Importing household goods on a retirement visa, any experience?

[Balance]

I came in on a 90 business visa that I got in the U.S. and then converted that to retirement 90 days later. However, I shipped personal affects at the same time I left the U.S. and they landed before I got the retirement visa.

I was charged Tb 15,000 duty because as I was told by the freight forwarder here in Chiang Mai that the crate arrived before I got the O-A visa.

However, keep in mind that Thai customs is a very fluid shop and even on their web site it is made clear that each agent has the authority to do what they want.

[Diddl]

Hello Guitar God,

I have just imported my furniture and personal effects into Thailand (April 2014) on a one year retirement visa. Yes, there is duty to pay. I had a 20ft. container but was only charged B19,000 which I thought was very reasonable as they do charge duty if you are not on a work visa.

If your things are important to you, I suggest you get an agent/shipping company to help you get your things through customs, as I did. Also, I believe you have to be in Thailand for at least one month before your personal effects can be imported and not more than six months after you have arrived. Customs will need proof that you have lived in another country for at least one year where your things are coming from, and they will need your passport and visa as well as the bill of lading from the shipping company.

Normally, you are only allowed one article of a kind, otherwise you are charged 100% on the value of the second same article.

Good luck.

[Diddl]

Hello Guitar God,

I have just imported my furniture and personal effects into Thailand (April 2014) on a one year retirement visa. Yes, there is duty to pay. I had a 20ft. container but was only charged B19,000 which I thought was very reasonable as they do charge duty if you are not on a work visa.

If your things are important to you, I suggest you get an agent/shipping company to help you get your things through customs, as I did. Also, I believe you have to be in Thailand for at least one month before your personal effects can be imported and not more than six months after you have arrived. Customs will need proof that you have lived in another country for at least one year where your things are coming from, and they will need your passport and visa as well as the bill of lading from the shipping company.

Normally, you are only allowed one article of a kind, otherwise you are charged 100% on the value of the second same article.

Good luck.

P.S. I believe that the B19,000 included the agent/shipping company fees as well as the duty.

[ianf]

It is also possible to sometimes get duty privilege for retirement visa with no work permit, but must be the 1 year OA visa... Not 3 month visa and not visa extension in Thailand

Have done so for a customer just last week. although will be honest in saying that it is not 100% guaranteed, but up to discretion of Customs officer.. But in most cases over the last couple of

Years, has been possible

As to the guitar question.. You can bring as many as you want, but over the allotment given by customs will have to pay port duty

Remember .. The policy is NOT you can bring all your stuff in duty free... It is duty free for "importing of those goods reasonably needed for setting up your household "

So customs will not likely find that 100 guitars are reasonably needed for setting up a household, so may give you 1 or 2 duty free but will likely charge import duty on the rest

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I imported all my stuff which included 18 race bicycles. Thet were in a 40-ft container with books, wine, furniture. No one checked. The container didn't get opened. I used import agents. But it was in the name of my ex who is Thai and had been in the UK for a few years.

[Anon999]

You need a Thai wife.

She is entitled to ship her possessions back to Thailand.

Check the conditions.

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

You do not need a Thai wife.

I shipped virtually the whole contents of my house here, back in 2006, just before I left the UK.

Did everything through a shipping agent and there were not any problems. Their rep in BKK took care of Customs and the whole container load arrived at my door just a day later than scheduled. There was a small customs charge as I had far more appliances than officially permitted, including all my office equipment.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Anon999

[Mudcrab]

Holders of OA/ Retirement Visas are no longer illegible to bring personal goods in duty free, tax exempt etc..... That was scrapped around 2005/2006.

I brought my container in early 2005 & it ceased shortly after that.

Sure there are ways, but not an endorsement from Thai immigration or customs because of your visa status. That's was the case.

Now I see this:

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

Thanks Roo - it indicates that you can now import vehicles subject to taxes etc. Does this contravene the previous Police Order re importing secondhand vehicles??

