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205 VISITOR INFORMATION
Formalities
To enter the country, visitors must have a valid
passport or proof of sufficient funds to sustain
themselves during their stay in Brunei. Travellers
of all nationalities (excluding Israeli passport
holders) may obtain a 72-hour transit visa upon
arrival.
Other visitors needing to stay in Brunei for
a short (Short/Social Visit Visa) or extended
(Professional Visa or Business Visit Visa) period
must obtain a visa (if applicable) from the Brunei
Darussalam diplomatic missions abroad.
For further information regarding visa and entry
procedures, please visit .
Customs
Visitors aged 17 and above are allowed to carry the
following items no more than the stated amount:
• Perfume: 60 millilitres
• Aromatic Water: 250 millilitres
Alcoholic Beverages
Visitors who are non-Muslim and aged 17
and above are allowed to carry the following
beverages for personal consumption:
• 2 bottles of alcoholic beverages (liquor)
• 12 cans of beer
It is compulsory for owners to declare imported
drinks (liquor) to Customs officers on duty at the
points where drinks are imported.
Cigarette and Tobacco
Under the Customs Import Duties (Amendment)
Order 2010 and Excise Duties (Amendment)
Order 2010, cigarette/tobacco was excluded
from Passenger’s Concession (Personal Effect).
The new lawwas effective as of November 1, 2010.
Owners are required to declare any cigarette
brought into the country, with duty to be paid set
at BND0.25 per stick. This is equivalent to BND5
per pack of 20 sticks of cigarettes, and BND50
for one carton of 10 packs.
Smoking
Brunei imposed new laws pertaining to public
smoking on March 1, 2012. Smoking is restricted
in all enclosed public and work places, as well as
sidewalks near business premises, areas within
a six-metre radius of smoke-free buildings,
public staircases, hospitals and clinics and
within public transportations. This law applies
to vaping or the inhaling and expelling of vapour
from e-cigarettes as it falls under the definition
of smoking according to the Tobacco Order 2005.
Drugs
Drugs are strictly prohibited in Brunei. The Misuse
of Drugs Act (MDA) – the main legislation for
drug offences in Brunei Darussalam, covering a
range of controlled drugs including narcotics and
psychotropic substances – stipulate that all drug
offences are seizable and sentenceable offences.
Those caught in possession of certain drugs
higher than the allowed amount face a mandatory
death penalty. The drugs are as follows:
• Methylamphetamine: 50 g
• Diamorphine (heroin): 15 g
• Morphine: 15 g
• Opium: 1,200 g
• Cannabis: 500 g
• Cocaine: 30 g
Inoculation
Passengers aged one year and above arriving
from affected countries are required to attain
yellow fever inoculations. As Brunei is free from
malaria, cholera and smallpox, inoculations for
these diseases are not required.
Local Time
Brunei time is eight hours ahead of Greenwich
Meantime (GMT +8:00).
Currency Exchange
Brunei’s currency, the Brunei Dollar (BND),
came into being on Monday, June 12, 1967 as
issued by the Brunei Currency Board. The Board
circulated notes in denominations of BND1,
BND5, BND10, BND50 and BND100 to banks and
the public, while withdrawing currency notes
of the Board of Commissioners of Currency,
reconstituted under the Malaya British Borneo
Currency Agreement in 1960.
On the same day, Brunei and Singapore signed
the Currency Interchangeability Agreement,
which resulted in the BND being on par with
the Singapore Dollar (SGD). The agreement
continues to serve both countries in facilitating
trade and economic relations and is still in effect
to this day.
The agreement results in both countries being
able to integrate each other’s currency into
their own respective economies. Deposits from
the general public – including retailers – using
either currency are accepted at banks. Thus, the
Singapore currency is widely accepted across
businesses in Brunei.
Currency exchange services are available
throughout Brunei at banks, hotels, licensed
money changers and the Brunei International
Airport. Visitors who wish to cash or exchange
travellers cheques in dominations of major
currencies can do so at any major international
bank located in the capital.