Import, Personal Effects or does it matter?

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thePeck
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Import, Personal Effects or does it matter?

Post by thePeck »

Of course not my first time but I'm coming back in the near future but wanted to run this by you guys. Or just paranoia when planning to return.

I have a house there so I wanted to bring some personal electronics for the house and gifts for the wife and kids. But due to bulk i'll be more than likely traveling with 3 bags. Never has been a problem in the past. Regardless has anyone had run in with the custom officers? Info I've found, although it worthless when dealing with them, it says more than $100 is subject to duties while more than $300 must be declared, and there's the less than $300 non-commercial blah blah blah. While individual items are less than $300 and most under $100, has anyone declared when arriving? Before I never thought anything of it since everything I brought before was used/open and clearly, imo, not for resale and for personal use during my stay.

I'm thinking about just shipping the new items, DHL, and just bringing the smaller stuff in my checked bag.
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Re: Import, Personal Effects or does it matter?

Post by Anchor Moy »

You are talking about Cambodian airport customs, are you not ?
IMO, I really wouldn't worry about it. Customs officers have more interesting people to stop, like Chinese people with suitcases stuffed full of cash.

And going from CEO forum threads about items sent to Cambodia with DHL or by post, I think you are more likely to pay duty on those items than if you carry them in yourself.
That's not from personal experience btw, so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but seems they are more likely to check parcels than baggage.
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John Bingham
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Re: Import, Personal Effects or does it matter?

Post by John Bingham »

As above, customs are pretty easy-going about personal baggage, at leat in my experience. The Immigration guys check you out well though.
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thePeck
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Re: Import, Personal Effects or does it matter?

Post by thePeck »

Anchor Moy wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2019 11:59 pm You are talking about Cambodian airport customs, are you not ?
IMO, I really wouldn't worry about it. Customs officers have more interesting people to stop, like Chinese people with suitcases stuffed full of cash.

And going from CEO forum threads about items sent to Cambodia with DHL or by post, I think you are more likely to pay duty on those items than if you carry them in yourself.
That's not from personal experience btw, so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but seems they are more likely to check parcels than baggage.
Yes the airport. I agree, never had them check before. I think maybe once when I was traveling with a large military foot locker. But that was many years ago. I also saw that too, I tried to get an estimate of Duty on DHL site but after entering everything in they just said, "sorry couldn't get customs amount". I'm probably just paranoid and thinking too much about it. This isn't my first time just my first time bringing new, still in the box, stuff.
John Bingham wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 12:26 am As above, customs are pretty easy-going about personal baggage, at leat in my experience. The Immigration guys check you out well though.
I know, Immigration don't really question my though. In the past 10 years I've had almost a constant valid visa and more trips in/out than I care to count. A recent paperwork I had to do had me listing my travels for 10 years, it was 120 pages and over half of them were for visits to Cambodia.
samrong01
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Re: Import, Personal Effects or does it matter?

Post by samrong01 »

I once entered Cambodia with no less than 10 large pieces of luggage (through Siem Reap Airport). They did not even want to see the customs form.
thePeck
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Re: Import, Personal Effects or does it matter?

Post by thePeck »

samrong01 wrote: Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:07 am I once entered Cambodia with no less than 10 large pieces of luggage (through Siem Reap Airport). They did not even want to see the customs form.
Ya that's what I've seen and done, well not 10 pieces of luggage lol, don't know why this time I'm seconded guessing myself and worried about it.
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Bitte_Kein_Lexus
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Re: Import, Personal Effects or does it matter?

Post by Bitte_Kein_Lexus »

No issues at the airport (unless you're Nigerian or something, then who knows). Problems can arise if shipping in via freight (either sir or sea), but that's not your case.
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