Duty free allowance cigars in Europe

Recently we got confronted with the wild range of different rules and regulations for cigars while traveling internationally. Most countries in the world have an allowance to bring in cigars for personal consumption. It ranges from no allowance at all, to a no limit as long as the boxes are open and it’s for personal consumption. Some countries measure by numbers, others by weight, some in grams in the metric system, others by pounds in the imperial system.

Now even though there are limits to the duty-free allowance, it doesn’t mean you can’t bring in cigars at all. Just declare them, and after paying tax, you can bring in the cigars anyway. Our advice is to play by the rules. Don’t be a dumbass and risk a fine, or even be arrested and trialed for smuggling. It’s not worth your time, or your reputation.

In a series of articles, we dive into the allowances per country, categorized by continent. Starting off with Europe.

We expected that the countries within the European Union would have the same rules and regulations. Yet not even that is the case, Finland has other rules than other EU countries. And then there is the European Economic Area, that allows the Non-EU members Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway access to the European single market, yet that doesn’t mean they implemented the same allowance as most EU countries. Plus there is Switzerland, not a member of the EU or the EEA yet they have the same allowance as the EU countries. So as you see, it’s pretty hard as a traveler to know what you can bring in duty-free.

To complicate things even more, for the EU countries, except Finland, there’s a difference in allowance when you travel within the EU, from one EU country to another EU country or when you travel from a not EU country to an EU country.

And then there is the difference between cigars and cigarillos. Some countries specify that on their duty-free regulations. Small cigars that weigh less than 3 grams each are considered cigarillos.

Now note: all these numbers are the allowance when you bring in cigars personally. The rules and regulations on postal shipments are different.

 Albania

Albania is not a member of the EU. Albania allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos to be brought in without duty paid.

Andorra

Andorra is not a member of the EU. Andorra allows visitors to bring in 75 cigars or 150 cigarillos to be brought in without duty paid

Armenia

Armenia is not a member of the EU. Armenia allows visitors to bring in 10 cigars or 400 cigarillos to be brought in without duty paid

Austria

Austria is a member of the EU. Austria allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is not a member of the EU, geographically it’s not even located in Europe but since it’s a member of the Council of Europe we decided to include it on the European list. Azerbaijan is one of the countries that doesn’t measure in numbers when it comes to duty-free allowance but in weight. Visitors have a duty free allowance of 1000 grams of cigars. 

Belarus

Belarus is not a member of the EU. Just like Azerbaijan Belarus doesn’t measure in numbers of cigars but per weight. The duty-free allowance is 250 grams of cigars.

Belgium

Belgium is a member of the EU. Belgium allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Bosnia & Herzegovina is not a member of the EU. The country has no clear number on cigars you can bring in, it’s 250 gram of cigars or 100 cigarillos, which are measured in numbers to make it more confusing.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a member of the EU. Bulgaria allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are a territory of Spain and Spain is a member of the EU. Yet the quadruple allowance from traveling from another EU member country does not apply here. On the Canary Island, the duty-free allowance is 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos no matter what country you fly in from. All EU members exclude the Canary Islands from the quadruple allowance too.

Croatia

Croatia is a member of the EU. Croatia allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Cyprus

Cyprus is a member of the EU. Cyprus allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Czech Republic

Czech Republic is a member of the EU. The Czech Republic allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Denmark

Denmark is a member of the EU. Denmark allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Estonia

Estonia is a member of the EU. Estonia allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Finland

Finland is a member of the EU. Yet Finland does not have the same allowance for traveling within the EU as the rest of the EU members. Finland allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid, either from within the EU or without the EU.

France

France is a member of the EU. France allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, or from the French overseas territories Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique and Reunion, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Georgia

Georgia is not a member of the EU, geographically it’s not even located in Europe but since it’s a member of the Council of Europe we decided to include it on the European list. The country allowance for cigars is set at 50, both for premium cigars and cigarillos.

Germany

Germany is a member of the EU. Germany allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a territory of the U.K, located at the south of Spain, overseeing the entry of the Mediterranean Sea. The territory doesn’t have the extra allowance for EU Members, visitors can bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos.

Greece

Greece is a member of the EU. Greece allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Hungary

Hungary is a member of the EU. Hungary allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands et. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Iceland

Iceland is not a member of the EU. 250 grams of cigars can be brought in without duty paid.

Ireland

Ireland is a member of the EU. Ireland allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc). When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Italy

Italy is a member of the EU. Italy allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is not a member of the EU. Visitors are allowed to bring in 50 cigars or 200 grams of cigarillos into the country before duty has to be paid.

Kosovo

Kosovo is not a member of the EU. The allowance for cigars is 50 pieces or 100 cigarillos.

Latvia

Latvia is a member of the EU. Latvia allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein is not a member of the EU. The allowance for cigars is 50 pieces or 250 grams for cigarillos.

Lithuania

Lithuania is a member of the EU. Lithuania allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg is a member of the EU. Luxembourg allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Macedonia

Macedonia is not a member of the EU. The allowance is 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos.

Malta

Malta is a member of the EU. Malta allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Moldova

Moldova is not a member of the EU. The allowance for cigars is 50 pieces or 50 cigarillos.

Monaco

Monaco is not a member of the EU. The country has the same duty free regulations as France though and that allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc). When traveling from another EU member country, or from the French overseas territories Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique and Reunion, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Montenegro

Montenegro is not a member of the EU. The allowance for cigars is 50 pieces or 100 cigarillos.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands is a member of the EU. The Netherlands allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Norway

Norway is not a member of the EU, although they have access to the European single market through the EEA treaty. Norway hasn’t adopted the EU duty-free regulations on tobacco, only 250 grams of cigars or cigarillos can be brought in for personal use without duties paid.

Poland

Poland is a member of the EU. Poland allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Portugal

Portugal is a member of the EU. Portugal allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Romania

Romania is a member of the EU. Romania allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Russia

Russia is not a member of the EU. Geographically Russia is mostly Asian, yet the richest part of the biggest country in the world is the western part. That part is located in Europe, therefore we placed Russia under Europe in our chart. The allowance is 100 cigars or 200 cigarillos.

San Marino

San Marino is not a member of the EU. San Marino copied the EU duty-free regulations though. That allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc). When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Serbia

Serbia is not a member of the EU. The allowance for cigars is 50 pieces or 100 cigarillos.

Slovakia

Slovakia is a member of the EU. Slovakia allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Slovenia

Slovenia is a member of the EU. Slovenia allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Spain

Spain is a member of the EU. Spain allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Sweden

Sweden is a member of the EU. Sweden allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc. When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Switzerland

Switzerland is not a member of the EU. The allowance for cigars is 50 pieces or 250 grams of cigarillos.

Ukraine

Ukraine is not a member of the EU. The allowance for cigars is 50 pieces or 250 grams of cigarillos.

United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland & Wales)

The U.K is still a member of the EU, even though the Brexit negotiations have started. The U.K. allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc). When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos. That extra allowance for traveling within the EU is subject to be changed since the U.K. will leave the EU. We will update the article as soon as the results of the Brexit negotiations are in.

Vatican City

Vatican City is not a member of the EU, yet they have an extra allowance when you travel from within an EU member country. Vatican City allows visitors to bring in 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos without duty paid when traveling from a non-EU member state, including the territories like the Canary Island, Channel Islands etc). When traveling from another EU member country, visitors are allowed to bring in four times that amount, adding up to 200 cigars or 400 cigarillos.

Next week we travel to Asia to see the duty-free allowances in that part of the world.