What can you not bring into Greece
Greece is a country that has a rich historical and cultural background and specific regulations about the items that are prohibited or restricted for importation. For this reason, it is very important to understand these regulations so as not to be caught on the wrong side of the law or inconvenience yourself in the process. Below is a comprehensive guide to what cannot be brought into Greece.
Prohibited Items
From what has been provided, Greece has a list of prohibited items whereby importing them into the country is completely banned. These include:
Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances
- Greek territory does not allow any drugs to be imported there.
Pornographic Material
- The thing is that pornography is forbidden from being transmitted through other media including inserting advertisements during religious ceremonies.
Religious Materials Offensive to Islam
- Religious materials offensive to Muslims are not allowed in Greece.
Live Pigs and Pork Products
- It is illegal to bring live pigs or products made from pork into Greece.
Idols for Worship
- In case you try bringing idols for worship into Greece they will be confiscated.
Dogs and Dangerous Animals
- You cannot bring dogs within Greek borders except with a special permit when they are dangerous ones.
Telecommunication Equipment
- However, communication equipment must first be approved by the communications authority of Greece before use.
Read also Medications not allowed in Greece and How much is a trip to Greece for a week
| Prohibited Items for Import into Greece |
|---|
| Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances |
| Pornographic Material |
| Religious Materials Offensive to Islam |
| Live Pigs and Pork Products |
| Idols for Worship |
| Dogs and Dangerous Animals (without Special Permit) |
| Telecommunication Equipment (without Approval) |
| Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages Exceeding 22% ABV (1 liter limit) |
| Guns |
| Drugs |
| Explosives |
| Live Plants |
| Stuffed Animals |
| Animal Skins |
| Ivory |
| Tobacco |
| Items of Historical Significance (Older than 100 Years) |
| Restricted Items for Import into Greece |
|---|
| Liquor and Alcoholic Beverages (Require Permit) |
| Pork and Pork Derivative Products (Require Permit) |
| Chemical and Chemical Products (Require Permit) |
| Pets (Require Health Certificate) |
| Firearms, Weapons, Explosives, and Ammunition (Require Permit) |
Restricted Items
Apart from banned products, there are also restricted goods that require special licensing or permits before you can import them into Greece:
Liquor and Alcoholic Beverages
While wines and spirits should be authorized by the Minister of Economic Development in black and white terms (Facts about Importing Alcohol in Europe), beer doesn’t need one because its content does not exceed 8% (Import Procedures).
Pork and Pork Derivative Products
According to the statement, you must obtain permission from the ministry for economic development” (Import Procedures 2006). This means that your pork must only come from European Union states that belong to the same meat export agreement as Greece.
Chemical and Chemical Products
The Ministry of Defence and National Security is the government organ where manufacturers should go to get licenses for all chemical substances, medications, or drugs used in the industry (Sharma 103).
Pets
Before your pets can be accepted into Greece, they must have health certificates from any accredited veterinary officer confirming that they are not infected by communicable diseases.
Firearms, Weapons, Explosives, and Ammunition
For instance, firearms, weapons, ammunition, and explosives need a permit from the Ministry of Defence National Security (Import Procedures).
Customs Regulations and Declarations
When travelers are entering Greece, they should declare any restricted or prohibited items to customs officials. According to Nuri Bey 2006; Custom regulations require that a passenger must declare within 48 hours upon arrival at Greek customs if there is any cash greater than €10.000 irrespective of whether it will be carried on board or it will be sent later on (Import Procedures).
Conclusion
Knowing what you are not allowed to bring into Greece can ensure that your visit there is smooth without trouble. Hence, it is important to respect the country’s regulations so as not to find oneself on the wrong side of the law while enjoying a stay in Greece.
Popular questions
What food can i take to Greece from UK?
Based on the information you have in the search results, here is a summary of what you can and cannot bring as food items from the UK into Greece:
Allowed:
- Sour Patch Kids, beef jerky, and other such sealed non-perishable snacks. These types of stable shelf-stable commercially packaged are usually allowed to be carried to Greece from the UK with no problem.
Prohibited/Restricted:
- Fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and dairy products among other perishable foodstuffs. Such fresh unprocessed foodstuffs are normally not allowed or have restrictions for bringing them in Greece.
- Some things like olive oil or honey and other agricultural products may need some special permissions or certificates
Key things to remember include:
- For snacks that are commercially packed and do not perish generally, they can be brought.
- Fruits vegetables meat etc. should not be brought when they are still fresh.
- Check if there are any special requirements concerning such items as honey olive oil etc.
- Once you arrive at Greece declare all those foods that you will come with at customs.
So in short, this means that sour patch kids and beef jerky will get through but fresh produce including meats cannot accompany one while traveling from the UK to Greece. Before your journey always check first for new regulations.
How long does it take to get through customs in Athens Greece?
According to the given sources, it takes different lengths of time to go through customs in Athens, Greece depending on factors like the speed of the whole process, the number of passengers, and length of the queue. Different travelers mentioned that clearing customs can take even one minute without a line while others advised more time, especially during peak hours.
In general, it is recommended that you give yourself enough time for customs clearance particularly if you have onward flights or other travelling arrangements soon on arrival. When planning travel, one should anticipate possible delays and allocate plenty of time where necessary at border controls.
Henceforth, excepting unusual circumstances upon your arrival; how long passing immigration in Athens may vary from a few minutes to potentially considerably longer than this. An ideal strategy would be to remain prepared and allow for some extra moments traversing security checks at the airport.
How to get a prescription in Greece
From the search results provided, the following is how one can get a prescription in Greece:
- Get registered with the local doctor in Greece: You should sign up with a local doctor immediately after you arrive in Greece. This is because most of the doctors in Greece speak some English since they were trained abroad. The new doctor will evaluate your medical needs and give a prescription.
- Acquire an e-prescription: Your Greek doctor may give you an e-prescription for your medication. But e-prescriptions must be dispensed within 30 days or as specified on the prescription itself.
- Buy medicines at the pharmacy: Provided you have your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) and the e-prescription has been stamped and signed, you can buy medication from any pharmacy across Greece. Usually, prescribed medicine costs have 25% co-payment in most cases.
- Bring along necessary documents – If you are moving to Greece from another EU country, before leaving, you could ask your doctor for an EU ‘cross-border’ prescription. – Clearly indicate this drug’s name and its generic name by the physician. In addition, let it be translated into Greek before reaching Greece. It should be noted that if you are taking it to Greece with you then it should stay in its original packaging which shows its name and dosage clearly marked thereon.
- Declare medicine through customs: You will be required to pass through customs via the red channel at the arrival airport of Athens carrying your medications together with their supporting documentation especially prescriptions among others.
