Bringing Books and DVDs to Qatar

izzie
By izzie

Hi. I'm packing my books and dvds to be shipped and i know the censors check them before giving them to you. Will my whole shipment get held up or do they just take the books and DVDs to scan. Also, some of my books are clearly for work, nothing objectionable in them whatsoever. If I pack these books with my DVD collection, would they just take out the dvds or will they take the whole box. (I don't have enough dvds to pack separately, yet I don't think my books would get held up if not for the dvds.) Anyone have experience with this?

By smethers• 31 Jul 2007 23:51
smethers

cool thanks ... shouldn't be a problem i'm sure!

S

By smethers• 31 Jul 2007 23:02
smethers

This all sounds rather worrying ... i've just shipped a load of stuff mainly books, DVDs and work files - my shipping agent, who I chatted to at great length (they deal specifically with The Gulf) said that it's absolutely normal to ship these things and didn't ask for a list of every title...

From reading your posts - am i likely to arrive in Doha and my belongings to be held up by customs as they go through each and every DVD i own...deciding whether or not it's suitable ...Argh!?

Ps - there's no porn or anything like that... but maybe a few political films - mainly relating to African nations...?

By namabiru• 31 Jul 2007 06:00
namabiru

So I've figured out from reading that I'll carry my DVDs with me, but I'm wondering what they consider to be "questionable" reading material. Obviously porn is a no-no, but what about novels? Anything I should watch out for? I'm kind of guessing 'no', because you can get a lot of stuff at the new Virgin superstore in the Villagio.

Oh, and yeah, just green lining every time you go through an airport is a good move. As long as you look nonchalant and passive, you usually don't get stopped. Unless you're a foreigner going back into Japan...

By izzie• 25 Jul 2007 09:38
izzie

Great. Thanks for that! I'll do the same then.

By chancetlu• 25 Jul 2007 08:59
chancetlu

I brought 300 DVDs over in my carry-on luggage. There was no problem at all. The security agent at the Xray maching pulled them out, thumbed through 2 or 3 pages, asked if I had and dirty movies, and let me go on my way.

My wife brought about 150 and they did not search her at all.

Just buy a CD/DVD book and bring them on the plane, that would be the easiest.

By Grantley• 24 Jul 2007 16:00
Grantley

They were in my backpack, which was x-rayed but not even opened, so can't say - sorry.

By izzie• 24 Jul 2007 15:05
izzie

Thanks guys! Grantley, so if I put them in my luggage, do I have to go through a red channel and declare them?

By Grantley• 24 Jul 2007 14:49
Grantley

Your shipper should tell you to provide a list of all DVD's and books for inspection. They inspected some of our shipment randomly, but other boxes were not even opened. When I arrived, I was expecting my DVD's to be confiscated and so had 50 of them in one of those book-style carriers in my backpack, including some potentially controversial ones (political dramas, war movies etc), ready to hand over. Knowing full well I was arriving 'permanently', they didn't even look at them. So put what you need immediately in your luggage, at least if they are impounded you will get them back quicker than your shipment arrives. best of luck...

By nottoknow• 24 Jul 2007 11:46
nottoknow

I have recently shipped the books and dvds .There was'nt any prob in getting the complete shipment provided your shipping company is good.

By KellysHeroes• 24 Jul 2007 08:17
KellysHeroes

They will hold the books and DVDs only (if they wish) and release your shipment.

Bonne Voyage

By DaRuDe• 24 Jul 2007 07:46
DaRuDe

what about the DVDS same story objectionable or not objectionable. hmmm

[img_assist|nid=21285|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=180]

By izzie• 24 Jul 2007 07:39
izzie

Ha ha...good point, but sorry to disappoint. No objectionable books in my shipment!

By DaRuDe• 24 Jul 2007 07:34
DaRuDe

Good Morning.

You Said, "some of my books are clearly for work, nothing objectionable in them whatsoever". hmm so that means rest of the books are objectionable hmmm hmm hmmm

[img_assist|nid=21285|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=180]

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