How Much “Duty-Free” Can You Bring into Samoa?
What’s a holiday without a few drinks? Many of us try to get a bargain by purchasing our favourite drinks or tobacco from duty-free stores in the airports on the way to Samoa or even from the duty-free store when landing on the islands. Be aware, however, that Samoa has a limit to how much duty-free goods can be brought into the country, including allowances on alcohol and tobacco. In this guide, we’ll go through the duty-free allowances for Samoa.
How to Declare Your Duty-Free Goods When Arriving in Samoa
So, we’ve established there are allowances for the number of duty-free goods you can bring into Samoa, but how do they check?
First, you will be asked to declare any duty-free goods that exceed the limit as stated on your Samoa Passenger Arrival Card, which you receive on your flight or cruise into Samoa. You may then be asked by an Immigration/Customs Officer on arrival how much alcohol or tobacco products you have with you. Finally, your luggage will be x-rayed when going through Biosecurity.
Note that you only need to declare the duty-free goods that you are bringing into Samoa if they exceed the allowance (see below for the Samoa duty-free allowances). If you are unsure, it’s best to declare them anyway; if it turns out that your duty-free items are not above the allowance, then you’ll be allowed to keep them without paying duty. Not declaring your goods that exceed the allowance could result in a fine or seizure of goods.
Find out more about what else you need to declare in What to Declare When Arriving in Samoa.
![The Duty-Free Allowances for Samoa 🍾 [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzAxOjMzMw==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODQiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4NCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
© SamoaPocketGuide.comDuty-Free Allowances for Samoa
Each passenger arriving in Samoa is entitled to a certain amount of duty-free goods. Here is a quick breakdown of allowances for duty-free goods each passenger can bring into Samoa.
Samoa Duty-Free Allowance for Alcohol
Each passenger aged 21 and over can bring the following quantities of duty-free alcoholic beverages into Samoa:
- Any type of alcohol (including but not limited to wine and spirits) not exceeding 2.25 litres (76 oz).
Note that a mixture of alcoholic beverages is allowed, as long as the total quantity doesn’t exceed 2.25 litres (76 oz).
Samoa Duty-Free Allowance for Tobacco and Cigarettes
Each passenger aged 21 and over can bring the following quantities of duty-free tobacco or cigarettes into Samoa:
- Cigarette sticks not exceeding 200 (the equivalent of one brick/carton), or
- Tobacco not exceeding 250 grams (8.8 oz).
Other Duty-Free Allowances
Each passenger may also bring other dutiable goods purchased from overseas into Samoa, such as gifts, souvenirs, electronic equipment, jewellery, watches and sporting equipment, as long as the combined value of the goods does not exceed ST$500. The goods must be with you and intended for personal use. This does not include alcohol and tobacco which have their own allowances (see above).
![The Duty-Free Allowances for Samoa 🍾 [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzE5OjMyOA==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODQiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4NCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
© SamoaPocketGuide.comDuty-Free Shopping in Samoa
Although there’s the opportunity for shopping at both the arrivals area and the departure area of Faleolo International Airport, note that these shops aren’t necessarily “duty-free”.
At the time of writing, Samoa’s only duty-free store, Farmer Joe’s Duty-Free, was closed. This page will be updated when more duty-free shopping becomes available.
![The Duty-Free Allowances for Samoa 🍾 [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzI0OjM0MA==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODMiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4MyIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
© SamoaPocketGuide.comFrequently Asked Questions About the Duty-Free Allowances in Samoa
What are the questions that travellers ask about duty-free allowances in Samoa? These answers might help answer yours!
How Many Cigarettes Can You Take into Samoa?
You can take up to 200 cigarettes into Samoa, as per the duty-free allowance for tobacco in Samoa.
How Many Bottles of Wine Can I Take to Samoa?
Considering a standard bottle of wine is 750ml (25oz), you can safely take two bottles of wine to Samoa. The duty-free allowance for wine is 2.25 litres (76 oz).
More About Duty-Free Allowances for Samoa
That’s it for our complete guide to the duty-free allowances for Samoa. Find out more about what you can and cannot bring to Samoa in the following guides:
- Arriving in Samoa: Airport Customs, Biosecurity & the Arrival Process
- What to Declare When Arriving in Samoa
- Taking Food to Samoa: What You Need to Know
Finally, make your arrival into Samoa a seamless one with our Arriving at Faleolo Airport, Samoa: A Step-by-Step Guide.
![10 Best (& Reef-Safe) Sunscreens for Samoa 🧴 [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=OTY5OjMxMw==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTYwMCAxMDY4IiB3aWR0aD0iMTYwMCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDY4IiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg== "10 Best (& Reef-Safe) Sunscreens for Samoa 🧴 [2023]")
![50 BEST Things to Do on Savai'i ☀️ [2023]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=MTAyMzoyNjI=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTIwMCA5MDAiIHdpZHRoPSIxMjAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjkwMCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "50 BEST Things to Do on Savai’i ☀️ [2023]")