What things are allowed and prohibited to carry across the Ukrainian border?

Persons planning to cross the border of Ukraine should know the items prohibited for transportation. This will help to avoid problems. Find out more about the list of items that can and cannot be transported across the Ukrainian border with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova

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When crossing the border, every passenger must pass through customs control. Border guards scrutinise luggage for prohibited goods, as many countries have strict restrictions on the importation of food, pets and medicines. Even over-the-counter medicines may be prohibited for import. To avoid problems at customs, it is important to familiarise yourself in advance with the list of items allowed and prohibited for import, which is determined by each country separately.

Ukraine borders with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. Customs rules of these countries in the material below.

Read more about the rules of entry to Ukraine during the war, security measures, insurance and other important nuances here.

How much currency can be taken out of Ukraine and what rules apply in the EU? Details at the link.

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What goods can not be imported into Poland?

When crossing the border with Poland, it is strictly prohibited to import:

- meat and meat products;

- tinned meat-based products (homemade and store-bought);

- milk and dairy products;

- chocolate bars (except for one open bar per person);

- narcotic substances;

- weapons.

Permitted goods and their quantities

A number of products can be imported into Poland, but with certain quantity restrictions:

- fresh fruit and vegetables, except raw potatoes (up to 5kg per person);

- fish and fish-based products (up to 5kg per person);

- eggs and products containing eggs (up to 2kg per person);

- coffee (up to 500 g per person) and tea (up to 100 g per person);

- honey (up to 2 kg per person);

- sweets and confectionery products containing no more than 20 per cent milk and chocolate;

- baby food mixes (up to 5 kg).

Tobacco products can be brought into Poland in the following quantities:

- 40 cigarettes;

- 20 cigars weighing up to 3 g each;

- 10 cigars;

- 50 g of smoking tobacco.

Alcoholic beverages are allowed in the following quantities:

- strong drinks (with alcohol content over 22%) - 1 litre;

- drinks with alcohol content up to 22% - 2 litres;

- wine - 4 litres;

- beer - 16 litres.

Import of medicines into Poland

Only medicines without a prescription are allowed to be brought into Poland without a prescription, such as painkillers, motion sickness pills, vitamins. For more serious drugs, a prescription will be required. This applies, for example, to tranquillisers and psychotropic substances.

It is strictly prohibited to import medicines containing codeine or ephedrine, such as "Nurofen Plus", "Ketanov" and "Broncholitin", which are widely used in Ukraine, into Poland and other EU countries.

To avoid problems at customs, be sure to familiarise yourself with the composition of your medicines before travelling. Import of prohibited medicines is subject to confiscation and administrative fines.

If you are being treated with medicines that are prohibited for import, you need to declare them. To do this, you will need:

- a copy of the medical card;

- a prescription from a doctor;

- a cheque from a pharmacy;

- a certificate with the diagnosis, the name of the medicine, its necessary quantity and the period of taking it, signed by your doctor and the chief physician of the medical institution.

The maximum volume of imported medicines is 500 ml.

Equipment that can be imported without declaration

Each person can bring one piece of equipment into Poland without declaration, e.g. a mobile phone, a photo or video camera, a portable speaker. If you have more than one piece of equipment with you, they must be declared.

Liability for violation of customs rules

In case of violation of customs rules, Polish customs officers may take the following measures:

- Confiscate the items prohibited for import.

- Impose a fine of €50 per item (alcohol is counted by bottle, cigarettes by carton).

- Deport the offender and ban entry to EU countries for up to 5 years (in extreme cases).

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Rules of customs control in Slovakia

What is prohibited to bring into Slovakia?

It is forbidden to bring the following into Slovakia:

- products with a short shelf life;

- meat products, including lard, sausages and tinned meat;

- dairy products;

- chocolate sweets;

- seeds, fruits, live trees and other plants.

Also prohibited are shoes and toys (not for personal use), lottery tickets, jewellery and metals in large quantities.

What is allowed to be brought into Slovakia and in what quantity?

- long-life foodstuffs for your own use;

- coffee (up to 500 grammes per person) and tea (up to 100 grammes per person);

- baby food (for personal use for the first time);

- perfume (up to 250 millilitres);

- fuel canister (up to 10 litres).

Products containing tobacco - 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigars, weighing one maximum of 3 grams, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco.

Alcoholic beverages - 2 litres of strong alcohol (more than 22% alcohol content), 4 litres of wine, 16 litres of beer.

Rules for importing medicines into Slovakia

You can bring medicines for personal use only (up to 430 euros per person). Over-the-counter - weak-acting tablets (painkillers, anti-sickness tablets or vitamins), strong-acting drugs (tranquillisers or psychotropic substances) only with a prescription and prior declaration.

As in Poland, it is prohibited to import medicines containing codeine or ephedrine ("Nurofen Plus", "Ketanov", "Broncholitin").

What kind of machinery can be imported into Slovakia?

Any kind of equipment can be imported into Slovakia, but only for personal use and not more than one unit. Machinery worth more than 500 euros must be declared before crossing the border.

Penalties for violation of customs regulations in Slovakia include

- confiscation of prohibited items

- fine (the amount depends on the severity of the offence);

- deportation and ban on entry to EU countries for 5 years (applied as a last resort).

Rules for customs control in Hungary

Prohibited goods for import into Hungary

It is strictly prohibited to import into Hungary:

- meat and any meat products;

- tinned meat-based products (both homemade and store-bought);

- milk and milk products;

- undeclared weapons.

