Shipping My Stuff To Thailand

[Beelzebart]

I live in Taiwan but plan to move to Thailand (and find a job) later this year. I want to ship my CD's, DVD's and books to Thailand. I read somewhere on this site that you have to ship your belongings from your country of origin. I'm not Taiwanese, but my belongings are here in Taiwan. How do I solve this problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[danone]

if you got a work permit you're allowed to have a one time shipping of personal effects without paying a satang of tax.

otherwise, if its just some cds and dvds I'd check the airline you're comin in with ... if its some dozen kgs its not too expensive.

[lopburi3]

Any import is subject to customs duty until after you have a one year extension of stay from immigration or a work permit for one year or longer. The only normal visa fitting that is the long stay O-A for retirement obtain in your home country and that does not allow work and requires you be 50 years of age or higher.

[Steve2UK]

Any import is subject to customs duty until after you have a one year extension of stay from immigration or a work permit for one year or longer.  The only normal visa fitting that is the long stay O-A for retirement obtain in your home country and that does not allow work and requires you be 50 years of age or higher.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2 questions arising from this:

1) When you say "after you have a one year extension of stay", does that mean you can't import your personal possessions free of customs duty during the FIRST year of your O-A retirement status - i.e. only after it has been extended at least once?

2) Irrespective of the above, if the O-A status later changed to a working status - would the personal possessions imported duty-free while under O-A status then be liable to duty?

[lopburi3]

Any import is subject to customs duty until after you have a one year extension of stay from immigration or a work permit for one year or longer.  The only normal visa fitting that is the long stay O-A for retirement obtain in your home country and that does not allow work and requires you be 50 years of age or higher.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2 questions arising from this:

1) When you say "after you have a one year extension of stay", does that mean you can't import your personal possessions free of customs duty during the FIRST year of your O-A retirement status - i.e. only after it has been extended at least once?

2) Irrespective of the above, if the O-A status later changed to a working status - would the personal possessions imported duty-free while under O-A status then be liable to duty?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I said in my post the O-A will allow import as it is valid for one year.

I do not believe anyone will be concerned about you exporting your HHE if visa status changes; but would not make a point of mentioning it.

Edit: see you may be thinking after one year rather than a visa or extension valid for one year. Valid for one year is the key - once you have the visa or extension of stay you can import - immediately if O-A or as soon as extension approved for extension of stay. Sorry for not being completely clear.

Edited January 16, 2005 by lopburi3

[TizMe]

Any import is subject to customs duty until after you have a one year extension of stay from immigration or a work permit for one year or longer.  The only normal visa fitting that is the long stay O-A for retirement obtain in your home country and that does not allow work and requires you be 50 years of age or higher.

Lop, what about "Non Im - O" for support of wife? I'm under 50, are you saying that I cant bring my stuff in duty free?

[lopburi3]

Any import is subject to customs duty until after you have a one year extension of stay from immigration or a work permit for one year or longer.  The only normal visa fitting that is the long stay O-A for retirement obtain in your home country and that does not allow work and requires you be 50 years of age or higher.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lop, what about "Non Im - O" for support of wife? I'm under 50, are you saying that I cant bring my stuff in duty free?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The non immigrant O is not for support of wife but for visit. No - you can not import on the 90 day stay(s) it allows. But once you extend your stay for support of Thai wife at an immigration office here you have six months to get your stuff.

Edited January 16, 2005 by lopburi3

[TizMe]

OK. Thanks. You had me scared for a moment then. My stuff is in transit now....

[Steve2UK]

Any import is subject to customs duty until after you have a one year extension of stay from immigration or a work permit for one year or longer.  The only normal visa fitting that is the long stay O-A for retirement obtain in your home country and that does not allow work and requires you be 50 years of age or higher.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

2 questions arising from this:

1) When you say "after you have a one year extension of stay", does that mean you can't import your personal possessions free of customs duty during the FIRST year of your O-A retirement status - i.e. only after it has been extended at least once?

2) Irrespective of the above, if the O-A status later changed to a working status - would the personal possessions imported duty-free while under O-A status then be liable to duty?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I said in my post the O-A will allow import as it is valid for one year.

I do not believe anyone will be concerned about you exporting your HHE if visa status changes; but would not make a point of mentioning it.

Edit: see you may be thinking after one year rather than a visa or extension valid for one year. Valid for one year is the key - once you have the visa or extension of stay you can import - immediately if O-A or as soon as extension approved for extension of stay. Sorry for not being completely clear.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the clarification - I understand completely now (particularly your comment about "not make a point of mentioning it" )

[redwood13]

I live in Taiwan but plan to move to Thailand (and find a job) later this year. I want to ship my CD's, DVD's and books to Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You might find it beneficial to take the CDs & DVDs out of their cases and buy new ones in Thailand. Saves space and weight.

