Travellers Arriving in Fiji by Aircraft or Passenger Ship

On Arrival

Declarations

Before you arrive in Fiji, you will receive a Fiji passenger arrival card from your Immigration Administration or your Airline/Shipping Agent or from flight attendants of aircraft or ship officials. You must tick ‘yes’ in the Customs Section of your arrival card if you are bringing any of the following into Fiji:

Prohibited and Restricted Imports

Goods which may be prohibited or restricted. Please refer to (Prohibited Imports and Exports) Regulations 1986.

Passenger Allowance

Normal Passenger Allowance

Click to access normal passenger allowance under Concession Code 218 of pages 794 to 795 of the 2012 HS Tariff Classification

In-excess of Normal Passenger Allowance

• Goods that are in your possession upon arrival and are for commercial purposes (such as samples , any goods intended for sale or lease or hire, or exchange);
• Any professional or technical equipment;
• Any other personal goods the total value of which exceeds FJ$1000 (NOTE: Excludes used personal effects that a passenger may reasonably be expected to carry in his or her baggage).

Note: Please bring with you receipts for any purchase of commercial goods you made overseas or receipts for shopping in the Duty Free Shops within the baggage hall, to ascertain the correct value of the goods.

Declaration of Currency in any Passenger’s possession

All travellers into Fiji are required to declare on arrival if they are carrying FJ$10,000 or more in Fijian or Foreign currency equivalent (includes negotiable bearer instruments) in their possession or luggage. If yes, you are required to complete the Border Currency Reporting form (to be given by the officer and provide template. (the officer to assist the passenger in filling and fully complete the form)

Primary Line Clearance

You are required to present your arrival card and passport to Primary Line officer for immigration checks (Fiji Immigration website)

Collection of Accompanied Baggage

After you have been cleared by Primary Line officers you are required to proceed to the baggage collection area to collect your baggage.

Purchase of Duty Free Items

Whilst waiting for your baggage or after collecting your baggage you may purchase duty free items. The total quantity of duty free items in your possession before proceeding to Customs for Customs checks should be within normal passenger allowance.

Green/Red Channels

Where a notice headed “HOW TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS” is displayed a person entering Fiji shall proceed through the appropriate channel according to the notice and shall make orally to the proper officer the declaration required under section 116 of the Act.(insert link)
After reading through the notice HOW TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS displayed within the baggage area you may proceed to

• Green Channel (nothing to declare)

If you have nothing to declare to Customs or Bio-Security on your arrival card.
Please note that Customs still have legal rights to check your baggage or other commodities although you may have selected “nothing to declare “..

• Red Channel (anything to declare)

if you have anything to declare to Customs or Bio-Security or you are unsure which channel to proceed to.

Baggage Search By Customs

The baggage of any traveller may be searched by a Customs Officer as stated in Section 10, Subsection 2 of Customs Act 1986.

Baggage Search by Biosecurity

The baggage of any traveler may be searched by a Biosecurity Officer as stated in the Biosecurity Promulgation 2008.

Baggage Search by other Border Agencies such as Border Police, Health Quarantine, Airport Security

The baggage of any traveler may be searched by any border agency if there is reasonable ground to believe that there are commodities of their interest in any passenger’s possession.

Medicines

If you are carrying prescription medicines or controlled drugs, you should have a prescription from your physician advising that the medicine is being used under a doctor’s direction and is necessary for your physical well-being.

Biosecurity Regulated Items

The following classes of goods must be declared:

• Food of any kind;
• Plants or parts of plants (live or dead);
• Animals (live or dead) or their products;
• Equipment used with animals;
• Equipment such as camping gear, golf clubs, and used bicycles and
• Biological specimens. Refer www.biosecurityfiji.com

Travelers who fill out the bio-security section of the arrival card incorrectly risk an instant fine of FJ$200. Serious breaches of the Fiji Biosecurity laws may also result in a fine of up to FJ$100,000 or a prison term of up to five years.

Contact the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji for more information at www.biosecurityfiji.com.

Bio-Security Inspection – Bio-Security Authority of Fiji carry out 100% scanning of all travellers luggage for quarantine items in the presence of Customs Officials.

Import Restrictions

Firearms and Weapons

The importation of firearms is strictly controlled and a police permit to import is required. Please declare to Customs Officer on arrival of any firearms and weapons for safe-keeping whether or not with a valid license.

It is prohibited to import certain types of weapons such as flick knives, swordsticks, knuckle-dusters, and any weapon designed to give the appearance of another article.

Screening items harmful to Fiji’s interests is an important border function. Importation of certain goods are prohibited. Others may be admitted only after they have been subjected to treatment or if they are accompanied by the approved documentations.(e.g license to import).

Allowances

Personal Effects

Your clothing, toilet articles, personal jewelry (including watches), cameras, laptops that accompany you, are free of duty provided:

• You own them at the time of arrival in Fiji and are for your personal use
• Not intended as gifts or for sale or exchange
• Used prior to importation
• Must be of a kind that a passenger may reasonably be expected to carry in his baggage

Commercial quantities of individual items of apparel (including footwear) are not covered by this allowance.

