Importing Personal Effects into Kyrgyzstan: Documents & Customs Rules

Source: FIDI Customs Guide · Updated 2024 · Download the Kyrgyzstan Import Guide (PDF)

Removal goods

• Non-residents
• Passport copy.
• Valid diplomatic card copy, if applicable.
• Local visa copy (visa must be valid on shipment’s arrival date).
• Document copy with Individual Identification Number (INN).
• Employment confirmation on letterhead of employer (sample provided by your local agent) - 3 originals.
• Notarized power of attorney (or power of attorney on letterhead of employer) for your local agent to handle customs process (sample provided by your local agent) - 3 originals.
• Notarized power of attorney (or power of attorney on letterhead of employer) for rail terminal handling, if applicable (sample provided by your local agent) - 2 originals.
• Customs brokerage agreement (provided by your local agent) – 2 originals.
• Residents
• ID card copy.
• Notarized power of attorney for your local agent to handle customs process (sample provided by your local agent) - 3 originals.
• Notarized power of attorney for rail terminal handling, if applicable (sample provided by your local agent) – 2 originals.
• Employment confirmation on letterhead of employer (sample provided by your local agent) - 3 originals.
• Customs brokerage agreement (provided by your local agent) - 2 originals.
• 2. Documents to be submitted by origin / booking agent:
• Packing list in Russian and English with detailed description, quantity & weight of each carton. General description such as kitchenware, bath items, garage stuff is unacceptable. Items need to be defined as much as possible (i.e. 3 ceramic pots, 18 spoons, 2 Teflon pans, 7 bathroom towels, 4 toothbrushes, one set of screwdrivers, etc.). Description of electronics should contain manufacturer’s name, make or model, serial number.
• Rated Waybill or shipping cost listed in carrier’s invoice or confirmation letter.
• All documents must be readable. Information provided in documents must be true and correct. All information in documents must be identical, no weight / value or other discrepancies are allowed. Every instance of discrepancy or unclear entries will cause delays and hold of the cargo by the customs authorities.
• Customs Authorities may request any additional info and/or document at own discretion.
• Collection of documents for import customs clearance & calculation of estimated import customs duty, fee & VAT can be started only upon receipt of detailed valued packing list, passport & valid visa copies of the owner, final rated waybill, actual documented shipping cost and contact details of consignee at destination.

• The State Committee for National Security (SCNS-KR) permission must be obtained for electronic appliances. Obtaining of SCNS permission costs @ EURO 80 / USD 100 Storage at customs bonded warehouse applies at actual as per receipt.
• Import customs declaration may be submitted and customs clearance started only upon receipt by the Customs Committee of customs fee paid to its account. Normally import customs clearance requires approx. 4-5 working days for non-diplomatic shipments & 3-4 working days for diplomatic shipments, provided that all documents are in order.
• Additional import charges related to customs duties, fee and VAT, airport/terminal storage charges, if any, should be pre-paid by consignee and are charged additionally to destination services rate. Receipts copies in Russian or English are presented upon request.
• Difference, if any, in exchange rate of CIF value currency in USD/EURO to local currency, Kyrgyz Som (KGS), on
• submission date of preliminary customs declaration vs. date of actual shipment’s arrival & customs clearance, should be paid prior to customs release.

• Import of used household goods and personal effects to Kyrgyzstan is subject to payment of import customs duty, fee and VAT according to legislation & official tariff of the Kyrgyz Republic. They are charged basing on CIF value - cost, insurance, freight value - listed in waybill & other shipping documentation that arrives with the shipment, i.e. cost of transportation in rated waybill or carrier’s invoice / confirmation letter + real customs value of goods declared by the owner in detailed valued inventory or invoice that arrived with the shipment.
• Customs value of goods may be lower than for insurance purpose but should be realistic to be accepted by customs officers:
• Customs fee @ KGS 0.4% of the customs value for 1 declaration
• Customs duty @ 0-20% of CIF value per kg-net weight (depending on origin & commodity of goods).
• Customs VAT @ 12% of CIF value + customs duty + customs fee.
• Customs charges can be only estimated by your local agent, exact cost is assessed only during the customs clearance process.
• As import customs charges are based on declared in shipping documents value, please do not enclose to a shipment any insurance or other documents with high value of goods.
• At any import of shipment it is necessary to request from the client a notice of confirmation of the use in the declared needs and purposes of the imported products that are subject to mandatory conformity assessment in the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union, in respect of which when placed under customs procedures does not require confirmation of compliance with technical regulation measures.