Permitted goods and quantities

Certain goods may be imported into Hungary subject to the following limits:

- pasta and cereals - up to 5kg;

- coffee - up to 500 g, tea - up to 100 g;

- sugar - up to 20kg per person;

- baby food - up to 5kg (for own use only);

- fuel in a jerry can - not more than 10 litres;

- other goods - up to 300 euros.

Tobacco products:

- 40 cigarettes;

- 20 cigarettes (weighing up to 3g each);

- 10 cigars;

- 50 g of tobacco.

Alcoholic beverages:

- strong drinks (with an alcohol content of more than 22%) - 1 litre;

- drinks with alcohol content up to 22% - 2 litres;

- wine - 4 litres;

- beer - 16 litres.

Import of medicines into Hungary

Painkillers, motion sickness pills and vitamins are allowed without a prescription. Tranquillisers and psychotropic drugs require a prescription and prior declaration at customs.

Preparations containing codeine or ephedrine require additional documentation:

- A copy of medical records;

- a prescription from a doctor;

- a cheque from a pharmacy;

- a certificate with the diagnosis, the name of the drug, its quantity and the period of administration, stamped by the stamp of the medical centre and signed by your doctor and the chief physician.

Equipment that can be imported without declaration

Used appliances, such as telephones or watches, in quantities of one or two units intended for personal use and with a value of up to EUR 300, can be imported without declaration.

Liability for violation of customs regulations in Hungary

In the event of a breach of customs regulations in Hungary, customs officers can:

- confiscate prohibited goods;

- impose an obligation to pay customs duty on undeclared items;

- as a last resort, deport and ban entry to EU countries for up to 5 years.

Rules for customs control in Romania

What is prohibited to import into Romania?

- Meat and any meat products;

- tinned meat-based products (both homemade and store-bought);

- milk and dairy products;

- soil, seeds, seedlings, pine bark or bamboo;

- undeclared feed, veterinary medicines;

- undeclared weapons.

What is allowed to bring into Romania and in what quantity?

The quantity of any goods you bring into Romania must not indicate that they are being imported for sale.

- personal items: clothes, shoes, jewellery, cameras and video cameras, accessories, portable musical instruments, portable radios, portable television sets, personal laptop computers;

- long-life food (in small quantities and for your own use only);

- other goods for your own use or as a gift up to a value of €300;

- a fuel canister up to 10 litres.

Products containing tobacco - only one item from the following list may be imported:

- cigarettes - 40 pieces;

- cigars up to 3 grammes piece weight - 100 pieces;

- cigars - 50 pieces;

- smoking tobacco - 250 grammes.

Alcoholic beverages - strong alcohol (more than 22% alcohol content) - 1 litre, beverages with alcohol content up to 22% - 2 litres, wine - 4 litres, beer - 16 litres.

Rules for importing medicines to Romania

It is possible to transport pills without a prescription, but drugs of strong action must be brought with a prescription and previously declared (in writing).

What kind of equipment can be brought to Romania?

- One photo or video camera, one portable TV, sports equipment for one person.

- One baby and wheelchair, if there are no children or people with disabilities among the travellers. If there are, the number of special vehicles should be equal to the number of children or people with special needs.

- Two portable music centres, telephones, computers, watches, two e-books.

- Three thumb drives.

The penalties for violating customs regulations in Romania are.

- confiscation of prohibited items;

- fine (the amount depends on the severity of the offence);

- deportation and ban on entry to EU countries for 5 years (this sanction is applied as a last resort).

Rules of customs control in Moldova

What is prohibited to import into Moldova?

- meat and any meat products;

- tinned meat-based products (both homemade and store-bought);

- milk and dairy products;

- seeds and tree seedlings;

- undeclared weapons.

What is allowed to import to Moldova and in what quantity?

- items of personal use - clothes, footwear, perfumes, cosmetics, hygiene products and medicines;

- knitted (3 units per person) and textile clothes (3 units per person);

- long-life food (in small quantities and for own use only);

- jewellery (up to 5 items per person);

- other property with a value of up to €300.

Products containing tobacco - cigarettes made of tobacco and its substitutes - 200 pieces, any other up to 50 pieces.

Alcoholic beverages - wine up to 2 litres, beer up to 5 litres.

Rules for importing medicines to Moldova

Without prescription it is possible to transport medicines of not strong action, for example: painkillers, tablets against motion sickness or vitamins.

If you are being treated with prescription medicines, you need to bring with you: a copy of your medical card, a prescription for the medicine from your doctor, a receipt from the pharmacy (where you bought the medicine), a certificate (with the diagnosis, the amount of the medicine to be taken and the period of taking it at the time of the trip) certified by the stamp of the medical institution with the signature of your doctor and the head doctor.

What kind of equipment can be brought to Moldova?

- 1 camera or video camera;

- 2 mobile phones;

- 2 pairs of glasses;

- 3 watches;

Other things intended for own use, the value of which does not exceed the amount of 300 euros.

Punishment for violation of customs rules in Moldova

- confiscation of prohibited things

- fine (the amount depends on the severity of the offence);

- deportation and ban on entry to EU countries for 5 years (this sanction is applied as a last resort).

Also, planning to travel abroad with a pet take into account that to pass the control you need to have a certain list of certificates from a veterinarian. Read more at the link.

Before traveling to Ukraine by car, you should also ensure you have Green Card international insurance, which is mandatory for traveling abroad. The policy covers the driver’s liability in the event of a traffic accident in other countries and helps avoid significant expenses in unforeseen situations. You can quickly apply for a Green Card online through Visit Ukraine—it’s convenient, reliable, and takes just a few minutes🚗