Moving to Brunei Darussalam

Used Household Goods and Personal Effects

Documents Required 

  • Copy of passport
  • Residence visa
  • Detailed, valued inventory
  • Letter of employment
  • Original bill of lading (OBL) / telex release / air waybill (AWB)
  • Diplomatic franchise (diplomats)

Specific Information

  • Used household goods and personal effects can be imported duty-free.
    • Shipment is subject to the payment of Customs duties if new items are found.
  • Fumigation is not required for shipments into Brunei Darussalam.

Motor Vehicles

Documents Required

  • Approval letter from Brunei Land Transport Department
  • Approval from Brunei Customs
  • Invoice
  • Copy of owner of the goods’ passport

Specific Information

  • Only Bruneian / permanent residents that are working / studying abroad are allowed to import used vehicles into Brunei.
  • The vehicle must be under the owner of the goods’ name for at least 12 months.
  • The vehicle must not exceed 5 years old at time of importation.
  • The owner of the goods must be in Brunei at time of importation.
  • Owner of the goods must notify the Brunei Customs and seek approval for duty exemption before importation.
    • Once approval is obtained, the owner of the goods must have an approval permit issued by Customs before time of importation.
  • Duty exemption will only be given once.
  • After the importation of the vehicle, the owner of the goods is not allowed to change the ownership within four years from the date of approval given.
    • Only diplomats are exempted from this regulation prior to approvals from their local embassies. 

Pets

Documents Required

  • Vaccination record
  • Veterinary health certificate
  • Import permit issued by Brunei Agriculture Department
  • Export permit issued by origin country
  • Invoice (for Customs purposes only)

Specific Information 

  • All pets are subject to quarantine. 
    • The length of time varies and depends on the country from which the animal is imported.
  • All pets are subject to approval for import from the Brunei Agriculture Department
  • The import permit and documents required must be obtained prior to import.

Restricted/Dutiable Items

  • The following items require the permission of the Controller of Customs:
    • Publication and printed materials, such as film, CD, VCD, LD, DVD, cassettes
    • Satellite receiver
    • Any religious publication, any written ‘Quranic’ verses
    • Fresh, chilled, and frozen meat
    • Any living plant, planting materials
    • Any living animals and all parts of animals under CITES article
    • Live animals, aquatic marine, breeding prawn food
    • Timber and timber product
    • Health food, snacks, beverages, medicines, traditional medicines, chemicals, and radioactive materials
    • Antiques or articles of historical nature made or discovered in Brunei
    • All used / reconditioned vehicles with or without engine
    • Telecommunication and radio communication apparatus
    • The order, insignias, medals, badges, and decoration instituted by statues of His Majesty The Sultan
    • Ice, sugar, salt, rice paddy, and products thereof
    • Mineral water and building materials
    • Gases that depletes the ozone layer (ODS) used especially in servicing and maintaining air conditioners, refrigeration, vehicles, and fire extinguishers
    • Alcoholic beverages
    • Motorcars, motorcycles, lorries, omnibuses including mini buses, tractors, and trailers
    • Poisons and deleterious drugs

Prohibited Items

  • Dangerous drugs
  • Fire arms, ammunitions, explosives, fireworks, any dangerous weapon, and scrap iron
  • Cigarettes without health warning written on their packaging

Consignment Instructions

Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air / sea shipments.

Cultural and Other Information