[HappyinNE]

I imported a "C tainer" of household goods and had them packed and picked up in Sacramento, California. I was then not married and was on a Nonresident Type O visa. I was never asked about my visa. I was in Bangkok where the 'Ctainer" was opened. I remember my shipping agent needed a couple of hundred Baht to grease the skids. Actually the only question was from the guy running the place where the Ctainer was delivered. He wanted to know what I was going to use the bike for.

I used International Movers (www.intimove.com). They handled everything from providing the packing crew to clearing customs to having the property delivered to my house in Nong Khai.

My paperwork says the Estimated Total Cost (including insurance) was $8,520.00.

It took awhile for it to be loaded on a ship and then it was transferred twice between ships but I could track the ships.

All in all it went well. I recommend International Movers.

Good Luck

[asiacanuck]

Well, we shipped eight or ten (can't remember! ) large boxes of stuff to Chiangmai last summer when moving here from China last year. We entered with tourist visas (well not even, just the little stamp you get on on entry). We could not begin the shipping process until we had started the process of obtaining retirement visas and had an actual visa. Once we sent a copy of our visa to the shipping company they sent off our stuff. They actually provided one month of free storage while we sorted out our visas here in Thailand. We used Seven Seas Worldwide and were happy with their service. I have seen both positive and negative reviews of the company. They picked it up at our doorstep in China and delivered everything to our doorstep here in Chiangmai. From what I had read, I really thought we would be dinged with some type of duty but we ended up not paying anything. Our items included two desktop computers, monitors, and lots of other techie stuff along with mostly clothing and books. Not any large household items but several smaller appliances and such. Everything arrived in one piece.

[MichaelJohn]

My experience is you can import on a retirement visa within the first 12 months.

The manifest must be detailed and clearly state goods are used and have a minimal value.

I think the guitars may get by the inspection if you're creative; if not then I doubt it will cost much in "duty"?!

[Sandman77]

What is the name shipping company that imports cointainer of over 500 kg for less then 20k?

It comes by ground sea postage with the boat right?

[mls]

I shipped a container with my belongings when I came over on a multi-entry O visa. I used a shipping company from the UK with their agent here. My goods were stored until I converted my visa to a retirement one. If you bring over your stuff within 6 months of moving here you should not need to pay duty. I only had to pay for the storage and the shipping agent sorted everything out for me and delivered the container to my house and unloaded everything.

I would not try and do it without an agent here as they know what's required for paperwork etc and saves you a lot of hassle.

The shipping charges were by volume. I don't remember there being any restrictions on the amount you could bring.

Edited June 6, 2014 by mls

[CharlesHH]

I have an idea how many gears strip in the head of a Thai official after you explain ALL of your options and details.

First "If I have to change my retirement visa to one based on marriage (to satisfy the requirements of the import duty exemption), can I just go in an[d] apply for a work permit and pay the fee?"

You make it sound like you will be working for your wife, true?

I came in on a work permit situation and my ocean going container arrived in about a month from Jacksonville FL via Crown Relocators co, excellent btw, who handled everything and my crystal glassware was ok, too. No one opened my container until delivered, x ray is unknown. I barely made it under the ? months of limits between applying for house hold stuff permit and then getting delivery.

If you are paying a Westernized lawyer, why ask here? If a Thai lawyer, ha, just move on to a real lawyer in a international firm.

I would definitely bring in 100 guitars; who is to say what your household needs are?... after all they are not coming in for resale...... maybe part of your work?

[TaciturnRetiree]

Both of us had a Non-Immigrant O-A visa and imported shipments into Bangkok, Thailand. The first shipment was in my name and handled by a widely known international shipper whose US agent packed the household effects from that house. As the estimated date of the shipment's arrival approached, I received an email notice from the Thai agent for that shipper. The message was this: I needed to pay them one price if I did not need a receipt or to pay a higher price if I needed a receipt. (I don't remember the specific amounts.) I paid the lesser price in cash, of course (no receipt). The Thai agent delivered and unpacked all of the items without problems and removed all of the packing material.

