GAC in Qatar issues a set of travel advisory regarding carrying money and valuables

A Travel Advisory has been issued by the General Authority of Customs (GAC) regarding carrying money, valuables and financial instruments. “Any person upon entering or leaving the state and in possession of any currency, financial bearer negotiable instruments or precious metals or stones equivalent to or exceeding QR 50000 or it’s equivalent in for­eign currencies, must fill the declaration form, and any additional in­formation requested by the customs officer must also be provided,” GAC tweeted. The form is filled in at the customs declaration office at all air, sea or land travel outlets.

The Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law No. 20 of 2019 and Cabinet Resolution No. 41 of 2019 will be used to establish this system and issue its executive rules. This includes Qatari and international currency as well as negotiable or financial instruments, according to GAC.

A bearer check or a promissory note is a check, promissory note or money order that is either in bearer form with no restrictions, written out to a fictitious payee. Incomplete instruments include checks, promissory notes, and money orders that are signed but do not include the payee’s name. Metals like gold, silver, platinum and other metals should be disclosed as well as valuable stones like diamonds, rubies, sapphire and pearls.

“False declaration or refusal to provide additional information to the customs authorities on the source of the currency, financial bearer negotiable instru­ments or precious metals or stones equal to or greater than QR 50,000 or it’s equivalent in foreign currencies exposes you to penalties that may amount to imprisonment or fines, as well as the seizure of such funds,” GAC said.

Some of them are susceptible to imprisonment for a term of not more than three years, as well as fines between QR 100,000 and QAR 500,000 or double the amount of any transferred funds, whichever is higher. These funds may also be seized.