you have 2000 nothing should happen. Both sums are less than 3000 USD. But why should you do that: just say 2 thousands, nothing is wrong with it. You can simply say: I have less then 3 thousands without mentioning the exact sum”.
One more customs official says you will have problems if you tell them a wrong sum. You have to announce the exact sum of money without any rounding.
Another customs official: “You were asked about your money. You answered something and said you do not have more money. If they found more money on you a protocol would be drawn up and all your money would be confiscated. You would also have to pay a fine”.
ERB turned to a lawyer and customs agent Halina to clear up the issue. She noted that it depended on customs officials. Some of them may forgive you your mistake. But they can also punish you.
Halina: “Verbal declaration supposes you give the right information. You should not deceive anyone. If you have 2999 USD you do not have to declare it, but you are obliged to do it if you have 3001 USD”.
Furthermore, you should declare any sum of money you received as humanitarian aid abroad”.