The second shipment was in the name of my partner and originated from household effects in India. The Indian company made arrangements with an independent Thai agent in Bangkok. We went to their offices and provided our Thai documents and asked about the exemption. They told us they would look into it. They got back to us that the shipment would be exempt except for some categories such as computers (We shipped none.) We think the goods went through Thai customs because the delivery was rescheduled due to a Thai holiday. The goods were delivered to our Bangkok address.

My assumption with regard to the differences between the two is that the well known shipper has an on-going business relationship with Thai customs and the shipper paid no attention to the documents that were provided to them by the agent at the origin of the shipment. Since I had no person to person contact with the first Thai agent and felt insecure about my knowledge of the household exemption, I did not challenge their payment request. I do not know if the container was opened by Thai customs or if the assessment was simply based on the items listed on the manifest. The second shipment agent had a smaller crew and there were no "gifts" or lists of places a newly arrived person might need to find. I prefer the second shipment agent as I feel they represented our interests to Thai customs which is the best that an agent can do. The effective interpretation of the Thai rules and regulations is with Thai customs.

[ableguy]

I am single, I got a retirement visa went home and shipped all my gear here in a twenty foot container , very easy no problem no tax this end. Find a shipping agent in your country of origin who knows what he is talking about, at this end I used a company that he set up called tiger I believe but I could check ( out of town now ) it was expensive at this end but I did ship some really expensive furniture.

On reflection if I had to do it again I would have sold everything and started again, but on the other hand one does become attached to ones things so up to you as they say here. Good luck.

[Guitar God]

What's it cost to ship a 20 footer from Europort or Antwerp to Bangkok, anyone know?

I imported a couple containers a month from BC to Rotterdam for $8-10k USD depending if it was a reefer or not.

Now I'm paying $2500 USD for 20' containers from Hong Kong to Rotterdam. I'm guessing there are a lot more exports from Hong Kong to Europe than the other way around so I would expect an even lower price going the other direction, and Bangkok is even closer.

I don't suppose anyone has recent experience shipping from Europe to Thailand?

[Guitar God]

Someone asked if I played all my guitars. No. Most of them, yes, but not all of them. Some are too similar to others that I prefer playing more but I'm hanging on to them just because I don't have any reason to get rid of them and a few have appreciated in value. The problem with having a lot of one kind of thing is you forget what you have or where they are. Once I saw a Gibson ES-355 BB King Lucille signature model for sale and was tempted to buy it. The next day I was going through some cases in a closet and guess what I found? Yup, the same ES-355.

CharlesHH- you have a good argument. They were part of my household needs there, why not here? I'm still planning on only putting a couple in the container though, don't want ot push my luck. I've already paid duty on most of them at least once anyway.

[wayned]

'Different shipping companies, customs brokers and trying to get that friendly customs agent.'

I just imported a 40ft container of used AG equipment. I think that the most important thing is for you to choose the customs broker in Bangkok and tell the shipping company to use them on all documentation. The freight forwarder in Chicago recommended a firm here but when I spoke with them the answer to every question I asked was "we don't do that but our sister company does". I chose an international broke, I PM'd you the info I think, and all costs agreed upon were spot on other than the shipping line the the forwarder used, MSC, uses Unithai Container Terminal, a private terminal, in Samat Prakan rather than Khlong Toey and I was hit with some small additional port charges.

If you let the shipping company choose the Broker you might be in for a rude awakening.

[Gulfsailor]

What's it cost to ship a 20 footer from Europort or Antwerp to Bangkok, anyone know?

I imported a couple containers a month from BC to Rotterdam for $8-10k USD depending if it was a reefer or not.

Now I'm paying $2500 USD for 20' containers from Hong Kong to Rotterdam. I'm guessing there are a lot more exports from Hong Kong to Europe than the other way around so I would expect an even lower price going the other direction, and Bangkok is even closer.

I don't suppose anyone has recent experience shipping from Europe to Thailand?

