Declaration of cash at border crossing
Description
The customs administration monitors the movement of cash and equivalent means of payment across the borders of Germany – both to third countries and to member states of the European Union. If you are carrying cash and equivalent means of payment with you from a total value of EUR 10,000 when entering or leaving Germany, you must comply with registration or notification obligations.
Travelling within the EU
If you enter Germany from an EU member state or leave Germany for an EU member state, you must verbally report cash and equivalent means of payment with a total value of EUR 10,000 or more to customs control units if you are questioned. At the request of customs officials, you must state the type and value of the cash or equivalent means of payment. They are also obliged to provide information about their origin, the beneficial owner and the intended use.
Travelling outside the EU
If you enter Germany with cash with a total value of EUR 10,000 or more from a non-EU country or leave Germany for a non-EU country, you must declare this amount in writing to the competent German customs office upon entry or exit without being requested to do so.
Equivalent means of payment with a total value of EUR 10,000 or more must be reported orally to the customs officials when questioned.
What are cash and equivalent means of payment?
The following are considered cash:
- Cash such as banknotes and coins that are valid means of payment, or banknotes and coins that are not valid means of payment but can still be exchanged for a currency that is valid means of payment. For example, it is still possible to exchange German marks or Austrian schillings for euros.
- certain securities such as savings bonds, cheques and traveller's cheques, shares, bills of exchange
The following shall be regarded as equivalent means of payment:
- Bankbooks
- electronic money
- Precious metals and precious stones (raw or cut) such as platinum, gold, silver or diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds
You travel to or from Germany and carry cash or equivalent means of payment with a total value of EUR 10,000 or more.
Documents relating to:
- the owner,
- the beneficial owners,
- the origin and intended use of cash and equivalent means of payment
The declaration must be lodged at the competent German customs office on entry or exit.
At least several minutes, at most several hours, unless there are grounds for assuming connections to money laundering or terrorist financing.
Form: yes
Online procedure possible: no
Written form required: yes
Personal appearance required: yes
This is how you have to handle cash or equivalent means of payment with a total value of EUR 10,000 or more when crossing the border:
Travelling within the EU
- You do not have to declare your cash unsolicited.
- At the request of customs officials, you must state the nature and value of the cash or equivalent means of payment. They are also obliged to provide information about their origin, the beneficial owner and the intended use.
- The customs officers will then check your details.
- If you have properly provided the information to German customs, the information is complete and conclusive and there is no reason to believe that the cash could be related to criminal offences or administrative offences, you can continue the journey unhindered with your means of payment.
Travelling outside the EU
- You must declare cash in writing to the competent German customs office upon entry or exit without being asked.
- Use the cash registration form.
- You must hand in the completed and signed form at the customs office when crossing the border.
- To do this, go to the customs office or a customs officer and declare the cash you are carrying by submitting the completed form.
- When crossing the border, pay attention to the signs on site and ask for the counters where you can submit the registration. If you enter Germany by plane, you may not use the green exit, but must submit the registration in the red exit.
- Please make sure that both copies of the form are signed when you present them to the customs office. Sheet 1 is destined for the customs office, sheet 2 will be returned to you confirmed by the customs office.
- Equivalent means of payment with a total value of EUR 10,000 or more must be reported orally to the customs officials upon request.
- If you have properly provided all the necessary information to German customs, the information is complete and conclusive and there is no reason to believe that the cash could be related to criminal offences or administrative offences, you can continue the journey unhindered with your means of payment.
Note: During the checks, the means of transport and your baggage may be checked. If you are believed to be carrying cash or equivalent means of payment under your clothing, customs officers may also physically search you.
Federal Ministry of Finance
27.01.2020
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
