UAE customs update: Travellers carrying cash, gold of over Rs 14.31 lakh, must declare it
The requirement applies to passengers aged 18 and above and covers cash, cheques, high-value personal goods, and jewellery
- Aug 8, 2025,
- Updated Aug 8, 2025 12:02 PM IST
Travellers entering or leaving the United Arab Emirates with cash, jewellery, precious stones, or other valuables exceeding Dh60,000 must now declare them online before reaching customs, according to a report by Gulf News.
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) has made the process available through its official platform, Afseh, via the website declare.customs.ae and the Afseh mobile app for Apple and Android devices.
The requirement applies to passengers aged 18 and above and covers cash, cheques, high-value personal goods, and jewellery. Those under the age limit may carry larger amounts, but the declaration must be filed by a parent or guardian.
Currently, the Afseh service is in place at Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah international airports. The ICP has urged travellers to complete their declarations in advance to avoid delays.
How to file the declaration?
To declare, passengers must create an account on Afseh using UAE Pass, which autofills personal details such as Emirates ID, visa status, name, and nationality.
Additional address and contact information must be entered based on residency status.
After setting up the account, users can select ‘Apply for a new declaration request’ and provide travel details, including whether they are arriving or departing, travel date, emirate, port type, origin or destination, transport type, airline, and ticket number.
Travellers must then specify the type and value of items: currencies, personal goods, jewellery, or precious stones. If declaring cash, the currency and exact amount must be entered.
Submissions are reviewed by ICP, with approvals notified via SMS and the app. Approved requests appear in the dashboard’s ‘Approved Requests’ section and may be checked by customs officials.
The service is free and designed to speed up clearance while ensuring compliance with UAE rules. Authorities warn that undeclared valuables over Dh60,000 can lead to penalties or confiscation. The measure supports the UAE’s efforts to combat money laundering, illegal fund transfers, and smuggling of high-value goods.
Travellers entering or leaving the United Arab Emirates with cash, jewellery, precious stones, or other valuables exceeding Dh60,000 must now declare them online before reaching customs, according to a report by Gulf News.
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) has made the process available through its official platform, Afseh, via the website declare.customs.ae and the Afseh mobile app for Apple and Android devices.
The requirement applies to passengers aged 18 and above and covers cash, cheques, high-value personal goods, and jewellery. Those under the age limit may carry larger amounts, but the declaration must be filed by a parent or guardian.
Currently, the Afseh service is in place at Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah international airports. The ICP has urged travellers to complete their declarations in advance to avoid delays.
How to file the declaration?
To declare, passengers must create an account on Afseh using UAE Pass, which autofills personal details such as Emirates ID, visa status, name, and nationality.
Additional address and contact information must be entered based on residency status.
After setting up the account, users can select ‘Apply for a new declaration request’ and provide travel details, including whether they are arriving or departing, travel date, emirate, port type, origin or destination, transport type, airline, and ticket number.
Travellers must then specify the type and value of items: currencies, personal goods, jewellery, or precious stones. If declaring cash, the currency and exact amount must be entered.
Submissions are reviewed by ICP, with approvals notified via SMS and the app. Approved requests appear in the dashboard’s ‘Approved Requests’ section and may be checked by customs officials.
The service is free and designed to speed up clearance while ensuring compliance with UAE rules. Authorities warn that undeclared valuables over Dh60,000 can lead to penalties or confiscation. The measure supports the UAE’s efforts to combat money laundering, illegal fund transfers, and smuggling of high-value goods.