Electronics

• The State Committee for National Security (SCNS-KR) procedure for import of electronics:
• Application for SCNS permission lists model, make, serial number of electric appliances.
• Copies of above mentioned documents, waybill & inventory must be enclosed to application.
• Permission is granted within average 1214 working days.
• List of major items requiring SCNS permission:
• Computer, laptop, pc (desktop processor)
• All-in-one-desktop computer
• Computer parts (including keyboard, mouse, memory card, etc.)
• Printer
• Copy/Xerox machine
• Scanner
• VHS-player, Video-recorder
• DVD-player
• Home theatre/cinema
• Stereo-system, subwoofer
• Tape recorder
• Juke-box
• CD-player, MP3 player, iPod, etc.
• Telephone
• Alarm system, security camera
• Amplifier
• Radio transmitter, Hi-Fi devices, walkie-talkie
• Navigators
• Camera, web-camera, flash gun, lens
• Video-recorder
• Laser equipment (i.e. laser pointer)
• IPOD, IPAD
• Hard disk
• Wi-Fi router
• Mobile phone, tablet
• Modem, router
• Cordless phone
• Remote control
• Memory card (flash drive, etc.)
• MFP (multifunction device)
• Baby monitor
• Quadcopter, drone
• Headphones
• Other wireless or Bluetooth equipment
• … (upon request)
• SCNS permission is required for all above electrical appliances, however you should mention model, name of manufacturer.

Carpets, paintings, musical instruments, objects of art, antique items, large souvenirs and other artefacts

• For future export of such items, you would need proof of their import. For this purpose, please prepare list of items with their details, i.e. name of author, artefact name, metric dimensions, material, description, value, year of production, photo
• Musical instrument should be accompanied by its original passport.
• Such items must be clearly and properly described in the packing list.

Not recommended Items

• Electronics requires import permission from the State Committee for National Security which takes approx. 12-14 working days.
• Import permission for the following items: satellite antenna or GPS-navigator (including radio-electronic equipment
• and (or) high-frequency devices for civilian use, including those built-in or included in other goods, as well as radioelectronic equipment for various applications for transmitting or receiving voice, image, data and (or) other types of information) requires import permission from Radio Frequency Control Department that takes approx. 12-14 working days.

• Household goods shipment will be declared as "used household goods" as opposed to commercial cargo. Household goods shipment should not contain new items.

Prohibited items

• New items
• Cash
• Food items (including dry, canned fish and meat food, spices).
• Jewelry, precious stones, other high value items, sets & collections
• Articles made of precious metals (gold, silver), including silverware
• Beverages, alcohol beverages.
• Weapons, ammunition
• Toxic / Radioactive materials
• Flammables
• Pornography
• Religion information or items
• Rare animals & birds species, skins, horns
• Stuffed animals & birds
• Books older than 50 years
• Used tires
• Plant
• Soil Any equipment, containing Freon
• Printing/Audio/Video materials which are prohibited for import into Kyrgyzstan:
• Printing/Audio/Video materials with extremism & terrorism info
• International Veterinary Certificate
• Vaccination certificate.
• Copy of original International passport of a pet.
• Import Health Certificate Form 15 (if vet. Passport is not available)
• Invoice for pet (owner’s data & complete information about pet, i.e. name, colour, quantity, country of origin, purchasing value).
• Ticket of the owner (only for importing accompanied pets).
• Power of Attorney (if pet is unaccompanied; should be issued in Kyrgyzstan).
• Passport copy , IIN and Visa copy of the owner of pet.

