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Customs: money or value transferred to France from the foreigner
Verified 26 October 2023 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
Consists of mainland France (including Corsica), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, Reunion and Mayotte
French Polynesia, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Wallis Islands and Futuna
banknotes and coins, checks, traveler's checks, prepaid cards, gold coins and ingots
A written document of commerce by which a person designated as a shooter orders a debtor, called a "drawer", to pay a third person on a specified date
Recognition of debt issued and signed by a debtor committing to pay a certain amount at a given maturity
Financial investment, a security of a transferable security bearing interest which may be in the form of paper securities
Written document describing the right of a person to receive payment of a debt from another person, and the amount of the debt
Corresponds to all days of the week except the weekly day of rest (usually Sunday) and public holidays usually not worked in the company
All goods that may be transported within a territory.
A right for a person to demand something from another person, usually the payment of a sum of money. A term often used to refer to the amount owed.
A person obligated to another person to perform an obligation (which may be payment of a sum of money)
Additional cases ?
Do you know that you need to perform a statement at customs if you enter France with a sum equal to or greater than €10,000 ? This obligation concerns a physical transport d'cash. We explain the process to you.
What applies to you ?
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The rules differ depending on your area of provenance : a member country of the European Union (EU) or a country foreigner (i.e. outside the EU). They also differ depending on your destination : in France or in a overseas community.
EU to France
Reporting is mandatory if cash by an amount equal or greater to €10,000.
Agent transport must be physical, i.e. on you, in your luggage or in your means of transport during the journey.
You are concerned regardless of your nationality, your place of residence (in France or not) and the reason for the transport of money (personal or professional).
You must file the return even if you are the holder of the money for a third party (another person).
This obligation also applies to couples and families who share a community of their property (marriage, civil partnerships), when the total amount of money reaches €10,000.
Example :
Whether each person in a couple is carrying €5,000, each of them must make a statement. If one of them can prove that the sum transported belongs to him only and not to the couple, he does not make a declaration. The evidence may be, for example, the marriage contract or Civil partnerships if it provides for the separation of personal property.
Please note
Customs may require inspection for a sum lower to €10,000 if it suspects, after investigation, that the source of the money is criminal.
You have to declare the money if it is worth greater than or equal to €10,000.
These are the following financial elements:
- Cash (banknotes and coins)
- Traveler's checks
- Gold ingots, nuggets or other agglomerates containing at least 99,5 % gold
- Gold coins containing at least 90 % gold
- Plates, chips or casino tickets
- Non-domiciled commercial paper (bill of exchange, promissory notes)
- Mandates
- Electronic money (prepaid cards)
- Securities, funding certificates, cash vouchers anonymous and other debt securities
Please note
In the reporting forms and online service, you may encounter the expression negotiable instruments. These are checks, traveler's checks, and all types of securities (promissory notes, bills of exchange, cash receipts, debt securities).
You can make the statement:
- At the earliest 30 days before date of border crossing (online or by mail)
- No later than just before crossing the border on site directly at the customs office or online.
Warning
The time limit depends on the means by which you make the declaration. By mail, you must do it at minimum5 working days front border crossing; online declaration is possible at the earliest 30 days before and just before crossing.
You can file your return in 3 different ways:
- Online via the Dalia service
- By mail
- At the customs office when crossing the border
From €50,000 you must provide specific documents.
Please note
For the transfer of cash unaccompanied, by freight, post and parcel post or by business of post, more than €10,000, customs may ask you to complete a disclosure statement. You can consult the customs website for more information on the declaration of disclosure.
Between EUR 10 000 and EUR 49 000
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Online
You must use the online reporting service called Dalia.
By mail
You must send the following form to customs to minimum 5 working days front crossing the border.
Who shall I contact
On the spot
The following form must be completed and returned to customs the day the border is crossed.
From 50,000 euros
Provide a document proving the source of the money
If you are carrying a sum equal to or greater than €50,000, you must provide a document proving the provenance of that money.
If you do not provide it, your return is considered false and you may face a judicial penalty.
FYI
In the case of cash (coins or banknotes), the supporting document must be supplied to customs in the 6 months before the transport declaration and in the 2 years before for all other cases (checks, securities, money orders, gold, etc.).
The list of documents authorized is:
- Bank document proving a cash transaction, cash withdrawal or check issue (example: a bank card withdrawal ticket)
- Document proving a manual exchange operation, i.e. the exchange of banknotes or coins in different currencies by a trader engaged in foreign exchange activities
- Document proving a real estate sale, sale or transfer of security (examples: shares, bonds) or a gift, debt recognition or loan
- Contract or invoice
- One-Game Winning Credential
- Declaration on the honor of the owner, creditor or the debtor cash accompanied by a copy of his or her identity document
- Cash declaration made at the customs of a Member State of the European Union (to be provided within 5 days before transfer)
Make the declaration
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Online
You must use the online reporting service called Dalia.
By mail
You must send the following form to customs at minimum 5 working days before crossing the border.
Who shall I contact
On the spot
The following form must be completed and returned to customs when crossing the border.
