12 month visa required for clearing my goods through customs?

[Paxton]

Hi All,

While I was hoping to snoop around for a while on this forum and hopefully contribute before posting, I am now in desperate need of answers and assuming at least some of you might have some experience with this.

After years of stalling, I am finally moving to Thailand and while most of the move appears to be under control, shipping my belongings over is turning out be a hassle. I have two large boxes ready to go and two different shipping companies are telling me different stories about the requirements for clearing my goods through customs. Initially I contacted the customs call center directly and got a very informative and clear email back in excellent English explaining that I may need to pay duty on my goods which was totally expected. I later read on one of the shipping websites that I need a valid 12 month visa in order to clear any shipping through customs. The shipping company also called the carrier (DHL) to confirm this and they confirmed that it was a requirement for any shipments coming in. I honestly found it hard to believe that all people shipping their goods and moving to Thailand have a 12 month visa before they arrive. If not, their goods would be sitting at customs and apparently destroyed if not collected in time.

The other shipping company is telling me that they can clear it for me without issue and I will have to cover any duty that is payable. While I am hoping this is true, I cant trust what they are saying and risk not being able to collect my boxes. I will eventually have a 12 month ED visa but only after about 5 weeks and have to enter on my 30 day "free" visa initially. I was considering sending by sea freight as it would give me time to get my visa in order but this seems totally unnecessary and I could take up to 3 months to arrive, apparently,

I emailed Thai customs once more to ask about the 12 month visa and now I keep getting a delivery failure message using the same address as I did before ([email protected]). There are no further email addresses and my last attempt to call them failed due to the language barrier.

Can anyone confirm if the 12 month visa is necessary? Has anyone shipped recently and cleared their goods on the 30 day free visa?

Any info is greatly appreciated,

[Paxton]

sorry just realised I might have posted in the wrong forum....

[cooked]

I imported household goods, theoretically tax free if done within a year of coming to Thailand for the first time. By the time they got here I had obtained an extension on my O visa. They do need to see your passport, the shipping company wanted me to send it by EMS. I went with it personally to the customs building in Bangna, near the port. I paid ฿1500.- on the goods.

I wouldn't worry too much about conflicting information, money talks. I also imported my cat and there also theoretically she should have been put in quarantine, the guys wanted ฿2000.- to avoid doing that. Important is that you have a shipping agent that looks after your stuff, mine always answered the telephone and worked in the same building as the custome.

Be prepared to be very patient

Edited March 5, 2014 by cooked

[Carib]

REQUIREMENTS FOR CHANGING OF RESIDENCE

• Nonresidents: Nonresidents may import the used/secondhand household effects acquired abroad tax and duty free if such household effects accompanied them in the change of residence and they are qualified under the criteria listed below:
• Nonresidents resuming residents in Thailand must be granted a non-immigrant quota as shown in a passport or a Nonresident Identification Card; or
• Nonresidents granted to work in Thailand are regarded as resuming residents in Thailand provided they have a one-year non-immigrant visa issued by the Immigration Department. In case where the non-immigrant visa has not yet been granted, either of the following documents may be accepted:
  • The letter from the Immigration Department certifying that the nonresidents shall be granted an annual temporary stay in Thailand; or
  • The work permit from the Department of Labor to work in Thailand for at least one year.
• http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+used+or+secondhand+household+effects/importingusedsecondhandhouseholdeffects+

The confusion maybe in the first sentence, If you want to import your stuff free of duty and tax, you will need proof .

If you expect to pay there is no need for that.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Carib

[theoldgit]

sorry just realised I might have posted in the wrong forum....

Yes, you have and I've moved it, though you seem to have a definitive answer.

[ubonjoe]

You don't need any visa to ship your goods to Thailand. You do need to find a broker to handle the importation.

The confusion perhaps comes from trying to get them in duty free which is not possible unless you have a work permit and you must do it within 6 months of arrival.

[Paxton]

Thank you everyone. This all makes sense!

Now I can get on with it

[moe666]

Unless it is really nice stuff that you cannot live without why bother with it.

[Paxton]

Unless it is really nice stuff that you cannot live without why bother with it.

It's a good question and I am leaving behind / giving away / selling most of my stuff. It turns out it would be three times more expensive to replace once I arrive than ship what I have.

I have moved country several times in the past and my shipments used to be much much worse. I'm slowly learning to be "lighter" when travelling / moving but it is surprisingly difficult

[thepool]

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Unless it is really nice stuff that you cannot live without why bother with it.

It's a good question and I am leaving behind / giving away / selling most of my stuff. It turns out it would be three times more expensive to replace once I arrive than ship what I have.

I have moved country several times in the past and my shipments used to be much much worse. I'm slowly learning to be "lighter" when travelling / moving but it is surprisingly difficult

I have lived and worked in a number of countries. Have never traveled with more than a couple of suitcases and a carry on.

For items which are importent /have sentimental value I have always arranged secure storage the rest has been sold or given away.

No regrets and not a huge expense to replace common household items!

Edited March 6, 2014 by thepool

[digitalchromakey]

The 12 month visa issue as others have posted is as regards tax free importation of personal items/effects.

Don't think an ED visa would cut it anyway, normaly customs want to see a Work Permit along with a 12 month Extension of Permission to Stay, although it can be done with a One Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Visa.

The other agent is correct, you will be allowed to import your stuff but will be hit for import duties.

Be careful to get all you 'ducks lined up' before you import as demurrage charges are steep if your items get stuck in customs prior to clearance.

[Paxton]

The 12 month visa issue as others have posted is as regards tax free importation of personal items/effects.

Don't think an ED visa would cut it anyway, normaly customs want to see a Work Permit along with a 12 month Extension of Permission to Stay, although it can be done with a One Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Visa.

The other agent is correct, you will be allowed to import your stuff but will be hit for import duties.

Be careful to get all you 'ducks lined up' before you import as demurrage charges are steep if your items get stuck in customs prior to clearance.

I was wondering about how long customs would give me to claim the boxes before they or the shipping company start either charging me or destroying my goods. My stuff will arrive a few days before me.

[thepool]

All information needed about importing personal goods can be found here

http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/individuals/importing+used+or+secondhand+household+effects/importingusedsecondhandhouseholdeffects+

[Langsuan Man]

I was wondering about how long customs would give me to claim the boxes before they or the shipping company start either charging me or destroying my goods. My stuff will arrive a few days before me.

Three days and then the storage charges kick in and since it is in a bonded warehouse it is expensive

[casualbiker]

Why not get an "imm b " from Hull. It used to be fairly easy though they may have tightened up criteria .. I just wrote a letter on headed paper stating I was going to Thailand to explore business connections..

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[fifthcolumn]

So us3500+ for a bunch of junk and a cat.

Well

Done

[cooked]

So us3500+ for a bunch of junk and a cat.

Well

Done

Read again sir (!) and try to see the difference between a Baht sign and a dollar sign . The load of junk although theoretically household goods was in fact mostly carpenter's tools that I made myself plus a few machines.

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