Hi All,
Not sure if this question has a place here but here goes:
Does anyone know if one has to have their residency visa for Beijing before being able to bring a shipment over from the UK?
Shipment will contain personal effects (photos, clothes, shoes etc), household goods (kitchen equipment etc) and possibly some tinned food, oxo cubes - basically non-perishable food.
Any guidance on this, or the right place to ask, would be extremely helpful and much appreciated.

Yep you do, at least that's the instructions I got as customs will need to see this in order to clear as personal effects.

Thanks Fimo for answering but it's a blow, was really hoping we could ship our stuff over in January. Is there any way around this without breaking any customs laws? I know we can bring a few bits in our luggage so will do that but it's a real disappointment

You can ship stuff: but you will be taxed heavily in customs (they are no longer 'personal effects'), and it might take longer than waiting for residency if it gets caught up in the inspection process, all the while paying demurrage charges. I'm surprised you don't have residency already sorted out, since my understanding was that one can't get paid for work in china without a z visa.

Do note, however, that the shipping process can be started before you get residency: you just need it by the time the goods get to beijing, which will be at least 4-6 weeks (our container from boston took 3 months!).

It's easy enough to bring essentials into one's luggage: I came back with 2 suitcases of stuff last week, including a lot of chocolate hobnobs which appear impossible to find over here (at least westside!). Problem is: neither my wife and I are able to exercise self-control, so that may be the last time we do that!

Also note that shipping some edibles, such as herbs etc, can trigger an inspection (at least that was what our shipping agent told us), so we just took some essentials in our luggage: both when we arrived, and me on this most recent trip.

tb

Trueblu, thank you very much.

My husbands work situation is a bit complicated as it's a new business that's being set up in Beijing in conjunction with a British organisation, consequently he will be paid in the UK for a while longer whilst the formalities within Beijing are completed. This is also why it will take a while for the residency visa to be ours. We have both got multiple entry visas as well but understand we will probably have to leave Beijing after 60 days on a visa run.

The info about bringing essentials back in our luggage is something that I've accepted we'll have to do. I would like to bring a couple of electrical items - a sandwich toaster and an ipod dock/alarm clock plus some tea bags and a couple of other food items, such as Bisto & Oxo cubes - sad I know but essential Do you think bringing these would be ok or could these instigate investigation at customs on arrival?

Thanks for taking the time to my answer my questions, I really appreciate your it :-:

Trueblu is right, you can release your shipment before you get your residency permit, but you must have it ready at clearance, as that's how you get your shipment classed as personal effects and not "commercial goods". You will get taxed, and likely get inspected.

I'm not sure what type of shipping allowance you have, the usual full expat benefits would include an air and a sea shipment plus 30-60days storage/holding. The air shipment arrives pretty fast, from release to arrival and clearance can be within a week. Depending on your immigration agent here in Beijing, you will still need to plan at least 2weeks for all your paperwork to be done. If you have air shipment, I suggest you wait until your residency permit is confirmed before releasing the shipment from home base. No basis for my recommendation, other than preferring the boxes to sit home base as opposed to somewhere in a massive warehouse in China pending clearance.

A lot of things can trigger an inspection - simple solution is not to declare it The packing team for the SG agent I had packed my whole apt contents before I could instruct them to keep out the 'contraband' and labelled my pantry items 'kitchenware' and bottles of wine 'decorations'. LOL ...

You'll be absolutely fine with the oxo cubes and even the sandwich toaster: on this recent trip I was rather nervous since I was gone less than a week, but came back with two full checked in bags, and hand luggage, including 2 persian rugs! I also had a lot of (dried) herbs, which I wasn't sure was strictly kosher (your seasonings are absolutely fine), although they were probably OK. I took them in hand baggage just in case -- my suitcases tend to get opened coming to PEK.

In the end, I had nothing to worry about. I have a feeling that other than really bad illegal stuff, the authorities are more on the look-out for smugglers bringing in 50 iphones etc, for resale (which would make for a hefty profit).

tb

PS don't put anything 'apple' related into hold luggage: might get snatched -- the chinese are obsessive about the cult of apple. Even if a bit bulky, take it with you on-board.

Thank you Fimo & Trueblu, you are both :-: 's

We are now booked to return on 4th Jan and I will buy another large suitcase in order to bring some bits & pieces back with us.

Actually, it's a bit of a relief in one way that we can't do a shipment this time as it's all going to be a bit hectic over the Xmas/New Year period and my husband's employers will have to pay to send us back here again to sort out our shipment, so there's a positive

Thanks again and wishing you a very happy Christmas

Happy Christmas in Blighty!

tb

If you go back and forth, carrying stuff in is the easiest way to go.

Though it's been a number of years, I brought my stuff in on an F visa rather than residence permit (don't ask, long story), and it was a pain in the @ss. The stuff got held up in the Chinese Customs warehouse while they wanted more paperwork and rationalizations why I was bringing all this stuff in on an F visa---and it was only 9 boxes! Got it bailed out, but it took about 2-3 weeks during which time daily ransom...er, warehouse...charges were accruing. Really try to hold off on having the big shipment arrive until your Residence Permits are in hand. Load yourselves up to the max when coming back in January, and maybe see what an extra piece or two will cost in excess baggage charges.

Unless you want to take a piano with you.

tb

No, no piano

We are fortunately travelling CW and as we're both Silvers, we can take 6 bags up to the heavier weight allowance, so we will load up to the max. Taking one excess bag might be an option to look at once we have begun packing. I do have a trip booked to return in April so if our residency visa isn't through by then, then I'll bring back more, and then graciously allow my husband's employer to pay for another trip back for me to arrange our shipment.

I'm really grateful for everyone's advice, thank you.

Does it fit in the overhead?