Bare ocean freight between Europe and Thailand for a 20ft would be well below 1000 euro. They really like the containers back in Asia. But there are quite some extras you need to reckon with like FOB costs to get the container to the port and on the boat and charges in the arrival port. Providing you live within 100km range of Antwerp or Rotterdam your FOB cost would be around Euro 600. At Bangkok side around Euro 300 to get the container offloaded and brought within Bangkok area. Then add some insurance, CAF and BAF surcharges and you are looking at a door to door cost of around Euro 1800-2000 excluding customs handling, duties and VAT. A 40ft container is maybe only Euro 400 more in total price.

[JimHuaHin]

I retired from Australia to Thailand last year (single), and shipped a container of household belongings, including personal library and computers, to Hua Hin with the help of Allied Pickfords (Australia).

Apart from the official Baht 600 for storage, I handed over Baht 15,000 to expedite the safe and swift movement of my belongings through the Port of Thailand to Hua Hin - 4 days from arrival in Port of Thailand to arrival in Hua Hin (6 weeks from Cairns, Queensland to Hua Hin).

No dramas, no damage to any boxes, and no breakables damaged.

All that was required, was my Australian passport with the appropriate valid Non Immigrant O-A (retirement visa), showing that I had recently arrived in Thailand.

[Guitar God]

Any recommendations for an experienced and well-connected customs broker in Bangkok?

And again, I really appreciate all the helpful information. I hope this info serves other people who are importing their personal effects here as well. It's nice when there is an exemption in your favor and I think it's very fair of the Thai government allowing you to import your own property (except for motor vehicles) that you've already paid tax on once.

It's quite the contrast to some of the other bureaucracy and complications a lot of immigrants experience. Setting up a business here seemed overly complicated, depositing 100k to get a Thai credit card that doesn't even give me credit is different from my experience in other countries. having to fly to KL to extend a business visa because of delays and other inconveniences are mitigated by helpful exemptions like this.

Now if I'm lucky enough to get a customs agent who's in a good mood and knows the rules...

[khunPer]

I’m on retirement visa also, and I imported a 20 feet container household a few years ago from Europe.

I think “one of each” often shall be read as one of each of it’s specific kind, like books and CD’s or kitchen items, you will have more than one book and more than one CD and more than one plate and fork…

When it comes to a guitar collection I’m not so sure, but as they are different models, that may work. I had some 4 guitars, which I brought one-by-one when travelling to here. You can have “one” air shipment and “one” surface shipment, so that’s another possibility. The government have an English information page on the Internet about importing private household, unfortunately I did not keep the link, but you can find it on Google, as I did.

TV-sets, fridges and so, more specific on one-of-each, as 20 TV-set or 10 fridges may seem too many for a private household.

I did a very specified packing list, including brand and serial number of all electronics, and each box marked with number and contains; furthermore an estimated value, where I did for groups of items, like book-collection and CD-collection etc. plus a total value. I had my container sent CIF and a local Thai agent to arrange custom clearance, transport to final destination, offloading and returning of empty container (same truck, a local crew offloaded immediately); very fair price (cheap when looked at from a Western price level). I had to go to BKK for custom clearance, as they needed my original Passport (visa extension stamp) and signature on some papers. I made a small “overtime fee” for the customs – did get a handwritten receipt for extra overtime in middle of a “normal workday” – all done in a day, meaning some 4-5 hours; small custom fee and little VAT had to be paid also, think something has to go on the bill. Only one cardboard box had been opened slightly in a corner, not that much that they check anything, but then the custom officers had done what she should do…

Very simple and smooth – do accept “overtime tea money” if recommended, may save a lot of hassle – wish you good luck.

[Siam steve]

So I have read through all this stuff and I know that car parts are subjective and have a very wide range of experiences with different people.

But I see no listing in regards to tools etc. Has anyone had any experience with bringing their tools and some other bits and pieces like wheels and tires etc? I know I probably won't dodge the duty on the car parts but are the tools considered part of household goods?

[mls]

I brought in lots of power and hand tools and didn't get charged duty as far as I remember.

[Siam steve]

Thanks mls.

[Langsuan Man]

It is like customs with the Thai post. Some members get hit with a large amount, others sail through without any fees

All depends upon luck so you have to ask yourself: Are you feeling lucky If not then plan for the worst and be grateful when it turns out to be less