-redwood

[Limbo]

Just a compliment for Mr. Lopburi.

It is great how he shares his amazing rather unlimited seeming knowledge in matters of laws, rules and regulations with us.

I am sure that I speak for many of us, members or not, when I say thank you Mr. Lopburi! We appreciate it very much!

Limbo (often not in limbo anymore because of Mr. Lopburi)

[lopburi3]

Just a compliment for Mr. Lopburi.

It is great how he shares his amazing rather unlimited seeming knowledge in matters of laws, rules and regulations with us.

I am sure that I speak for many of us, members or not, when I say thank you Mr. Lopburi! We appreciate it very much!

Limbo (often not in limbo anymore because of Mr. Lopburi)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can only share what you and the www provide so it is really yourselves who deserve the credit. But thanks.

[Sunny Valentine]

The non immigrant O is not for support of wife but for visit.  No - you can not import on the 90 day stay(s) it allows.  But once you extend your stay for support of Thai wife at an immigration office here you have six months to get your stuff.

As this will become important to me late rthis Year, may I ask more specifically about this 6 Month Period:

Is it counted from when?

Say I enter Thailand on a 90 Day Visa on Feb. 1. Later (April 1) I ask for extension to One Year based on Support and Money in Bank.

Now what date is the base for counting the 6 Month?

Feb 1?

April 1?

Some Day in May or June (the Day the Immigration confirms the 1 Year permission)?

As I will be in this Situation (entering on a Non-O End of February) later this Year, but as of now (not knowing of this 6 Month clause) do not plan to get back to Austria for colecting and shipping my belongings before either late this Year or some time next Year.

Would it make sense for me then to try to get a Multi-non O, so the date is shifted into the future?

Also, I suppose the goods must arrive at the Thai Customs within the 6 Month Period.

Or is it enogh to ship them before expiry?

Sunny

[lopburi3]

The non immigrant O is not for support of wife but for visit.  No - you can not import on the 90 day stay(s) it allows.  But once you extend your stay for support of Thai wife at an immigration office here you have six months to get your stuff.

As this will become important to me late rthis Year, may I ask more specifically about this 6 Month Period:

Is it counted from when?

Say I enter Thailand on a 90 Day Visa on Feb. 1. Later (April 1) I ask for extension to One Year based on Support and Money in Bank.

Now what date is the base for counting the 6 Month?

Feb 1?

April 1?

Some Day in May or June (the Day the Immigration confirms the 1 Year permission)?

As I will be in this Situation (entering on a Non-O End of February) later this Year, but as of now (not knowing of this 6 Month clause) do not plan to get back to Austria for colecting and shipping my belongings before either late this Year or some time next Year.

Would it make sense for me then to try to get a Multi-non O, so the date is shifted into the future?

Also, I suppose the goods must arrive at the Thai Customs within the 6 Month Period.

Or is it enogh to ship them before expiry?

Sunny

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Self help time. This is the paragraph:

It is important that the used/secondhand household effects must be imported not earlier than one month before or not later than six months after the arrival of the importers. Under exceptional circumstances, Customs may extend the time limits for the importers.

I am not going to try to guess this one so source is as below and would contact them directly if you have specific plan to get solid word. I have never used the exemption so never talked with anyone.

Source: Customs

[Steve2UK]

Just a compliment for Mr. Lopburi.

It is great how he shares his amazing rather unlimited seeming knowledge in matters of laws, rules and regulations with us.

I am sure that I speak for many of us, members or not, when I say thank you Mr. Lopburi! We appreciate it very much!

Limbo (often not in limbo anymore because of Mr. Lopburi)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Seconded!

[morphic]

So, if I sent a parcel wit some books and clothes to a friend in Thailand, as a gift, would there be tax to pay? Assuming these were just old odds and ends, with little in the way of monetary value, what would the charge be? And if i sent them to somebody bas a gift would that person not be allowed to remove the parcel from thew post office until the tax had been paid, or would the parcel's journet simply come to an end with customs, who would presumably send a request to the addressee to pay some amount of tax?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

So, if I sent a parcel wit some books and clothes to a friend in Thailand, as a gift, would there be tax to pay? Assuming these were just old odds and ends, with little in the way of monetary value, what would the charge be? And if i sent them to somebody bas a gift would that person not be allowed to remove the parcel from thew post office until the tax had been paid, or would the parcel's journet simply come to an end with customs, who would presumably send a request to the addressee to pay some amount of tax?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They usually apply duties to gifts.

[Jai Dee]

Another quirk to be aware of when shipping personal effects to Thailand...

There is no import duty payable except for musical instruments... pianos etc.