Going Through Customs

Internationalpassengers should go through the customs formalities which are not required fordomestic passengers. Customs is an authorityor agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs tariffs and for examining the baggage andfreight for dutiable goods andcontraband. According to local legislationand regulations, the flow of some goods in and out of a country may berestricted or forbidden, and the customs agency enforces these rules.

Inaddition to the normal check-in procedures, outgoing passengers usually need tocomplete customs and emigration formalities. They will probably be required tofill out an embarkation card, which will be retained by passport or police officials. Incoming passengers, onthe other hand, often get entry forms from the cabin attendants in the courseof the flight so as to speed up the entry process at the arrival hall.Passengers are requested to fill out their personal information accurately andpresent the entry forms together with their passports at the passport control.After the passport has been stamped, incoming travelers will proceed to thebaggage re-claim area. From there, they proceed to customs control and then tothe general concourse.

The majorairports have set up the Red Channel and Green Channel examination systems tomake it convenient for arriving and departing passengers to go through customs.Red Channel is assigned topassengers with dutiable or restricted goods in their possession, where theymust declare these items to a customs officer. Passengers with nothing todeclare can go through the Green Channel. However, customs officers reserverights to examine the baggage carried by passengers at random when they gothrough the Green Channel. If a passenger going through the Green Channel isfound to have goods above the customs limits on them or carrying prohibiteditems, they may be prosecuted formaking a false declaration to customs, by virtue of having gone through theGreen Channel.

InChina,outgoing passengers carrying registered articles, cultural relics and otherrestricted articles should go through the Red Channel. Passengers choosing theRed Channel must fill in a Customs Declaration Form, and keep it forinspection. When or if thepassenger returns toChina,he must show this form.

 

                         New Words and Expressions

authority   [ɔ:′θɒrəti]                                         n. 官方，当局

safeguard  [′seifgɑ:d]                                       v. 保护，保卫

dutiable  ['dju:tiəbl]                                           adj. 应缴税的

legislation  [ˌledʒis′leiʃn]                                  n. 法律，法规

retain  [ri′tein]                                                   v. 保留，止住

concourse  [′kɒŋkɔ:s]                                        n. 大厅，广场

assign  [ə′sain]                                                   v. 分配，选派

prosecute   [′prɒsikju:t]                                     v. 检举、告发某人

 

Task 1 Talk about the following questionsafter reading the material and do some extended discussion.

1. How do passengers go throughcustoms?

2. What are Red Channel and GreenChannel respectively?

3. If a passenger refuses to receive a randomcheck from you, what should you do?

 

Task 2 Complete the dialogue between apassenger(P) and a customs officer(CO) by using the given words.

 

a. duty-free allowance     b. customs     c. confiscated      d. declare     e. red channel    f. tourism     g. prohibited goods  h. cigarettes   i. declaration     j. purpose       k. whisky    l. liquor

 

CO:May I see your passport, your   1   and health   2   forms, please? 

P: Yes, here youare.

CO: What’s your   3   of visiting U.S? 

P: I’m here for   4  .

CO: How long do you plan to stay?

P: Two weeks.

CO: Where will you stay in U.S.？

P: I’ll stay inSheraton Hotel.

CO: Did someone ask you to bring anything into theUnited States?

P: No.

CO:Do you have any  5   or   6  ?

P:Yes, I have two bottles of   7  .

CO: If you havemore than the   8   or  9 , you go through the   10   and   11   them to a customs officer.

P: Thanks. Iunderstand.

CO:Please open this bag. What is this?

P: This is thegift for my friends.

CO:Fresh fruit is not allowed to be brought in. According to the regulation, itmust be   12   and youmust be fined 200 US dollars.

P: …

 

 

Learn more professional terms for your further study.

descent  [di′sent]                                               n. 下降

approach  [ə′prəʊtʃ]                                           v.   接近

immigrationcontrol                                              入境检查

immigrationform                                                 移民表

healthcertificate                                                   健康证书

duty-freearticle                                                    免税物品

customs inspectioncounter                                  海关检查柜台

goods todeclare                                                    报关物品

animal and plantquarantine                                 动植物检疫

nothing todeclare                                                 无需报关，无申报

shuttle bus                                                             摆渡车