Do gifts need to be declared at customs?
Usually yes. A gift is still goods entering the country. It may fall within an allowance, but you generally still have to declare it.
Usually yes. Customs cares about what is crossing the border, not why. A present for your aunt is goods like anything else. It may fall inside a duty-free allowance, but that is for the officer to confirm, not for you to assume.
For travellers
- Count gifts you are carrying toward your personal allowance
- Keep receipts so you can show what you paid
- Remove price tags only if you can still prove the value
For parcels
Many countries have a separate, often lower, threshold for gifts sent by post between private people. Marking a parcel as a gift when it is really a sale is a common mistake and can lead to penalties. Choose the category that is true.
Items that change the answer
Food, plants, alcohol, tobacco, medicines and anything made from animals often have their own rules regardless of value. Some are banned outright in certain countries.
See what to declare. General information only, not legal advice. Rules differ by country and change, so the customs authority of the country you are entering always has the final word.