MYANMAR(BURMA)

• A foreigner may import household goods and personal effects into Myanmar duty free under the following conditions:

  1. He or she has diplomatic status or works for a legally registered foreign company or business cooperation.
  2. He or she obtains a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs verifying his/her diplomatic status or, in the case of a non-diplomat, he or she obtains a valid visa and stay permit from the Ministry of Labor. If the shippers employer has a special foreign investment privilege, please advise JVK in advance.
  3. An import permit from the Myanmar Ministry of Commerce is obtained prior to shipment arrival in Yangon port.
  
  
• If the above criteria are met, only one sea and one air shipment are permitted duty free.
  
  
• All foreigners, with the exception of diplomats, must pay duty on consumable items.
  
  
• All goods imported duty free by a foreigner must also be re-exported upon his or her eventual departure from Myanmar.
  
  
• The shipper must be in Myanmar at the time of clearance.
  
  
• List all electrical items separately, stating brand, model, and serial number.
  
  
• All personal effects now require a Ministry of Commerce import permit. This must be obtained prior to the shipments arrival in Yangon airport or seaport. Please scan or fax a valued inventory and shippers contact details in Myanmar before sending the shipment. Once the import permit is obtained, JVK will advise that it is ok to send the shipment. Failure to follow this procedure will result in a fine of no less than 30% of the value of the goods.
  
  
• Please ensure that the shippers name, as written on all packages and documents, is the same as shown in his/her passport. Otherwise delays with customs may occur.
  
  
• LCL shipments often take up to three weeks from arrival before they are made available from clearance by the Myanmar Port Authority. Please advise your shippers accordingly.

• Goods prohibited from entering Myanmar include firearms, ammunition, pornographic material, and all communications equipment. This includes satellite dishes, receivers, fax machines, phones, switchboards, walkie-talkies, shortwave radios, etc. Any such items found in a household goods shipment will be confiscated, and the shipper will be fined.
  
  
• Any antiques imported should be declared to the Ministry of Archeology upon importation, otherwise re-export will be a problem. Photographs would be helpful.
  
  
• Video tapes and DVDs will be censored by the Ministry of Information. A fee, or approximately US$ 5.00 per tape or DVD, is levied by the Ministry and will be collected from the shipper.

• Only a foreign diplomat may import a vehicle into Myanmar duty free.
  
  
• Private individuals are not allowed to import vehicles.

• Most pets, including dogs, cats, and birds, can be brought into Myanmar with no quarantine period. The documents necessary at the time of import are a current health certificate (not more than 7 days old) and a current vaccination card.