Belgium is surrounded by countries from the European Union, and is part of
the Schengen area for freedom of movement. Maybe you won't feel like passing
a border when you will enter the country because you were controlled when you
entered the Schengen area first, if you came by train or car for example. Belgian
customs can however make a control at any time.
If you are a member of the European Union, you won't have
any declaration to make when entering Belgium.
As a general point, we will distinguish between a travel within the European
Union and outside the EU space.
Travels inside the countries members of the EU
You are free to bring back any item that has been bought in another EU state
with all tax inclusive, assuming that it is for a personal use (800 cigarettes,
400 cigarillos, 200 cigars, 1 kg of tabacco, 110 litres of beer, 90 litres of
wine - including a maximum of 60 litres of mousseux -, 20 litres of aperitifs,
10 litres of liquors...) and that it is not a vehicule.
N.B. If you come back from a zone with specific VAT rules (canart islands, Normandy
islands, Martinique, Guadeloupe,.. etc), you will have to comply with the rules
on visitors coming from a non-EU member state.
Immigrant coming from a non-member state of the EU
In theory the customs control will apply in the case where, coming from a non
EU member state, you enter a EU member by plane, train, boat or car.
At this occasion you will have to declare the items purchased outside the EU,
whether they come from a duty-free shop or not, for all amounts excluding the
franchise (200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos, 2 litres wines, 1 litre of liquor,
50 gramms of perfume... for a maximum value of 175 euros).
Regarding the purchase of a car abroad with the aim to get it registred in
Belgium, a specific declaration of import must have been done. All the explanations
are available online on the Customs
office website. Those rules do not apply when the vehicule enters Belgium
during a removal.
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In terms of removal, the rules apply only
for a move from a country outside the European union to come to live in
Belgium. You must have had a residence outside the EU for at least 1 year.
In theory, the administration will give you a franchise for the personal
items you transfer.
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For
additional information and for addresses of customs offices where to give your
declaration form, click here.
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