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Relo Out of Shanghai - Customs & Shipping

Shanghai Expat Forum Index » City Living Forums » Relocation and Moving

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DesertSpider
Post Boaster

Joined: Jan 19, 2007
Posts: 4725
Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA

Posted: Feb 06, 2009 - 06:36 PM
Post subject: Relo Out of Shanghai - Customs & Shipping

Curious, we've got both an air shipment and a sea shipment going back to the U.S. here soon and the company (MIG) rep has told us that we can NOT bring any liquids, food or medicines from China to the U.S. (even if the products were originally purchased in the U.S. to begin with and brought to China).

Anyone have experience with this ?

NO food
NO liquids of any kind (including mouthwash, toothpastes, etc.)
NO medicines (including OTC)

In EITHER the air OR the sea shipment.

????

This doesn't seem logical at all, what gives ?

iara
Fire-eater

Joined: June 09, 2006
Posts: 2653
Location: brazil-shanghai

Posted: Feb 06, 2009 - 06:43 PM

A friend relocated to Chicago last month and it was the same!
Not even tea from China!

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moverinshanghai

Lurker

Joined: Dec 21, 2008
Posts: 31

Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 06, 2009 - 08:56 PM
Post subject: Answers to your questions

According to our practical experience in handling outbound shipments to the US, you are not allowed to put any kind of liquids in the air shipment, but there will not be any problem if you put them in the sea shipment. As per the US customs regulation, foodstuff in large quantity are not allowed in either air shipment or sea shipment. If you are talking about several bottles of spices, there is no problem if you put them in the sea shipment. You could pack medicines in the sea shipment. No problem at all!

Should you need more information regarding import to the US, please feel free to email to info@excelrelo.com or call 34628040

iara
Fire-eater

Joined: June 09, 2006
Posts: 2653
Location: brazil-shanghai

Posted: Feb 06, 2009 - 09:21 PM

ok, but my friend couldn't even take some packed food like lentils or olive oil bottle that she hadn't use. And she gave a lot of things like nice and expensive boxes of tea, cause they refuse to pack it! And it was the sea shipment.

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p1atl10

Shanghai Royalty

Joined: Mar 18, 2005
Posts: 8585
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 07, 2009 - 09:37 AM
Post subject: Re: Relo Out of Shanghai - Customs & Shipping

DesertSpider wrote:

DS.....They are coming to pack me the 16th.

Same speil....Zero liquids, food.

"There may be a USDA inspection which might cost $1,500 if they feel the need to inspect the container" Might be duty on the booze and wine"....blah, blah...

The zero risk approach is to pack nothing....which is what they will tell you to for as it is also the easiest to manage.

The reality is that small amounts of packaged goods are not going to raise a flag in the sea shipment.

Whacking on them now about the duty prices for wine and booze....some of which I brought with when I moved here and did not get around to consuming.....

Will keep you updated.

When do you pack up?

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BuckPlankchest

Barker

Joined: Aug 22, 2008
Posts: 197

Status: Offline

Posted: Feb 07, 2009 - 10:36 AM

They don't want liquids in case it freezes and bursts, and then if it ruins the rest of your stuff you'll be looking for reimbursement. So they just say "none" to protect themselves.

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