The declaration shall be free, regardless of the means chosen to carry it out.
Failure to report or misrepresentation may result in:
- Fine equal to 50% the amount of the offense or attempted offense
- Confiscation of all money by customs
Money transported without a customs declaration shall be considered as a taxable income in France.
The tax authority may require a tax recall with payment of interest for late payment of 0.20% by month and an increase of 40%.
If you have to pay the fine equal to 50% of the amount of money concealed, the increase shall not be applied.
Foreigner to France
Reporting is mandatory if cash by an amount equal or greater to €10,000.
Agent transport must be physical, i.e. on you, in your luggage or in your means of transport during the journey.
You are concerned regardless of your nationality, your place of residence (in France or not) and the reason for the transport of money (personal or professional).
You must file the return even if you are the holder of the money for a third party (another person).
This obligation also applies to couples and families who share a community of their property (marriage, civil partnerships), when the total amount of money reaches €10,000.
Example :
Whether each person in a couple is carrying €5,000, each of them must make a statement. If one of them can prove that the sum transported belongs to him only and not to the couple, he does not make a declaration. The evidence may be, for example, the marriage contract or Civil partnerships if it provides for the separation of personal property.
Please note
Customs may require inspection for a sum lower to €10,000 if it suspects, after investigation, that the source of the money is criminal.
You have to declare the money if it is worth greater than or equal to €10,000.
These are the following financial elements:
- Cash (banknotes and coins)
- Gold (ingot or piece)
- Traveler's checks
- Plates, chips or casino tickets
- Promissory notes
- Non-domiciled commercial paper
- Anonymous Cash Vouchers
- Mandates
- Securities, funding certificates and other debt securities
Warning
for the transfer of cash by freight or postal mail of more than €10,000, customs may ask you to complete a disclosure statement. Customs provides it. You must return it within 30 days.
Who shall I contact
Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes (DGDDI) - Fight against fraud
By mail
Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes
Office JCF3 - Fight against fraud
11 rue des deux communes
93558 Montreuil cedex
By email
dg-jcf3@douane.finances.gouv.fr
You can make the statement:
- At the earliest 30 days before date of border crossing (online or by mail)
- No later than just before crossing the border on site directly at the customs office or online.
Warning
The time limit depends on the means by which you make the declaration. By mail, you must do it at least 5 working days front border crossing; online declaration is possible at the earliest 30 days before and just before crossing.
Be it to do the statement of your money, or to respond to a request from disclosure coming from customs, the process is done in the same way.
Please note
For the transfer of cash unaccompanied, by freight, post and parcel post or by business of post, more than €10,000, customs may ask you to complete a disclosure statement. You can consult the customs website for more information on the declaration of disclosure.
You can file your return in 3 different ways:
- Online via the Dalia service
- By mail
- At the customs office when crossing the border
From €50,000 you must provide specific documents.
Between EUR 10 000 and EUR 49 000
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Online
You must use the online reporting service called Dalia.
By mail
You must send the following form to customs at minimum 5 working days before crossing the border.
Who shall I contact
On the spot
The following form must be completed and returned to customs the day the border is crossed.
From 50,000 euros
Provide a document proving the source of the money
If you are carrying a sum equal to or greater than €50,000, you must provide a document proving the provenance of that money.
If you do not provide it, your return is considered false and you may face a judicial penalty.
FYI
In the case of cash (coins or banknotes), the supporting document must be supplied to customs in the 6 months before the transport declaration and in the 2 years before for all other cases (checks, securities, money orders, gold, etc.).
The list of documents authorized is:
- Bank document proving a cash transaction, cash withdrawal or check issue (example: a bank card withdrawal ticket)
- Document proving a manual exchange operation, i.e. the exchange of banknotes or coins in different currencies by a trader engaged in foreign exchange activities
- Document proving a real estate sale, sale or transfer of security (examples: shares, bonds) or a gift, debt recognition or loan
- Contract or invoice
- One-Game Winning Credential
- Declaration on the honor of the owner, creditor or the debtor cash accompanied by a copy of his or her identity document
- Cash declaration made at the customs of a Member State of the European Union (to be provided within 5 days before transfer)
Make the declaration
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Online
You must use the online reporting service called Dalia.
By mail
You must send the following form to customs at minimum 5 working days front crossing the border.
Who shall I contact
On the spot
The following form must be completed and returned to customs when crossing the border.
The declaration shall be free, regardless of the means chosen to carry it out.
Failure to report or misrepresentation may result in:
- Fine equal to 50% the amount of the offense or attempted offense
- Confiscation of all money by customs
Money transported without a customs declaration shall be considered as a taxable income in France.
The tax authority may require a tax recall with payment of interest for late payment of 0.20% by month and an increase of 40%.
If you have to pay the fine equal to 50% of the amount of money concealed, the increase shall not be applied.
Foreigner to Overseas
Reporting is mandatory if cash by an amount equal or greater to €10,000.
Agent transport must be physical, i.e. on you, in your luggage or in your means of transport during the journey.
