On arrival and once you are through Immigration Control, you should go to the Luggage Reclaim Area. At each luggage carousel there is an electronic sign displaying the flight number and name of the airport of departure for the luggage being unloaded there.

The BLUE CHANNEL is for travellers arriving from another EU country (i.e. those who have arrived from an airport within the European Union) where you have already cleared all your luggage through Customs. When you enter the UK from another EU country, no further taxes or duties apply to your goods, but you should ensure that you have proof that duty has been paid.

The GREEN CHANNEL is for travellers arriving from outside the EU who are not declaring any goods for customs' duty. Customs officials may still stop you and ask you to open your luggage for inspection or they may allow you to pass straight through.

The RED CHANNEL is for travellers from outside the EU who have goods to declare. You have goods to declare if you are carrying more duty-free or tax-free goods than you are allowed to bring, or if you are carrying any prohibited goods. If you are unsure about what you can bring into the UK, you should check with the local British Embassy or High Commission before you begin your journey to the UK. There are also instructions posted at the entrance to Customs Control and on the website Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

When you go through the Red Channel, a customs official will ask you what you have to declare. He or she will probably also ask you to open your luggage so he or she can see what you are bringing into the UK. You won't be allowed to bring any prohibited goods. If you are carrying more duty-free goods than you are allowed, you will be able to bring them in, but you will have to pay "duty" on them before you can proceed — in most cases this would be standard VAT at 17.5% but it may be more. So if you choose to bring in more goods than your duty free allowance, do make sure you have a credit card or enough extra cash with you to pay the duty.

As a student you are permitted to bring into the UK, free of duty or tax, articles for use in your studies (including computers), clothing and household linen, and household effects for furnishing your room. If you are bringing a computer or other expensive item, you should declare it; if you fail to do so, duty may be charged. If you are not sure whether or not you have anything to declare, go through the RED CHANNEL. You may have to open your luggage for inspection — Customs Officers do random checks. Be prepared for a long wait.

Under European Union regulations, persons arriving in the EU must declare their belongings and pay any duty or tax at the first port of arrival. Students travelling to the UK via another EU airport may find they have to pay duty on belongings, particularly personal computers, as import regulations may differ between member states of the EU. Any duty paid may subsequently be claimed back. Do not agree to carry anyone else's luggage through Customs. Immigration procedures for non-EU nationals at Heathrow can sometimes take up to two hours.

What kind of travellers should go through the Blue Channel when passing through Customs Control in EU countries?
What kind of travellers should go through the Green Channel when passing through Customs Control in EU countries?
What kind of travellers should go through the Red Channel when passing through Customs Control in EU countries?