The General Authority of Customs (GAC) has reminded travellers of the need to fill out the Customs declaration form upon entry into or departure from the country, in case they possess cash, metals, or valuable jewellery worth more than QR50,000.
In a similar reminder to exporters and importers, the GAC has stressed the necessity of filling out the Customs declaration form in case their shipment has cash, metals or valuable jewellery worth over QR50,000.
The authority issued a couple of notifications on social media in this regard.
“Pursuant to the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Law No 20 of 2019 and the decision of the Council of Ministers to issue Executive Regulations No 41 of 2019, any person upon entering or leaving the State and in possession of any currency, financial bearer negotiable instruments or precious metals or stones equivalent to or exceeding QR50,000 or its equivalent in foreign currencies, must fill the declaration form. Any additional information requested by the Customs officer must also be provided,” the notification for travellers says.
Materials to be declared are as follows: l Currency: in Qatari riyal or foreign currencies
Financial bearer negotiable instruments: monetary instruments in bearer form such as travellers’ cheques; negotiable instruments, including cheques, promissory notes and money orders that are either in bearer form ,endorsed without restriction, made out to a fictitious payee, or otherwise in such form that the title thereto passes upon delivery; and incomplete instruments, including cheques, promissory notes and money orders signed but with the payee’s name omitted
Precious metals: gold, silver, platinum and other precious metals
Precious stones: diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, pearls, etc
The GAC has warned that any false declaration or refusal to provide additional information to the Customs authorities on the source of the currency, financial bearer negotiable instruments or precious metals or stones “may expose you to penalties that may amount to imprisonment or fines, as well as the seizure of such funds.”
The second notification, pertaining to exporters and importers, says “pursuant to the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Law No 20 of 2019 and the decision of the Council of Ministers to issue Executive Regulations No 41 of 2019, any legal person upon entering or leaving the State and in possession of any currency, financial bearer negotiable instruments or precious metals or stones equivalent to or exceeding QR50,000 or its equivalent in foreign currencies”, must abide by the following:
Obtain prior approval from Qatar Central Bank when exporting or importing currencies
For non-profit organisations, obtain prior approval from the Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities when shipping all materials used for charitable work
Fill out the Customs declaration form and attach to it documents related to the shipment, invoices, certificates of origin and any other documents
Provide all the information requested by the Customs
officer “False declaration, or refusal to provide additional information to the Customs authorities, may expose you to penalties that may amount to imprisonment or fines, as well as the seizure of such funds,” the GAC warned.
General Authority of Customs
