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haopengyou
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 197
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 Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:55 pm Post subject: Movies in the KSA |
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| I have quite a large movie collection. Am I going to have trouble getting it into the country? I know that some folks just plan on going in for a year or two and then coming home to resume a "normal" life but this is my career and I would like to have some more "creature comforts" than can fit into 2 suitcases and one carry on. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:00 am Post subject: |
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Dear haopengyou.
What'll likely happen is that if/when Customs sees your collection, it'll be "kept for inspection" for a while, and you'll have to keep checking with (calling) the airport to see when your movies can be reclaimed.
It's a nuisance and a pain in the neck, but if you insist on bringing a LOT of movies into the country, it's what you can expect.
Regards,
John |
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vanVlaanderen
Joined: 03 May 2009
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:39 am Post subject: how many is a lot? |
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| So how many can you bring in without hassle? Can they be copies? Do they have to be originals? |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:34 am Post subject: |
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Dear vanViaanderen,
I'm afraid that really a kind of "how long is a piece of string" question (which so many questions about the Kingdom can be) because - yup - it all depends, mainly on the agent you get and what sort of mood he might be in that day.
I've seen people get by bringing in as many as ten, and I've seen others bringing as few as two, which got "taken for inspection."
So, I guess the only "safe" thing to assume is that they'll be "inspected."
Regards,
John |
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ganesh77
Joined: 05 Jul 2009
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:59 am Post subject: |
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| It likely doesn't matter whether they are originals or copies. Another option if you have an address here is just to ship them over, and declare the movies as "educational materials" or something like that. Cheap dvd movies are easily found in town too for those essential flicks. |
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Citizenkane
Joined: 14 Jun 2009
Posts: 234
Location: Xanadu
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| Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:05 am Post subject: |
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| If you're worried, let me repeat a suggestion made here many times before: Take the DVDs out of their little boxes and either put them in a clear plastic sleeve or put them all together on a spool. This way they're much less likely to attract the attention of customs officials who may think they're just CDs. Anyway, it's often the covers that attract attention more than the DVDs themselves. |
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haopengyou
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 5:22 am Post subject: |
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| What if I ship all of them with my belongings - clothes and appliances? Will they be scrutinized? |
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Citizenkane
Joined: 14 Jun 2009
Posts: 234
Location: Xanadu
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| Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:40 am Post subject: |
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| So far as I know, shipments coming into the country by air or sea are always searched - although perhaps sometimes in a rather cursory manner. By contrast, as has been pointed out, luggage brought through the airport is rarely opened and searched. So if you're really worried about your DVDs (which begs the question.......) I would suggest bringing them with your luggage rather than your cargo. DVDs are light and don't take up much space, esp. if you take them out of their cases, as suggested. |
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haopengyou
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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| There is nothing "bad" about the DVD's. I have just heard so many stories about how unreasonable customs can be. I also want to find out where the line is. I am hoping to subscribe to "netflix" but am not sure if internet would let me do that...so many things to learn. |
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Marquess
Joined: 05 Feb 2009
Posts: 165
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| Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:29 am Post subject: |
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| Why not just buy copies while your here for a pittance and avoid the torture of customs. Also why ship stuff-just buy what you need here? Netflix-please- it won't work here. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:09 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| There is nothing "bad" about the DVD's. I have just heard so many stories about how unreasonable customs can be. |
Your idea of 'bad' or 'unreasonable' may not be the same as that of a SAudi customs official. Their job, like all customs officials, is to prevent anything entering the country which is against the laws of the land. And the fact is that many films, however innocuous they may appear to us, are in fact contrary to Saudi norms.
People here have given you some good advice. I'm not sure what else they can do for you - now it's up to you. The bottom line is that it is unlikely you will be searched on arrival: If you are, the most that can happen is that some or all of your DVDs will be confiscated. You would not be arrested or deported. So you are going to have to decide if it's a risk you're willing to take - or not. |
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Marquess
Joined: 05 Feb 2009
Posts: 165
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| Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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| They are quite within Saudi norms and copies are readily available in towns and cities and are shown on satellite which again is widely available. Hell they have satellite TV on military bases. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Marquess wrote: |
| They are quite within Saudi norms and copies are readily available in towns and cities and are shown on satellite which again is widely available. Hell they have satellite TV on military bases. |
How do you know? Did the OP send you a list of his movie titles? Unfortunately there is a large disconnect between what is acceptable by "Saudi norms" and laws and what is shown in satellite TV or available on the open black market DVD trade in these countries.
You can probably seeing plenty of kissing on satellite TV... so head out to the mall and start necking with someone of the opposite sex... we'll see if the movies reflect local rules.
As far as bringing in all the personal DVDs, odds are in your favor haopengyou, but there is an element of risk. Why not duplicate your favorites and leave the originals. I would assume that you will NOT be able to download movies in Saudi... speeds probably won't support it.
VS |
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Pikgitina
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 420
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:44 am Post subject: |
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Once when I ordered DVDs from Amazon, customs opened the box and sent me a letter to report to the main post office in Muscat. When I got there, a very friendly bearded one went to fetch my parcel and told me to open it and inspect it. He then took one of the DVDs from the box and pointed to a reviewer's comment printed on the cover which read "A sexy thriller...". He didn't like the word "sexy" (there was nothing offensive on the cover). I had to leave that DVD with him and pay a fine of 5 OMR  .
He assured me though that the DVD was going straight to the crusher/incinerator and not into his DVD player  . Even though I was quite peeved, he was very apologetic and friendly.
The point is, Oman is much more laidback than Saudi, but this still happended there. It was just bad luck I suppose.  |
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Marquess
Joined: 05 Feb 2009
Posts: 165
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| Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 10:10 am Post subject: |
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We are not talking about replicating what you see on movies.  |
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