bringing food into Spain

[Kiwi-family]

How rigorous are customs at Madrid airport? Will it be like Paris where they hardly even look at your passport, let alone check what's in your bag? Or will it be like NZ where you have to declare everything and possibly still not get it through? I am bringing a few dehydrated meals with me (homemade and not in vacuum sealed packs - just ziplock bags) Am I likely to lose them if they are not sealed????? (if so, I'll make more of an effort to find a vacuum sealing device, if not I won't bother)

 

[Anniesantiago]

How rigorous are customs at Madrid airport? Will it be like Paris where they hardly even look at your passport, let alone check what's in your bag? Or will it be like NZ where you have to declare everything and possibly still not get it through? I am bringing a few dehydrated meals with me (homemade and not in vacuum sealed packs - just ziplock bags) Am I likely to lose them if they are not sealed????? (if so, I'll make more of an effort to find a vacuum sealing device, if not I won't bother)

I've taken dehydrated food in without a problem.
Fresh fruit and veggies or anything liquid or gel might get you stopped, but I think dehydrated stuff should pass through?

 

[WanderingChristian]

Okay- I hope that i can find Gatorade Gel once I get to Spain

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have never been aware of customs going into Spain; just a passport check and luggage pickup. They may be there, but I have never met one face to face.

 

[jl]

I suspect that our German exchange student some years ago summed up entrance into most of Europe fairly accurately. His response to a query of would he be allowed to take it through was "why not? We have everything anyway!". I guess that is why we notice the difference in Aust & NZ. Returning to Aust I even declare my shell (which has been in and out of the country 4 times!), lest I be fined for not declaring shell fish products! Janet

 

[Kiwi-family]

Of all people I would least expect a German to say "why not?" (I have a number of German friends) They seem to have rules for everything - my husband even got reprimanded for moving a chair in an office once. The guy he was with explained apologetically to the official, "they move chairs where he comes from". None of our German friends are amused by that, even those who have been in NZ 15 years. Actually they reckon there are good reasons for their procedures, but if you want to see beauracracy, go to Spain! Hence my original question - which has been well answered thank you.

 

[NicoZ]

I doubt not seeing customs means much. I'll bet the international flight baggage gets a dog sniffing and maybe xrays.

Now I doubt the drug dog cares about trail mix .

 

[Packinglight]

I observed a fascinating scene a few years back in Vancouver--the cutest little sniffer beagle with handler at the baggage claim, who pointed clearly to a small child in its stroller. The handler gently asked the parents a few questions, and asked if they had any food in the carriage. They pulled out arrowroot cookies (common for teething kiddos) and the handler said that drug dogs regularly identify some component of arrowroot itself with a drug (despite my avid eavesdropping I missed hearing which drug it was!)

 

[Kiwi-family]

We won't be checking our packs through, so I'm feeling more confidant. So long as the beagles wandering randomly don't have a thing for curried chicken or lamb Provençal!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

No worries about the sniffers and inspectors in Spain. I brought my dog in from USA via Madrid Barajas, after an exhausting paper-chase. No one ever glanced at the papers, or the dog, or anybody.

 

[Kiwi-family]

No worries about the sniffers and inspectors in Spain. I brought my dog in from USA via Madrid Barajas, after an exhausting paper-chase. No one ever glanced at the papers, or the dog, or anybody.

So you ARE the DogLady, after all!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I resemble that remark!