Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia
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So a friend of mine sent me this link, with the caption:
Just for a little window into my world...
This list is hilarious, and makes you wonder what the story was behind some of the items on the list.
Here are some highlights for the TLDR crowd:
- Cameras which permit viewing the body without clothes naked (I want one of these! Is it a mode you switch on?)
- Annoying horns (define "annoying"
) - Greetings card which make noise
- Devices which are placed behind a driver to alert him incase he falls asleep (Yeah, preventing people from sleeping at the wheel is lunacy. Where else am I going to take a power nap?)
Seriously though, this list is brilliant
UPDATE: Here's the list without all of the shitty adverts.
Click to expand
Following Items are banned from import into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
1. Kuwait and Iraq war leftover equipment and machinery
2.Alerting apparatus (such as bells, sirens, burglar or fire alarms…) releasing sounds of police car sirens or of some animals
3.Industrial waste and hazardous refuse
4.Asbestos and products thereof
5.Drink having description of Zamzam (Zamzam is a holy well located in Saudi Arabia)
6.Betel
7.Sarin toxic gas
8.Two, three and four wheeler children’s motor cycles or vehicles with a height not exceeding 50cm from its wheels axle equipped with an engine working on gasoline or gas or any other flammable material regardless of its speed; such vehicles working on batteries are also banned if their speed exceeds 10km/h;
9.Security car radar detection equipment
10.Products manufactured or including parts made in Israel as follows:
11. No Israeli commodities or products of whatever kind and no Israeli coupons or other movable values shall be brought in or imported into the Kingdom. Further, no exchange or trading in the foregoing shall be permitted.
12. Goods and commodities made in Israel or in the production of which any percentage of the products of Israel enters whatever such products may be, shall be considered Israeli whether such goods and commodities come directly or indirectly from Israel.
13. Commodities and products reshipped from Israel or manufactured outside Israel to be exported for the account of Israel or for the account of the persons or bodies shall be treated as Israeli goods
http://www.mci.gov.sa/en/LawsRegulations/SystemsAndRegulations/ProvinceIsraelSystem/Pages/28-2.aspx
14. Used cars, cars used by the security authorities (police, etc. ……), taxis (including rental cars and used previously by rental companies) and cars that have already been subject to incidents of drowning, fire, collision or toppling or other, which normally have stamped on their registration document (SALVAGE) or any other similar term from another language
15. Used car parts, except for main spare parts (such as transmission, outside body of the cars , differential, engine)
16. Used consumer goods (such as refrigerators, washing machines, fabrics, garments ….. etc.) with the exception of goods used for personal use
17. Old cars (more than five years old) and cars that had traffic accidents or drowning destined to be dismantled and sold in the form of spare parts
18. Appliances and products working only on 127V except: (Plugs and sockets with 127V voltage are allowed to be imported until the year 2026; Light bulbs, which operate on 127V are allowed to be imported until the year 2026; fixed electric fans and suction fans for kitchens and toilets that run on 127V are allowed to be imported until the year 2026, 127V fans incorporating luminaires or other electrical functions are not allowed; appliances and electrical equipment working on a bilateral (dual) Voltage adjustable manually or automatically (100-230) volt are allowed to be imported permanently; spare parts for equipment and electrical equipment and accessories working on 127V are allowed to be imported until the year 2026 (Confirmation/commitment letter shall be collected from the client stating that the products are to be used as spare parts, a remark shall be stated on the CoC in this regard)
19. Forbidden refrigerants in products (ACs, Fridges, Freezers, etc…)
In addition to the above list, the following products are banned from entering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:
20. Explosive and radioactive materials, crackers, potassium nitrate of all kinds and potassium chlorate except with an official authorization.21. All types of fireworks
22. Medicines that do not bear, or are not accompanied by a leaflet bearing the composition and the amount of each component as per the code of practice of the profession of pharmacy and the trade in drugs and medicinal preparations.
23. Commodities with the government logo correctly depicted, which consists of two swords with a palm tree (tall trunk with leaves at the end of it) between them.
24. Nutmeg fruit, its seed and powder. It is only permitted to import nutmeg powder mixed with other spices in the allowable limit, which shall not exceed 20%.
25. Coupons of Hadi (sacrificial animal), sacrifices, ransoms (Fidyah) and charity. (paper document referring to sacrificial animals – sacrifice offered during Hajj; Sheep, camel, cow…)
26. Cameras which permit viewing the body without clothes (naked).
27. Massage devices which are presented in an immoral way.
28. Small cars and bicycles for children, that do not exceed 50 cm in height from the axle, and that are driven by engines powered with gasoline or gas or any combustible material in addition to battery operated cars if their speed exceeds 10 km/hr.
29. Tools and devices used in opening doors and cars (pick-locking)
30. Annoying horns
31. Masquerade masks
32. Imported empty bags bearing brands and labels or food products or cement or logos of companies, except the ones imported for national companies.
