Expat Community > Panama

802MARK1
Joined 2009
Posts: 15

shipping your stuff?

14 years ago

If you are here's a word that you need to know.. DON'T.

Sell it all where ever you live and come here with a suit case and not much more. If you think your going to ship something, you need to understand all the little hands that will be pointed your way for you to place money in them to be able to get your stuff off the docks.

No one tells you about all that. but once you ship your stuff you'll learn it really fast. lets take your car. we shipped one in, it sat inside the inpound yard for 6 months, until I was able to get it released. you pay 10 percent duy on things you bring in, but the value on that car is based on what they say it is, not by the BLUE BOOK that the world goes by.

while the van sat in that fenced lot, they serached it, thinking or hoping that we might have hidden something in it, which means that they torn out every thing they could in it, someone even got on their back and pushed their greases shoes into the head liner to see if something might be there. they also stole parts off the van, like the battery, spare tire, jack, all the fuel out of it, and the radiator cap. On top of that they couldn't find the keys to it.

think that maybe that was just bad luck for me? well before that, I had shipped two fourty foot shipping boxes with my house hold goods in it. The shipper in the u.s told me 12,500 from my front yard in the u.s. to my front yard here. total.. well it ended up costing me about twice that price.

they don't tell you about the custom broker you must hire, or the two inspectors you must pay, or the 600 per box for bug spray, nor do they tell you that for everyday they can delay you from getting your boxes moved they charge you 50.00 per box per day to store it.

nope, these little things you are not told. you see they know what's in it, you listed everything and had to put a price on it, they put the price they think it's worth on it. and they understand you really need your house hold goods and will pay to get them.
you might see where the two inspectors have to do that job and it's free, no charge to you. and that is true. but here's how they work it..

hello mr gringo, my name is carlos, it's my job to pull everything out of your box and check it for drugs or weapons. as you can see we have thousands of shipping boxes here today, I might be able to get to yours in say three or four months. so you pay him to do yours. then you repeat that same story for the next one.

Of course neither one opened the boxes to look at anything. nor did they bug spray either one of my boxes. but of course I paid...

so if your thinking on moving here, sell it all. we have cars for sale here and anything else you might need.

Cigna Global Health

Get a quote in 2 minutes from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
Get Quote

Cigna Global Health

Get a quote in 2 minutes from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
Get Quote

Living in Panama Guide

Our Guide to Living in Panama is a perfect primer for readers interested in Panama. Covers healthcare, cost of living, best places to live, residency, visas, real estate, moving tips and the pros and cons of living in Panama.

Panama Forum
Join our Panama forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Panama.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Panama.

Best Places to Live in Panama

If you're dreaming about living in Panama, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Panama in 2023.

Healthcare in Panama

Expats have differing opinions about healthcare in Panama. Many advice against public hospitals and healthcare, but some recount good experiences. This article covers public vs private healthcare, cost of healthcare, obtaining prescription medications and much more.

Cost of Living in Panama

Expats in Panama enjoy a relatively low cost of living. However, it's important to do your research to make sure you'll actually enjoy those saving while creating a high quality of life as an expat in Panama.

Moving to Panama Guide

Do you have to buy a round trip ticket when moving to Panama? How difficult is it to bring my dog? Should I buy a home in Panama? Can I find health

Real Estate in Panama

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Panama.

Pros & Cons of Living in Panama

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Panama.

Retiring in Panama

Advice for people retiring in Panama.

Panama Visa & Residency Guide

This article covers the ins and outs of the most common tourist and residency visas that expats and global nomads obtain when moving to and living in Panama.

10 Tips for Living in Panama

If you've recently arrived in Panama, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Panama.

Additional Information:

Visit our Panama Index for a Full List

Cigna Global Health

Get a quote in 2 minutes from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
Get Quote

Cigna Global Health

Get a quote in 2 minutes from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
Get Quote

Contribute
Help others in Panama by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Panama.

Login

Or, Send Login Link

Expat Community > Panama

shipping your stuff?

Login