Shipping household goods & work permit

[alykev8892]

Sorry to be persistant but I really need some advise here. I posted an similar message earlier but with no responses. The problem pertains to shipping my household goods from California and what I need for duty-free shipment. This site mentions a work permit for duty-free shipment but I would surely think that if I had a non-immigrant visa to support a Thai wife and/or child I can ship these things without having to get a work permit. Anyone at all here been in this situation?

[george]

Thaivisa.com : Shipping personal goods

[TRIPxCORE]

According to that link, we are not allowed to ship anything to Thailand unless we have a work permit?

[winner]

According to that regulation a one year visa would be sufficient.  It specifically says a work permit (or one year visa)!

[dlfisher]

A direct copy from the site.

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DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Passport (original)

Non-immigrant visa or resident visa valid for one year

Work Permit (original) or copy of B.O.I. Letter (to Customs) valid for one year

It is recommended that the customer coordinate arrival of the shipment with the issuing of the Work Permit to facilitate duty-free entry.

Inventory (two copies, legible and in English) showing the following details:

Manner of packing (carton, wrapped, crated, etc.)

For all electrical appliances, the brand name, model and serial number

For TVs, the diameter of the picture tube and whether color or black and white

Copy of insurance policy (if applicable)

Shipper's contact address and phone number

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Haven't personally tried to get things over, but that list looks like a one-year visa AND a work permit.

Also, I checked with a friend that works at a shipping company and he said all their customers have work permits. May just be the way they operate to reduce hassle too, I confess, but can't see them passing up on the business if it were otherwise.

Best of luck

[TRIPxCORE]

Well this poses a problem for a person initially trying to move there because when you get your first non-immigrant visa from a Thai consul abroad, it is only a three-month visa, at least the O visas are.  It is extended to a one-year after you are in-country.  So on that basis, you would have to leave Thailand again and go back to your home country just to ship your stuff back to Thailand after you were finally in possesion of the one-year extension.  Thats ridiculous.  

    I suddenly see myself sending a box of personal effects to Thailand under my wife's name since half of the things will be her's anyway.  Also, I believe this alleviates some of the duty to be paid too.  As I will be sending some electronics, any idea of how I can avoid duty?

[dlfisher]

I certainly don't know your circumstances, but why don't you arrange for somebody 'back there' to send it over once you have your work permit. Maybe I didn't read the link right, but I don't see where you have to be with your possesions when they get on the boat.

If you're sending things by post, you are always risking a search and re-evaluation, I would think. But if you have the customs forms filled out as GIFTS OR SAMPLES, at least I think that's what they say, you might be okay. Unless it is all obviously new and obviously expensive of course.

Assuming you are going to get a work permit, then have it shipped though. Probably far simpler and you could operate under the exemptions portion of the code I would hope.

Soon as I get all my paperwork cleared properly, I am having things shipped over under the work permit code. My friends will deliver it to the shipper and they will take it from there.

Hope you figure out a way to get it done

[Curious George]

alykev8892,

I didn't see your original post, so maybe this doesn't apply to you. If your Thai wife has been in the US for over twelve months, she can move her whole household duty free.

She can bring any used items (six months or older), and no more than one of the same. She is allowed one duty free shipment within six months of her return to Thailand.

Now, concerning a non-Thai bringing personal items into Thailand. Several references indicate the need for a work permit with a non-immigrant visa and a one year extension or a one year resident visa. Other sources just mention a visa with a one year extension. The latter makes more sense because people living long term in Thailand with a non-immigrant O or O-A are expected to transfer their possessions to their new home in Thailand.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

After you get the one year visa extension, surely a friend, or a shipping/customs agent can send the goods to Thailand. It is clear to me that a work permit is not an essential part of the process, but a one year extension is.

[dlfisher]

Doc,

If you're right, and I hope you are, then it makes all our lives simpler. But when you say 'It's clear to me.....' as regards not having a work permit, then are you taking your information from a site besides the information posted from the link George gave us? Looking at that information is as always an interpretive process, but the way it is written is not an either/or, except for the letter from BOI in lieu of a work permit, which probably means one that says they are in the process of issuing one. That's my interpretation anyway.

Also, and I am just going by the link here, this was stated at the very head of the information;

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Shipping of personal effects to Thailand

If you have a valid work permit (maximum 6 months old in some cases) you can ship your personal belongings to Thailand.

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What I don't know is if this information was taken from the Thai Customs site before they stopped having an English link. I can't find an English language link anymore and my computer isn't set up to display Thai. But if it was taken from a Thai government information site, then a work permit seems to be an integral and essential part of the process. If we can get any current Thai government information/link, that would be a huge asset.

As always though, one well placed Thai official friend will take care of all your problems.