• Import of alcohol is not allowed, 3 liters allowed only for diplomats.
• Printing/Audio/Video materials with pornography
• Printing/Audio/Video materials with propaganda about elections & referendums, violation of laws of participants of the Customs Union
• Printing/Audio/Video materials with propaganda of Nazi symbols & attributes, and/or symbols & attributes which are like Nazi
• Printing/Audio/Video materials with any info, which can cause harm to politic, economic interests of Kyrgyz Republic, its state security, health & morals.

Others

• Documents required for extension of temporary customs import:
• Import customs declaration copy
• New consignee’s visa copy
• Notarized power of attorney from consignee;
• Request from consignee’s organization to extend temporary import listing required prolongation terms (since and until when)
• So-called “commitment letter” on letterhead of consignee’s organization admitting obligation to re-export the goods until his paid temporary import terms & visa are expired.
• N.B. Temporary import is advisable only for persons intending to stay in Kyrgyzstan for a few months up to one year due to complicated and time-consuming process of prolongation and periodical payments, not to mention customs penalties for non-timely prolongation of the owner’s visa, temporary import regime or payment of periodical dues.

• Local terminal cargo registration & customs declaration requirements:
• Surface shipment must be placed & registered at customs bonded warehouse by the deadline term (maximum 30 days) according to so-called “DKD” – transit customs declaration - issued at the customs border point at entry to Kyrgyzstan.
• Import customs clearance can be started only upon placement of the shipment at customs bonded warehouse and registering. For air & road shipments it follows unloading & waybill registration, for rail shipments - delivery of the container from rail terminal & rail waybill registration. Customs declaration must be submitted within 4 months days upon air shipment’s arrival and within 4 months since date of surface cargo registration at customs bonded warehouse.
• Submitted customs declaration must be processed and released within 10 calendar days upon submission.
• If declaration is not submitted within prescribed period and customs
• dues are not paid timely following are consequences:
• official fines and penalty will be imposed on actual consignee of the shipment (owner)
• shipment will be considered as contraband and will be put on hold accumulating storage charges
• documents for the shipment will be passed to Customs Smuggling Department & Administrative Court for further investigation
• further import customs clearance will be impossible and whole shipment until the Court decision is announced
• all Court processing fees will be collected from consignee prior to release of his shipment for further import customs clearance (if at all allowed).
• If customs declaration was not released within set 10 days then pre-paid by consignee customs fee is cancelled and must be paid again, while new customs declaration must be submitted.

• Terminal storage charges:
• Air - accumulate immediately upon shipment’s arrival and hours are rounded to calendar days, i.e. if shipment arrives at 11:50 pm on January 1, at 12:00 am of the following day, January 2, it’s already considered as being stored for one full day and 2nd storage day).
• Surface - accumulate immediately upon shipment’s arrival, whereas storage charges at customs bonded warehouse accumulate since registration date that may differ from arrival date. Storage charges at rail/truck terminal are separate and additional to storage charges at customs bonded warehouse.
• Regimes:
• Free circulation regime or
• permanent import - whole amount of import customs charges is paid at once prior to import customs clearance process.
• Citizens of Kyrgyzstan may import household effects on permanent import basis only, thus are liable to pay all customs charges in full.
• Temporary import – possible for items imported temporarily maximum for 2 years.
• For temporary import only customs fee is paid at once prior to customs clearance process. Total amount of customs duty and VAT, that would have been paid if goods were imported permanently, is split into 3% periodic dues to be paid monthly. Separate detailed valued inventory is required for temporary imported goods. Temporary import has same validity as consignee’s Kyrgyzstani visa. No goods imported on temporary basis can be consumed, sold or given away as along with every visa extension either temporary import of exactly the same goods must be prolonged, same goods must be exported or imported on permanent import basis upon payment of the rest
• amount of customs duty & VAT.
• Extending temporary import along with extending consignee’s visa in fact means replacing expired visa copy in the customs archives with the newly issued visa. All related documents, such as customs declaration, inventory list, passport copy, etc. remain unchanged without any customs stamps.
• The tenure of such temporary import is based on validity of consignee’s diplomatic card. If consignee is diplomatic mission itself, then temporary import expires on the same date as its accreditation in Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyzstan Moving Guide: Documents, Duties & Shipping Notes

