clear customs

Meaning

To 'clear customs' means to successfully pass through the official government checkpoint at a national border or airport, where goods are declared and inspected. It implies completing the necessary paperwork, inspections, and paying any required duties so that you and your luggage are legally allowed into the country.

Examples

• It took us nearly two hours to clear customs after landing in London.

  It took us nearly two hours to clear customs after landing in London.

• Make sure you don't carry any restricted items if you want to clear customs quickly.

  Make sure you don't carry any restricted items if you want to clear customs quickly.

• Once we clear customs, we can head straight to the taxi stand outside the terminal.

  Once we clear customs, we can head straight to the taxi stand outside the terminal.

• The business traveler had to clear customs with his commercial samples before attending the conference.

  The business traveler had to clear customs with his commercial samples before attending the conference.

• She was relieved to finally clear customs and see her family waiting in the arrivals hall.

  She was relieved to finally clear customs and see her family waiting in the arrivals hall.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We had to pass customs before leaving the airport.

  ✓ We had to clear customs before leaving the airport.

  Although 'pass through customs' is acceptable, 'clear customs' is the precise, standard collocation used by native speakers and authorities.

• ✗ I cleared the custom after a very long wait.

  ✓ I cleared customs after a very long wait.

  The department and checkpoint is always plural: 'customs', not 'custom'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• We had to wait in a long queue to ___ at JFK airport.

  💡 Use the base form of the verb.

  Show answer

  clear customs

• If you have nothing to declare, it is much faster to ___.

  💡 Use the base form of the verb.

  Show answer

  clear customs