[alykev8892]

Hello again .... I sincerely hope Dr. Pat Pong is correct because it makes no sense at all to me that we should have to find a job in order to ship household belongings .... especially when we draw a monthly pension and do not need to work. But as I look at that list posted at this site, it appears all the listed documents are required.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

Passport (original)

Non-immigrant visa or resident visa valid for one year

Work Permit (original) or copy of B.O.I. Letter (to Customs) valid for one year

If the work permit were needed then I have to start considering the Philippines or elsewhere for retirement, especially in light of this upcoming increase from 800,000 to 1,500,000 baht for the "retirement" visa. I have way too many high tax things ... stereo and computer to be hit with customs duty here.

[dlfisher]

We never did get a really solid answer on this, did we. Wish somebody cruising these boards worked at a shipping company that deals with this type of thing and could remove the confusion.

[redwood13]

In March of this year I spoke to an American who has been working in Bangkok in the freight business for about 8 years and he told me that I could not import personal belongings into Thailand duty free without a work permit.

He said he and his American wife were fortunate in that she has changed jobs several times during their stay and with each job change she obtained a new work permit and they were able to ship additional items into Thailand without paying duty.

This question arose because an e-mail friend in UK had obtained an O-A retirement visa in London and he was under the impression that he could ship goods without paying duty.  Not true according to my source.

[sevinnow]

The most simple way is when you are at the port to collect tour personal goods, just locate one of the many shipping agencies around that area and pay them to get your goods through.

This may be a little expensive but as always in LOS they know people who know!

So with respect to everyone's veiws and advice I believe this is your best option under your circumstances, and it is a well tried and provened way of avoiding the stress and hassel.

Regards

Sev

:cool:

[redwood13]

A few days ago I wrote:

".......e-mail friend in UK had obtained an O-A retirement visa in London and he was under the impression that he could ship goods without paying duty.  Not true according to my source."

I''ve since learned the Brit with the O-A visa was charged 18,000 baht in duty on a computer and small number of other personal belongings which he shipped to Thailand.  He used a shipping agent to clear customs and duty was "negotiated" down to 10,000 baht.

-redwood

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You have to have the 12 month extension which has to be extended IN Thailand.  Why not check with the Royal Thai  Embassy ?

[Axel]

Sorry to be persistant but I really need some advise here. I posted an similar message earlier but with no responses. The problem pertains to shipping my household goods from California and what I need for duty-free shipment. This site mentions a work permit for duty-free shipment but I would surely think that if I had a non-immigrant visa to support a Thai wife and/or child I can ship these things without having to get a work permit. Anyone at all here been in this situation?

Yes, you do need a work permit, Non-Imm B-Visa etc, which most people who arrive here, do not have. (I did not have when I arrived 11 years ago) In practise employ one of the agents mentioned and "negotiate" a duty. Going rates up to Baht 50,000 for a full 40'container. Once you paid, you will get, funny enough, a receipt from customs for duty free import of removal goods.

Even if you have a work permit, NO MOTOR VEHICLES. Only 1 item each of electronics. If you have a Thai - wife, who returned less than 6 months ago, issue the shipping papers in her name (you still might have problems for "non-female" items. If not, go with the agent to see the customs officer in person, smile and smile again. It can save you a lot of money.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Read the requirements slowly...it says a resident visa valid for one year...the next line says a work permit...it is one of either

A motor vehicle is not exempt taxes. If you are happy to pay the iniquitous taxes, bring one whenever it suits you. Why not ask the Thai Embassy for written confirmation of the situation

[alykev8892]

"Only 1 item each of electronics" ????????

So even if I do follow through and ship my things and bargain upwards of 50,000 baht for clearance, I still have problems with the "1 item each of electronics."

I have 3 sub-woofers, 2 audio receivers, 3 tape decks, 3 CD players, 10 pairs of speakers, 4 computers .... alot of things in duplicate, triplicate, and then some. Seems less than hopeful which is why I made another post regarding the Philippines and am considering it.

[Axel]

"Only 1 item each of electronics" ????????...

the Philippines and am considering it.

Sounds like a lot of hardwear. You know the guy in Bangkok Post who always says TIT = "This is Thailand"

The 50 K is for a 40', means a container 40 feet in length and

59 cubic meters space. Less than that costs less. With your stuff (nice equipment) the guy in BKK-Customs house will get a heart attack. If you can put something in front of all that and declare the audios as radios and the computers as, aah I don't know. I handcarried once a Lan network with 6 workstations plus plus, everything there except the monitors, and declared as "PC". The customs lady asked to open one carton which had laundry inside and decided "PC" means "personal clothing". I got through on that.

I still believe, you have no work permit and no resident's visa, only way, as said b4, go and smile and good luck!

Philippines? Sure, If the woofers don't work a nice word in Tagalog BROKEN ARRLREADY.

[tutsiwarrior]

Holy Moly...I shipped household goods from Abu Dhabi to Thailand under my Thai wife's name without any hassle. Get yourself a cover then investigate. Of course we only had a few boxes and not a container. Large consignments always put their noses into it. Break it up then have a look.

If you are US all the way around then you are meat. You got any Thai friends?

Best regards