Passport To Realease Imported Goods

[WaldoPepper]

Not sure if this is the correct forum, but here goes. My shipping agents in Bkk want me to send them my passport to give to customs so that my goods can be cleared. I checked this morning and they insist that the original is needed, not a copy. Is this normal? Naturally, I'm reluctant to let it go, but if it needs to be done, so be it. What is the best way to send it from CM to BKK?

[Shrubbery]

Sounds very dodgy to me. Do not send your original passport. My suggestion would be to send a certified copy.

[raybkk]

Not sure if this is the correct forum, but here goes. My shipping agents in Bkk want me to send them my passport to give to customs so that my goods can be cleared. I checked this morning and they insist that the original is needed, not a copy. Is this normal? Naturally, I'm reluctant to let it go, but if it needs to be done, so be it. What is the best way to send it from CM to BKK?

It would be worth going to bangkok yourself for this case as you will also need to sign some papers. Unless you have authorized him in full already, than he would just need your passport

[samran]

In my experience definetly needed. I had to submit my Thai passport when importing goods from London, as customs needed to see that I had been out of the country for a full year to get import tax exemption status.

Original passport was needed as customs placed a small stamp in my Passport saying the goods had been proceessed and (in my case) I had used up my duty free import allowance.

Got my PP a couple of days later.

In my experience, if you are with a reputable transport company, then no worries.

[Naam]

customs authorities ask for the "real" passport. no certified copies, no nonsense like "passport is property of...". no passport = no clearance. make up your mind

[initiala4]

I can vouch the fact that you need your original passport. Without the original copy they wouldnt be able to process.

[samran]

Your passport remains property of your Government and as such should never leave your possession.

follow this advice and your goods will be singing along to Otis Redding:

Sittin' in the mornin' sun

I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come

Watching the ships roll in

And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

[Shrubbery]

Personally, the only people I would give my passport to is my immediate family.

However, as it appears you will need hand over your passport, I would ensure that you keep a copy and also obtain a receipt.

Better still, as suggested. Make the trip to BKK youself so you can keep tabs on your passport.

[thaihome]

Personally, the only people I would give my passport to is my immediate family.

However, as it appears you will need hand over your passport, I would ensure that you keep a copy and also obtain a receipt.

Better still, as suggested. Make the trip to BKK youself so you can keep tabs on your passport.

It is very normal practice to have to turn over your passport (without receipt) for up to several days to various government agencies in virtually every country (at least in my experience in Asia) for processing. I have brought personal goods shipments into Thailand twice (as well as China, Malaysia, etc), both times original passport requried. Returned by shipping agent in a few days.

Let’s try to keep the paranoia to a minimum

TH

Edited January 11, 2008 by thaihome

[Shrubbery]

Let’s try to keep the paranoia to a minimum

Keeping a copy of your passport and obtaining a receipt is hardly being paranoid.

It's more a case of "common sense".

[Sam125]

It is normal to turn over your passport and you should have a copy on hand always anyway.

It is very normal practice to have to turn over your passport (without receipt) for up to several days to various government agencies in virtually every country (at least in my experience in Asia) for processing. I have brought personal goods shipments into Thailand twice (as well as China, Malaysia, etc), both times original passport requried. Returned by shipping agent in a few days.

Let's try to keep the paranoia to a minimum

TH

[slapout]

I and my Thai wife have been thru this 4 times in the past and yes passport is required to clear customs in Bangkok. Make copy for your benifit, and send passport to the company or person who is clearing for you in Bangkok.EMS works overnight CM to Bangkok. Good luck on duty.

[Totster]

Any opportunity where owners are separated from their passports, even for a few minutes, increases the likelihood of their passports being cloned & their ID’s stolen. The problem is exasperated by the fact that the passports are unlikely to be cancelled because they have been returned to their unsuspecting owners…

A suggestion would be to offer another form of official photo ID such as a Drivers licence

[mouse]

I too recently encountered this problem while importing 10 Polo Shirts and a pair of Loafers from L.L. BEAN mail order services. Passport, Work Permit required...no problem, sent one of the employees to Bangkok with the 3,000 Baht fee and the required documents, to avoid a hefty import tax, which irks me the most. You see these shirt were made in Thailand and then exported to the US where they are sold by L.L. BEAN. Actually no one plans these problem, that we as foreigners encounter, then again, no one corrects them when they are pointed out as injustices. No wonder many or us old grumpy guys feel dejected here in Thailand.

[samran]

Your passport remains property of your Government and as such should never leave your possession.

follow this advice and your goods will be singing along to Otis Redding:

Sittin' in the mornin' sun

I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come

Watching the ships roll in

And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

It wasn't advice. It was a statement of fact.

ad·vice /ædˈvaɪs/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ad-vahys]

–noun

1. an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct, etc.: I shall act on your advice.

so visa's magically appear in your passport do they?

[samran]

so visa's magically appear in your passport do they?

There is a difference between trusting your passport with a foreign Government agency, Consulate or Embassy than with a private shipping agent.

From the second page of a British European Union Passport, "This Passport remains the property of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and may be withdrawn at any time. It should not be tampered with or passed to an unauthorised person."

Foreign Government officials are considered "authorised persons".

so who are customs then? It is a customs who require the passport.

