Air / sea
€430General value allowance for other non-commercial goods.
200 cigarettesor equivalent tobacco allowance
Poland · Border & customs
What Can I Bring Into Poland from the USA or Great Britain?
Food, alcohol, cigarettes and shopping have different rules — and arriving by plane is not always treated the same as arriving by land.
Checked 17 August 2026
SHORT ANSWER
If you arrive from the USA, Great Britain or another non-EU country, you are entering the EU customs territory.
Food, alcohol, tobacco and other goods have different rules. Air/sea and land travel also have different allowances for some categories.
Land
€300General value allowance for other non-commercial goods.
40 cigarettesor equivalent tobacco allowance
Alcohol has its own separate quantitative allowance, so its value is not simply squeezed into the €300/€430 general-goods allowance.
USA / GREAT BRITAIN / NON-EU CHEAT SHEET
What changes at the border?
Meat & dairy
Generally prohibitedDo not pack ordinary meat or dairy products from most non-EU countries.
Food guide →Alcohol
1 L spirits / 2 L lower-strengthPlus 4 L still wine and 16 L beer. Age 17+.
Alcohol guide →Tobacco
Plane/sea: 200 cigarettesLand: only 40 cigarettes, or corresponding alternative tobacco quantities.
Other goods
€430 air/sea · €300 landFor non-commercial goods in personal luggage, subject to exclusions and separate category rules.
Where do I actually pass customs?
🇺🇸 New York → WarsawWarsaw is your EU entry point.
🇬🇧 London → WarsawWarsaw is your EU entry point on a direct flight.
🇬🇧 Great Britain → France → Germany → Poland by carYou enter the EU customs territory at the first EU border, before Poland.
🇺🇦 Ukraine → Poland by carYou enter the EU at the Polish land border, so the land-travel rules matter directly there.
What about Northern Ireland? Goods moving between Northern Ireland and EU Member States can be subject to special arrangements that differ from Great Britain. If your food or alcohol is coming specifically from Northern Ireland, check the current official EU guidance rather than assuming the Great Britain rules apply.
Customs rules and passport/Schengen border control are related to the same trip, but they are not the same thing.
This guide is about goods in your luggage. Entry documents, visas and the EU Entry/Exit System are separate questions.
FAQ
Entering Poland from outside the EU
Is the duty-free allowance the same by plane and car?
No. For general non-commercial goods it is €430 by air/sea and €300 by land. Tobacco allowances are also lower by land. The standard alcohol quantities are the same.
If I drive from Great Britain to Poland, where do I go through EU customs?
You enter the EU customs territory at the first EU entry point on your route, rather than waiting until Poland.
Are the USA and UK treated as non-EU for these rules?
Yes. Travellers arriving from the USA or Great Britain enter from outside the EU for customs and food-import purposes.