Your international move to Thailand is a big transition, and while it is exciting, it will also require a lot of meticulous planning and proper documentation to ensure a stress-free experience. Before you book your plane ticket, you want to be sure you follow proper procedure when it comes to clearing customs and moving to Thailand.
Read on for more information on what to expect for your overseas relocation to the Asian country of Thailand.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR ENTRY
No foreign country will allow you to visit, much less live there without the proper documentation. You will also need additional documents when clearing customs in Thailand. These
important documents should be received a minimum of 20 to 30 days in advance of the arrival of your shipment to avoid any additional charges of demurrage. It is best to hire a customs brokering service for assistance in preparing these documents by their particular deadline.
When moving to Thailand, you will need:
- Passport
- Non-immigrant visa or resident visa (valid for at least one year)
- Work permit (valid for at least one year)
- International Air Waybill/ Bill of Lading
- BOI (Thai Government Board of Investment) letter for persons working for a company that has BOI approval
SHIPPING REGULATIONS
When you arrive in Thailand after your relocation, you will be faced with various regulations you must abide by to successfully clear customs with your household goods (HHG) shipment.
Things to keep in mind:
- Household goods and personal effects can be imported duty free if have been owned for longer than six months
- One consignment by air, and one consignment by sea is allowed duty free
- You have six months after your arrival in Thailand to bring your household items from your home country
- Your goods must originate from the same country you are moving from
- You must be in the country for customs clearance, and all shipments are subject to inspection
- If your permanent stay is less than one year, your items will be taxed 20 percent import duty in addition to 7 percent VAT
- Only one of each electrical item will be duty free
PROHIBITED ITEMS
Most countries have a list of items that are not allowed in the country whatsoever. In Thailand, you cannot import the following items under any circumstance:
- Firearms, explosives, ammunition and any type of replicas
- Drugs or illegal narcotics of any kind
- Medical equipment
- Pornography, subversive material/literature
- Radio equipment
- Gold and silver
- Goods with the Thai national flag
- Counterfeit currency, bonds, coins or trademarked goods
RESTRICTED ITEMS
You should also be aware of the numerous items that are subject to duty fees, need special permission, or have limits on quantity when shipping your household goods and personal effects to Thailand. Some of these items include, but may not be limited to:
- Plants (health certificate required)
- Food stuffs and commodities (require import license)
- Alcohol (one liter of liquor is allowed duty free)
- Tobacco (200 cigarettes are allowed duty free)
- Works of art and antiques
- Stereo and video equipment
- Appliances
- Carpets
- Luxury items
MOTOR VEHICLE REGULATIONS
Though you may be traveling to Thailand for work, you will want to carefully consider shipping your vehicle to this Asian nation. Automobiles are only allowed for import if you apply for permission, and the permission must be granted by the Ministry of Commerce prior to the shipment of the vehicle. Please note that this permission is very difficult to get if you are not a diplomat, and duties are extremely high.
If you plan on shipping your vehicle, you will need:
- Import permit (must be made available before the vehicle is shipped to Thailand)
- Vehicle registration
- Driver's license from the country the vehicle was exported
- International Insurance Policy
- Original Bill of Lading (must show Chassis number, engine number, cubic capacity, year of manufacture, brand and model)
To ship your vehicle, you must meet the following conditions:
- The vehicle must have the same owner for more than 18 months
- The shipper must have a driver's license for more than 18 months
- The shipper and consignee must be the same person
PETS AND ANIMAL REGULATIONS
If you own a pet, you won't want to leave it behind, but keep in mind your pet is subject to duties in Thailand. To be sure your animal companion makes it through customs without any trouble, you will need:
- Import Permit, must include:
- Breed, sex, age, color and pet's name (information given to Destination Agent before importation)
- Owner's address
- Intended arrival date
- Copy of owner's passport
- Certificate of vaccination
- Pedigree (if available)
- Health certificate (must be issued with proof that rabies shot was administered seven days prior to departure)
INTERNATIONAL MOVES
International moves are much more complex than a local or long distance move, as they come with numerous expenses and plenty of paperwork. The most important part of your move will be finding full-service international movers and freight forwarders that have proper licensure and insurance.
Need help finding international moving companies in your area for your move to Thailand? You can get started here at Movers.com by submitting our free quote form, which will connect you with up to seven qualified movers in your area.
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