Just starting to think about possibly retiring to Panama from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Wondering how I would go about freighting some of my household goods that my wife can't part with?
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There are as many opinions as ways to do things. A 20-foot container costs around $4,000 to $5,000 to ship to Panama if you want to ship that much stuff. We have been here over eleven years. We shipped a 40-foot container and then later split a 20-foot container to bring down my shop tools. It boils down to your individual preferences. Some people come with only some suitcases and start all over. Our preference was to bring stuff we already had and liked. If you save, say $3,000 by shipping only a few large items and then need to spend $3,000 buying new stuff here, it's a break-even deal.
It is true that you should definitely have a Pensionado Visa card or other permanent residency card before shipping because with them you can bring in your stuff duty-free. You should use a reputable shipping company which uses a good customs broker. You should also check the Panamanian Embassy site for lists of prohibited or limited things. A good broker will also be able to advise about such limits.
Hi there, I am a Canadian from Vancouver living here for 8 years. I would not advise shipping things like appliance or furniture, but I understand there are always some things you cannot let go of. For that type of stuff, I recommend a company called Servitechnics, servitechnics.pty@gmail.com, Eliecer Vargas, 786-747-8557, who are located in Miami, with an office in Boquete, and offer a hassle free way to get less than container shipments to Panama. You will have to pack up and ship to their Miami warehouse, whenre they will consolidate and get it to anywhere in Panama that you need.
I have shipped a few hundred pounds with them several times, always good service, and no worries about customs problems.
If you have any further questions, about the move from Canada to Panama, feel free to reach out at 786-282-6302, I live in boquete, but have a US number.
Rod
My advice is to get your carnet first. That is the stage of approved residency but not yet formaized for a few more months. The reason for this is that many shippers will claim that it is not their responsibilty to broker ( clear customs ) so that they can put your household goods in storage for $137.00 per day ( probably more now ). They will usually wait a few weeks to tell you your items have even arrived in Panama so that they have already built up a few thousand dollars of stroage fees. Even if you have a good lawyer it will be expensive and a fight to get your things back. I lost $5,000 worth of household items and $2500.00 in shipping fees. I wasn't the first and won't be the last. I should have known better because only having a lawyer and an internationally known shipper got my first shipment through. Perhaps check out if Panama is for you for and if it is get your carnet before you ship your household items you don't not want to buy here. And document everything. Just my 2 cents.