As an intermediary, a shipping agency (presumably registered - many run by expats) that became know for ripping off passports and other ID would quickly go out of business. Or are we being a tad to cynical then that there aren't actually trustworthy people here in Thailand to handle official paperwork. God forbid. Even HM's Foreign office has outsourced their visa operations to private parties here. Or are you advising people not to hand passports over to them either?

[thaihome]

I wonder how many of the people saying they would not hand over passport, ask for alternate ID, etc, have actually been faced with the situation where it is required?

Many of us here have lived in many countries, dealing with many government agencies, shipping agencies, immigration agents, etc. Having them hold your pasport for a couple of days or even a week is not unusual.

Be carefull, sure, but there are many times you have no choice.

TH

[Naam]

so visa's magically appear in your passport do they?

visa stamps and stickers are applied by fairy queens in the night. passports have to be kept safe and secure below pillow or preferably the mattress. but when it concerns a british passport prior permission has to be acquired between GMT+1 and GMT+2 from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth (may she live ten-thousand years!). under no circumstances any property of the British Empire should be handed over to foreign powers! let the container rust and rot in BKK port. so what?

[Naam]

You always have a choice as to what you do with your passport

that might apply to Emperors but not to us unworthy commoners!

p.s. get real Tud!

[Naam]

If it were me I would be hesitant to give my passport to anyone other than an official Government agency, especially in tinpot Thailand. But that's me.

if all your belongings fit in some hand luggage or two suitcases a hesitant approach is acceptable. if you ship a container and would like to have it cleared then in tinpot Thailand as well as in some other countries i have lived

you are required to submit your freaking passport. PERIOD!

Bailiff! next case! the one concerning 18,000 british pounds medical expenses for a sick family buffalo. is the plaintiff and the defendant present? and is the deceased buffalo registered as exhibit A1?

[slapout]

So sorrry sir judge, buffalo passed on, village headman put on buffalo buffet right before election, and yes 18000 pounds would be about right to set things right with affected parties.

[Marvo]

Ok "calm down, calm down" [curly hair & scouse accent].

I'm due to ship a load of personal posessions from Europe into Bangkok this year and the shipping company have advised that I'll need to supply my passport for them to submit to customs. So the chioce is simple - either trust your shipping agent or go to the port yourself and find the customs office who is holding the paperwork and hand over your passport in person and get a receipt. Then, when they've processed your shipment in a few days, go back to the customs office at the port and collect your passport.

Who can tell me how they calculate the import duty on your personal stuff? I have no work permit, I'll be shipping about 10 - 12 cubic meters.

Also, I've been quoted one price to get it to the docks in Bangkok and for an extra price of 800 euros ($1,200) they will do the paperwork in Thailand, collect from the port and ship it all the way to Hua Hin. Would it be easy and cheaper to arrange with a local private Thai company to do the collection from the port in Bangkok? Would there be any complications with the paperwork by not having the same shipping company do a door-to-door?

You guys out there seem to have the experience, I'd be very grateful if you could share a little.

Cheers.

[Shrubbery]

So the chioce is simple - either trust your shipping agent or go to the port yourself and find the customs office who is holding the paperwork and hand over your passport in person and get a receipt.

Or Option C is, go to a car boot sale, sell all your stuff and buy new in Thailand.

[danboksida1]

Ok "calm down, calm down" [curly hair & scouse accent].

I'm due to ship a load of personal posessions from Europe into Bangkok this year and the shipping company have advised that I'll need to supply my passport for them to submit to customs. So the chioce is simple - either trust your shipping agent or go to the port yourself and find the customs office who is holding the paperwork and hand over your passport in person and get a receipt. Then, when they've processed your shipment in a few days, go back to the customs office at the port and collect your passport.

Who can tell me how they calculate the import duty on your personal stuff? I have no work permit, I'll be shipping about 10 - 12 cubic meters.

Also, I've been quoted one price to get it to the docks in Bangkok and for an extra price of 800 euros ($1,200) they will do the paperwork in Thailand, collect from the port and ship it all the way to Hua Hin. Would it be easy and cheaper to arrange with a local private Thai company to do the collection from the port in Bangkok? Would there be any complications with the paperwork by not having the same shipping company do a door-to-door?

You guys out there seem to have the experience, I'd be very grateful if you could share a little.

Cheers.

Hi I used a local shipping agent and paid also around 800 Euro's to clear the papers,pay the taxes and bring the stuff to me in Satahip though my stuff was only 2,5 m3 so it doesn't sound too expensive to me.

[danboksida1]

Who can tell me how they calculate the import duty on your personal stuff? I have no work permit, I'll be shipping about 10 - 12 cubic meters.

Import duty is based on your list with contents and it looks quite random how they compute the taxes I couldn't realy find a logic in it and I only knew what I had to pay the day before they delivered my stuff.

Questions about a complete quote where never answered by the shipping agent original quote was much lower there were a few lines in the quote without price because they could not be filled in at the time.

But I didn't have any choice I only got the complete price when everything was in the godown in Bankok if I wanted my stuff I had to pay.

In fact we shouldn't have paid any taxes because it was just some old house hold stuff which we brought in my wifes name and she had lived abroad for 9 years but they didn't accept that because the saw in her passport that she had been to Thailand in the past 6 months

[thaiwholesale]

Thais have to send their original ID and house paper, not copy.