No more Customs declaration form for arriving passengers

MANILA, Philippines - Arriving passengers on international flights who have nothing to declare will no longer be required to fill out a Customs Declaration Form.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) issued Customs Administrative Order (CAO) 02-2014 on March 25, or the “Simplified Procedures for Clearance of Baggage of Passengers and Crew of International Airlines Arriving in International Airports of Entry.”

BOC spokesperson Charo Lagamon-Logarta yesterday said the CAO order is “one of the priority areas of reform” of the BOC under Commissioner John Phillip Sevilla.

She said it is in line with the advocacy of the agency to speed up the flow of passenger queues at the Customs area.

“This streamlining is in line with the directive of the BOC... to make it easier for the general public or passengers,” she said.

The BOC also designated two lanes for passengers and crew of arriving international flights.

The Green Lane is for passengers and crew who have nothing to declare or have no goods for purposes of import duties and taxes, with goods that can be admitted free of import duties and taxes or do not carry any goods which are subject to import prohibition, restriction or regulation.

The Red Lane is for passengers of international airlines with goods to declare for purposes of import duties or taxes, those with goods above the exempted Customs limits, or carrying goods or articles prohibited, controlled or regulated by several statues.

The BOC said those in the Green Lane need not accomplish a Customs Declaration Form.