You are concerned regardless of your nationality, your place of residence (in France or not) and the reason for the transport of money (personal or professional).
You must file the return even if you are the holder of the money for a third party (another person).
This obligation also applies to couples and families who share a community of their property (marriage, civil partnerships), when the total amount of money reaches €10,000.
Example :
Whether each person in a couple is carrying €5,000, each of them must make a statement. If one of them can prove that the sum transported belongs to him only and not to the couple, he does not make a declaration. The evidence may be, for example, the marriage contract or Civil partnerships if it provides for the separation of personal property.
Please note
Customs may require inspection for a sum lower to €10,000 if it suspects, after investigation, that the source of the money is criminal.
You have to declare the money if it is worth greater than or equal to €10,000.
These are the following financial elements:
- Cash (banknotes and coins)
- Traveler's checks
- Gold ingots, nuggets or other agglomerates containing at least 99,5 % gold
- Gold coins containing at least 90 % gold
- Plates, chips or casino tickets
- Non-domiciled commercial paper (bill of exchange, promissory notes)
- Mandates
- Electronic money (prepaid cards)
- Securities, funding certificates, cash vouchers anonymous and other debt securities
Please note
In the reporting forms and online service, you may encounter the expression negotiable instruments. These are checks, traveler's checks, and all types of securities (promissory notes, bills of exchange, cash receipts, debt securities).
You can make the statement:
- At the earliest 30 days before date of border crossing (online or by mail)
- No later than just before crossing the border on site directly at the customs office or online.
Warning
The time limit depends on the means by which you make the declaration. By mail, you must do it at least 5 working days before crossing the border; online declaration is possible at the earliest 30 days before and just before crossing the border.
Be it to do the statement of your money, or to respond to a request from disclosure coming from customs, the process is done in the same way.
Please note
For the transfer of cash unaccompanied, by freight, post and parcel post or by business of post, more than €10,000, customs may ask you to complete a disclosure statement. You can consult the customs website for more information on the declaration of disclosure.
You can file your return in 3 different ways:
- Online via the Dalia service
- By mail
- At the customs office when crossing the border
From €50,000 you must provide specific documents.
Between EUR 10 000 and EUR 49 000
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Online
You must use the online reporting service called Dalia.
By mail
You must send the following form to customs at minimum 5 working days before crossing the border.
Statement of cash transportation between overseas communities and the foreigner
Who shall I contact
On the spot
The following form must be completed and returned to customs the day on which the border is crossed.
Statement of cash transportation between overseas communities and the foreigner
From 50,000 euros
Provide a document proving the source of the money
If you are carrying a sum equal to or greater than €50,000, you must provide a document proving the provenance of that money.
If you do not provide it, your return is considered false and you may face a judicial penalty.
FYI
In the case of cash (coins or banknotes), the supporting document must be supplied to customs in the 6 months before the transport declaration and in the 2 years before for all other cases (checks, securities, money orders, gold, etc.).
The list of documents authorized is:
- Bank document proving a cash transaction, cash withdrawal or check issue (example: a bank card withdrawal ticket)
- Document proving a manual exchange operation, i.e. the exchange of banknotes or coins in different currencies by a trader engaged in foreign exchange activities
- Document proving a real estate sale, sale or transfer of security (examples: shares, bonds) or a gift, debt recognition or loan
- Contract or invoice
- One-Game Winning Credential
- Declaration on the honor of the owner, creditor or the debtor cash accompanied by a copy of his or her identity document
- Cash declaration made at the customs of a Member State of the European Union (to be provided within 5 days before transfer)
Make the declaration
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Online
You must use the online reporting service called Dalia.
By mail
You must send the following form to customs at minimum 5 working days before crossing the border.
Who shall I contact
On the spot
The following form must be completed and returned to customs when crossing the border.
The declaration shall be free, regardless of the means chosen to carry it out.
Failure to report or misrepresentation may result in:
- Fine equal to 50% the amount of the offense or attempted offense
- Confiscation of all money by customs
Money transported without a customs declaration shall be considered as a taxable income in France.
The tax authority may require a tax recall with payment of interest for late payment of 0.20% by month and an increase of 40%.
If you have to pay the fine equal to 50% of the amount of money concealed, the increase shall not be applied.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
For more information
Customs Service Info
To obtain customs information concerning export, import, customs forms, transport and border crossing, exemptions...
By telephone
0 800 94 40 40
Open from Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6pm
Toll-free number, local call price
Outside metropolis or from the foreigner, dial +33 1 72 40 78 50
By E-mail
Access to contact form
To send your return by mail
Customs services in France and EuropeTo send the disclosure statement
Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes (DGDDI)
By mail
Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes
FID2 Office - Transport and European Taxation
11 rue des deux communes
93558 Montreuil cedex
By email
dg-fid2@douane.finances.gouv.fr
Reporting obligations and penalties for non-declaration or false declaration
Transfers of sums, securities or securities
See Section II: Undeclared transferred amounts are taxable income
Money in community of interest (couple)
Online service
European Commission
Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes
Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes