The Government Information Center

Ministry of Finance
Sri Lanka Customs Department

Clearance of Un-accompanied Baggage(UPB)

• Customs bonded baggage warehouses are situated in Colombo, Paliyagoda, Wattala, Kandy, Galle, Kurunegala, Addalachchena, etc to clear your un-accompanied baggage you sent before your departure from the foreign country.
• When the sender and receiver is the same person they will be considered as un-accompanied personal baggage(UPB) and may be cleared under the duty free allowances. Otherwise they may be treated as gifts and duty will be charged.
• Goods for the private use except goods in commercial quantities are allowed under the duty free allowances. List of permissible articles is available at https://www.customs.gov.lk/news/PB.pdf
• You are required to be present with your passport at the respective UPB warehouse for the clearance of baggage. You may authorize someone in writing to clear the baggage in your absence. In such case you need to send your passport with the assignee.
• If you want to leave the country prior to the clearance of your UPB baggage, you need to authorize someone to that effect on a "Power of Attorney"� before your departure. You need to forward the power of attorney to the duty officer of the Customs at the departure terminal� of the Air Port. The officer will endorse the available allowance in the Power of Attorney and you need to hand it over to the person authorized by you. Once the baggage is available for clearance, your authorized person can present himself with the Power of Attorney and claim the baggage.The power of Attorney should be registered in the Registrar General's Department of Sri Lanka  or any branch office prior to submit the same to the Airport Duty Officer.
• Items not listed under the baggage article list may require special permission from different government authorities. such as
• � - Import & Export Control Department (Import Control License)
  � - Sri Lanka Standard Institute(SLSI)
  � - Telecommunication Regulatory Commission(TRC)
  � - Cosmetics Devices and Drugs Authority(CDDA)
  � - Ministry of Defence(MoD)
  � - Food Department
  � - Plant/Animal Quarantine Services, etc.