Source: IAM Country Guide · Updated 2026-09-05 · Download the Kyrgyzstan Country Guide (PDF)

Documents

Documents required for importing used household goods, personal effects, and related shipments.

• Copy of passport
• Copy of visa (valid for the duration of stay)
• Original bill of lading (OBL) / air waybill (AWB)
• Packing list
• Valued inventory in English or Russian
• Letter of employment
• Letter to Customs Committee (format provided by destination agent)
• Photographs of each cultural item imported (2 copies per item)

• All of the above
• Copy of diplomatic card

Specific Information

No general duty-free exemption for household goods. All non-diplomatic shipments are subject to customs fees and duties. This applies equally to returning citizens, who must also pay full duties and taxes.

EAEU member state: Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (with Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Armenia). Goods moving between EAEU member states are exempt from customs duties.

Customs charges (non-EAEU shipments):

• Customs fee: 0.15% of CIF value
• Customs duty: USD 0.15 per kg net weight (on air and surface shipments)
• VAT: 12% (applied to CIF value plus duty and fee)

Consumables are prohibited under temporary importation but can be imported under a permanent regime.

Diplomats receive duty-free entry with proper documentation.

Photographs of cultural items: Two copies of photographs of each cultural item (artwork, antiques, artefacts) must accompany the shipment for Customs records. This is a distinctive Kyrgyzstan requirement.

Duties & Taxes

Duty-free thresholds for personal goods (EAEU rules):

• Air transport: goods up to EUR 10,000 and 50 kg
• Other transport (road, rail, post): goods up to EUR 500 or 25 kg
• Excess above these thresholds is subject to duty at 15% of value but not less than EUR 2 per kg

Prohibited & Restricted Items

• Weapons of any kind
• Pornography
• Narcotics
• Toxic and radioactive materials
• Flammables and explosives
• Extremist materials or content threatening public security
• Items containing Freon (EAEU regulation)

Wine and spirits: Maximum 1 litre duty-free.

Foodstuffs: Restricted; subject to duties and inspection. Consumables cannot be imported under a temporary regime.

Cultural items (artwork, antiques, artefacts): Permitted but require 2 photographs per item for Customs records. A separate valued inventory entry for each cultural item is recommended.

Cash and monetary instruments: EAEU rules apply. Cash exceeding USD 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared at the border.

Consignment Instructions

Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air, surface (road/rail), and postal shipments.

Landlocked country. Kyrgyzstan has no seaport. Surface shipments typically arrive by road or rail, often transiting through Kazakhstan (via Almaty) or China. Air freight arrives at Manas International Airport (Bishkek). The most common shipping routes are through the port of Poti (Georgia) or Lianyungang (China) for sea-to-land transit, or via Almaty for consolidated loads.

Inventory requirements: A valued inventory in English or Russian is required. Cultural items require photographs (2 copies each). The letter to the Customs Committee and the letter of employment must be prepared in advance; the destination agent provides the format.

EAEU transit: Goods transiting through other EAEU member states (typically Kazakhstan) to reach Kyrgyzstan move under EAEU transit customs procedures. The destination agent coordinates the transit declaration.

Air freight weight threshold: Non-diplomatic air freight shipments over 50 kg are subject to an import tax of EUR 4 per kg. This significantly increases cost for heavy air shipments and should be factored into the move estimate.