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When entering the Philippines, there are two lanes for customs processing:

• The Green Lane is for those who have nothing to declare
• The Red Lane is for those with goods to declare

Permissible Imports

• Foreign currency up to US$10,000 (or its equivalent in other foreign currencies)
• Philippine currency up to PHP 10,000

For those entering the Philippines who are 18 years old and above, the following are free to import:

• 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams pipe tobacco
• 2 bottles of alcoholic beverages of not more than 1 liter each

Restricted Imports

• All plants, planting materials, fruits and vegetables regardless of quantity require an import permit/authority to import
• Animals require an import permit
• Foreign currency exceeding US$ 10,000 (or its equivalent in other foreign currencies) must be declared
• Philippine currency exceeding PHP 10,000 require authorization from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines)

Prohibited Items

• Firearms and firearm parts, replicas, explosives and ammunition
• Printed subversive, obscene or pornographic materials
• Drugs or substances aiding abortion
• Gambling machines and articles of such
• Articles of gold, silver and precious metals without indications of actual fineness of quality
• Misbranded and/or adulterated drugs or foodstuffs
• Prohibited drugs and plants/seeds that prohibited drugs are made of; opium pipes and parts thereof

Pets

If you want to bring your pet to the Philippines, it can be done but takes planning and preparation. Taking your pet into another country usually includes:

• Microchiping - to verify pet's identity. All microchips conforming to the ISO standards are easily readable.
• Vaccination - Vaccinations range from country to country, but in general every pet older than 3 months must be vaccinated against rabies. The vaccination must be administered at least 21 days before arrival. However the vaccination cannot be older than 12 months from the date of arrival. Dogs may also get full shots for Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvo, and DHLPP. Cats may also be vaccinated against Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calcivirus, and Panleukopenia.
• Certificate of good health - Issued by a vet after an exam. You will usually need to get an official form from the consulate or embassy of the country you are moving to. It is often available on-line from the customs website.

Transport

Some airlines allow pets to travel in an airplane's cabin, provided their cage is small enough to fit under your seat. Small birds may also be able to travel in the cabin, but tropical birds such as parrots are usually not allowed.

If your pet's cage does not fit under your seat, you will have to ship it as checked baggage. Since the outside air temperature also affects the temperature in the cargo bay, airlines may restrict the transportation of pets during certain times of the year. Airlines have special requirements for containers in the cabin and cargo bay. Make sure you get detailed information from your preferred airlines before purchasing a cage or kennel.

Before leaving, acquaint your animal with the kennel or container. Add some familiar toys or some of your clothing items, so your pet has a sense of familiarity during the transport. Sedation of your pet during the trip is generally not recommended and should only be used as a last resort.

There are also pet relocation services that figure out all the details of the move. These services tend to be quite expensive, but take away the stress of doing it yourself.

Quarantine

All pets entering the Philippines must be accompanied by:

• A Veterinary Quarantine Clearance to Import from the Bureau of Animal Industry in the Philippines. This clearance must be applied for in advance of bringing your pet to the Philippines. You can apply for this clearance through email. For each pet, you will need to provide the following information:
  • Species and breed
  • Gender and description
  • Expected date of arrival in the Philippines

For more details, visit this page on the Bureau of Animal Industry website: Issuance of Veterinary Quarantine Clearance.

• Certificate of good health issued at the country of origin. This certificate must state that your pet is in good health and is free of any disease communicable to humans at least 10 days before travel to the Philippines.
• A vaccination card with details of vaccines administered to your pet.

If your pets do not have the requirements mentioned above or if they are declared as not in good health upon inspection at the airport, your pet may be quarantined for 30 days.

For further information, you can refer to this page on bringing pets to the Philippines or our article on Expat Pets.

Customs Resources

U.S. Citizens: The free pamphlet "Know Before You Go" at http://www.cbp.gov/ is very helpful. (Click on "Travel" and then click on "Know Before You Go! Online Brochure")

You can also contact:

U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
1300 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC 20229
Tel. 877/287-8667

Canadian Citizens: "I Declare", issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500) is helpful.

Australian Citizens: A helpful brochure called "Know Before You Go" is available from Australian consulates or Customs offices. Call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to http://www.customs.gov.au/.