Alcohol and Tobacco

A traveler may import tobacco products and alcoholic beverages free of Customs duty provided that:

• The traveler is not less than 17 years of age;
• The goods are not for sale;
• The goods are accompanied by the traveler at the time of final disembarkation;
• The goods are not being carried on behalf of any other person or persons.

Cigarettes, Cigars, Tobacco Allowances (Normal Passenger Allowance)

• Cigarettes not exceeding 250 sticks or
• Cigars not exceeding 250g net weight or
• Tobacco not exceeding 250g net weight or
• Any combination of the above but not exceeding 250g net weight

Alcoholic Beverages

• Spirituous Liquors not exceeding 2.25 litres or
• Wine not exceeding 4.5 litres or
• Beer not exceeding 4.5 litres or
• Any combination of the above provided that it does not exceed the equivalent quantity under liquor, wine and beer

Other Accompanied Goods

Travelers may import other dutiable goods provided:

• That value does not exceed FJ$1000
• The goods are accompanied by the traveler on arrival
• The goods must be for personal use and not for sale

Unaccompanied Goods or Baggage

Unaccompanied goods or baggage will not be allowed as landing normal passenger allowances.

Currency

There are restrictions on currency being brought into Fiji by passengers. However, if a passenger is in possession of FJ$10,000 or more in Fijian or foreign currency equivalent (includes negotiable bearer instruments), this should be declared to the Customs Officer on his/her arrival and will be required to fill in the Border Currency Reporting form.

Customs Charges

Goods that do not qualify for allowances would be subject to Customs duty. The Customs duty rates are prescribed under the Customs Tariff Act. Normally, duty is charged through ad valorem and specific rates.

All goods subject to Customs duty are also subject to payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) and certain goods are also applicable with Import Excise Duty.

Where passengers are either unable or unwilling to pay duty, the goods would be detained pending formal clearance and goods not claimed within the specified time frame will be disposed off by the Chief Executive Officer as prescribed under Sections 29 and 63 of the Customs Act.

All Customs payments must be made in Fijian currency and all value for duty is calculated in Fijian dollars inclusive of insurance and freight (CIF value).

Drug Offences

It is prohibited to import dangerous drugs to Fiji. Dangerous drugs include:

• Raw or prepared opium
• Indian hemp
• Cocaine
• Methamphetamines
• Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
• Synthetic drugs
• Other prohibited and narcotic drugs listed in the Illicit Drugs Control Act 2004.

Utensils

It is also prohibited to import utensils for preparation of drugs. Utensils include:

• Cannabis utensils (such as bongs, hash and head pipes, hubble bubbles, hookahs, and roach clips with a pincer or tweezers action)
• Opium pipes

It is a serious offence to smuggle drugs into Fiji. Heavy or severe penalties including fines and imprisonment will be imposed on offenders.

Reporting Suspicions

If you have any information concerning the importation of drugs or suspect that drugs are being imported or smuggled into Fiji, please advise the authorities at: CustomsEvasion@frca.org.fj

Money and Currency

Any person carrying substantial amount of money must accompany a letter from the Governor of the Reserve Bank of the last port of the monetary transaction.

Radio Transmitters and Telecommunications Equipment

Not all radio services have common frequency allocations throughout the world. Radio transmitters and telecommunications equipment that operate satisfactorily in one country may cause interference to other radio or television broadcast reception in Fiji.

Before considering the purchase and importation of radio transmitters, cordless and cellular phones, and similar equipment, check with the Telecommunications Authority of Fiji that the devices meet Fiji technical standards.

Domestic Pets

Laws governing the prohibitions and restrictions of entry of domestic pets (such as cats, dogs, etc ) into Fiji are strictly enforced by Biosecurity Authority of Fiji.

Contact the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji for more information.

Endangered Species (CITES)

Fiji has legislation which implements the convention (CITES). The Endangered & Protected Species (EPS) Act (2002) establishes the Fiji CITES Management Authority which coordinates the national implementation of CITES with relevant agencies and other stakeholders.
The following plants and species may be subject to the provisions EPS Act (2002) , as well as any products manufactured from them, for example, jewelry, ornaments, carvings, feathers and so on.

However, whales teeth (tabua) unless license obtained from the iTaukei Affairs Board and the Department of Environment. Contact the iTaukei Affairs Board at www.itaukeiaffairs.gov.fj and the Department of Environment at www.environment.gov.fj.

Commercial Goods

All commercial goods, goods for resale, or goods for use in your business, will be subject to duty (where applicable) and Value Added Tax (VAT). You should declare these goods on your arrival card and proceed to the Red Channel.

If the value of the goods is less than FJ$100 or if it is a perishable item, or medicine urgently needed, the goods can be cleared after payment of duty (if applicable) at the airport.

If the value of the goods is more than FJ$100 and you have not arranged pre-clearance, the goods will be held under Customs control until an Import Entry has been processed and cleared. You will not be able to take the goods with you from the airport. The goods have to be detained and detention notice to be issued to the owner or agents.

Calculation of duty payable

To determine the value of the goods you are bringing in to the country and the related duty payable to FRCA liaise with customshelp@frca.org.fj

 Print This Page  Email This Page