Article 60 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 60 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الثالث: أحكام خاصة بالمسافرين
What travelers bring with them or return with is inspected and declared at the competent customs departments, under the procedures and rules set by the Director General.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتم في الدوائر الجمركية المختصة المعاينة والتصريح لما يصطحبه المسافرون أو يعود إليهم وفق الأصول والقواعد التي يحددها المدير العام.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 60 explained in plain English
This article deals with travelers and what they bring in baggage and goods.
What it covers:
- What travelers bring with them.
- What returns to them.
What takes place: Inspection (examination) and declaration (stating what they have with them).
Where: At the competent customs departments, such as the customs departments at airports and border crossings.
How: Under the procedures and rules set by the Director General. The article does not state these rules, nor the limits of exemption or permitted quantities, so they cannot be inferred from this text.
The practical meaning is that a traveler is not exempt from customs control, but may be asked to declare what he has with him and his baggage is subject to inspection. To know what must be declared, one refers to the rules the Director General issues. Article 61 deals with a different subject, the committee deciding the value of imported goods and appeals to it. Anyone whose baggage is held or who faces a violation would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in customs and commercial matters.
Practical example
A traveler returning to King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah with electronic devices he bought abroad has his baggage inspected and declares what he has with him at the customs department at the airport, under the rules set by the Director General.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 60 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
Is a traveler's baggage subject to customs inspection?
Yes. What travelers bring with them or return with is inspected at the competent customs departments.
Who sets the rules for declaring travelers' baggage?
The Director General of Customs.
More articles on Customs Declaration and Inspection of Goods
- Article 46
The article gives the customs administration the right to use electronic exchange of information in customs clearance.
للإدارة الحق باستخدام تبادل المعلومات إلكترونيا بالتخليص الجمركي.
- Article 47
A detailed customs declaration must be submitted when clearing any goods, even if exempt from duties, in the forms approved in the GCC states.
يجب أن يقدم للدائرة الجمركية عند تخليص أي بضاعة - ولو كانت معفاة من الضرائب "الرسوم" الجمركية - بيان جمركي تفصيلي وفقا للنماذج المعتمدة في إطار دول المجلس يتضمن
- Article 48
The Director General specifies the documents attached to the customs declaration and their content, and may allow clearance without some of them against cash or bank guarantees or a written undertaking, subject to Article 27(1).
مع مراعاة ما ورد في الفقرة "1" من المادة (27) من هذا النظام "القانون" يحدد المدير العام الوثائق التي يجب أن ترفق مع البيانات الجمركية والمعلومات التي يجب أن تتض
- Article 49
A customs declaration may not be amended after it is registered; its submitter may ask the Director in writing to correct it before the declaration is referred for inspection.
لا يجوز تعديل ما ورد في البيانات الجمركية بعد تسجيلها ، ولمقدم البيان الجمركي أن يتقدم للمدير بطلب خطي للتصحيح قبل إحالة البيان الجمركي للمعاينة.
- Article 50
Owners of goods or their representatives may view them before submitting the declaration and take samples with the Director's permission and under the department's supervision, and samples are subject to the prescribed duties.
يجوز لأصحاب البضائع أو من يمثلهم الاطلاع على بضائعهم قبل تقديم البيان الجمركي وأخذ عينات منها عند الاقتضاء، وذلك بعد الحصول على إذن من المدير وتحت إشراف الدائرة
- Article 51
The article limits access to customs declarations and documents to owners of goods or their representatives, with an exception for the competent judicial or official bodies.
لا يجوز لغير أصحاب البضائع أو من يمثلهم الاطلاع على البيانات والمستندات الجمركية، وتستثنى من ذلك الجهات القضائية أو الرسمية المختصة.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.