33. Transparent feminine cloaks (Abaya) even for personal use.
34. Special types of knives for aggressive purposes like double edged knives, or handheld knives.
35. Entertainment devices with hysterical laughters
36. Atron substance
37. Pencils in the shape of syringes.
38. Commodities with flags of foreign countries marked in significantly large form.
39. Cosmetics which cause irritation to human organs.
40. Prototype of Prophet Mohammad’s stamp (peace be upon him).
41. Commodities which have names & photos of celebrities.
42. Hides of lions.
43. Devices which transmit programs wirelessly (Video Poster).
44. Videophone devices
45. Bags which contain radio or recorder or alarm device
46. Greeting cards with small musical devices which work automatically when the card is moved.
47. Car antennas similar to the ones used by security cars and to wireless telephones.
48. Counterfeit money
49. Potassium Bromate used as an enhancer in bread production.
50. Cars with two exhausts, which work with 450 horsepower force and manual transmission.
51. Devices which are placed behind the driver to alert him in case he falls asleep.
52. Voice Changing Devices
53. Pinhole glasses (that work by laser).
54. Light emitting shoes in which mercury is used.
55. Toys in the shape of human hands, which are placed by some drivers in a prominent way in their cars
56. Electronic Mosque niches.
57. Six-pointed Star.
58. Cars with steering wheels on the right side.
59. Antique gun
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@doctorjones I clicked through and the only thing I saw banned was a ginormous banner that read "LIKE US ON FACEBOOK" in like size 64 red font.
Weird that they'd ban that.
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I wish those banners were banned globally.
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- Commodities with the government logo correctly depicted, which consists of two swords with a palm tree (tall trunk with leaves at the end of it) between them.
- Pencils in the shape of syringes.
- Bags which contain radio or recorder or alarm device.
- Potassium Bromate used as an enhancer in bread production.
- Cars with steering wheels on the right side.
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@boomzilla said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
Cars with steering wheels on the right side.
How about steering wheels on the wrong side?
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@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
@boomzilla said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
Cars with steering wheels on the right side.
How about steering wheels on the wrong side?
You mean, like cars in the UK ?
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@boomzilla said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
Potassium Bromate used as an enhancer in bread production.
Is that the stuff that the Food Babe got Subway to remove from their bread because she doesn't understand science?
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@jaloopa Ah, yes. Though I guess a lot of countries had banned it prior to that.
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- Cars with two exhausts, which work with 450 horsepower force and manual transmission.
Does it mean that a two exhausts car, with a 450HP and automatic transmission is OK ?
FileUnder: Someone should buy a two exhaust car with a manual transmission and 451HP and go test that law.
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Right on the image at the top (which I'm unsure if it's actually part of the list): magnetic materials.
?
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@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
- Greetings card which make noise
I fail to see the problem here.
- Greetings card which make noise
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@boomzilla said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
I guess a lot of countries had banned it prior to that.
It's definitely banned in the EU.
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@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
- Explosive and radioactive materials, crackers, potassium nitrate of all kinds and potassium chlorate except with an official authorization.
explosives, radioactive stuff, biscuits, gunpowder ingredients, firework ingredients.
One of these things is not like the others
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@jaloopa I think they mean white people
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@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
Appliances and products working only on 127V except: (Plugs and sockets with 127V voltage are allowed to be imported until the year 2026; Light bulbs, which operate on 127V are allowed to be imported until the year 2026; fixed electric fans and suction fans for kitchens and toilets that run on 127V are allowed to be imported until the year 2026, 127V fans incorporating luminaires or other electrical functions are not allowed
I don't know where in the world these 127V electrical devices are coming from, but according to this, light bulbs and sockets for 127V are allowed until 2026, and fans are allowed as well, but fans with lights are not allowed. Better remove those lights from your fans before importing them!
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@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
Cameras which permit viewing the body without clothes naked (I want one of these! Is it a mode you switch on?)
Pretty much all cameras will do that. I've seen cameras with facial detection and blink detection, and I've seen some pretty trippy Instragram filters, but I've never seen a camera that had non-defeatable woman detection and a burka-adding filter...
(actually they're talking about infrared cameras which can, in some circumstances, show the shape of someone's body underneath their clothes.)
@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
Annoying horns (define "annoying"
)
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(WTF? Why don’t they want me to select any text on that site?)
- Massage devices which are presented in an immoral way.
Just depict them like mail-order fashion catalogs of the ’80s–’90s used to, with pictures of women holding them next to their heads as if they were intended for, oh, I don’t know, facial massages.
- Tools and devices used in opening doors and cars (pick-locking)
So … do Saudis going abroad leave their house keys with the neighbours until they get back or something?
- Videophone devices
There goes your smartphone …
- Devices which are placed behind the driver to alert him in case he falls asleep.
Um, what?
- Antique gun
Good to know you can bring your brand-new one, anyway.
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@jaloopa said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
- Explosive and radioactive materials, crackers, potassium nitrate of all kinds and potassium chlorate except with an official authorization.
explosives, radioactive stuff, biscuits, gunpowder ingredients, firework ingredients.
One of these things is not like the others
(Argh, why does this onebox not have any text? The first paragraph of the article states several alternate names by which these are known, including "crackers".)
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- Goods and commodities made in Israel or in the production of which any percentage of the products of Israel enters whatever such products may be, shall be considered Israeli whether such goods and commodities come directly or indirectly from Israel.
So... Air? Pretty sure at some point in time at least one particle of Air that at some point in time contacted with Isreal exists in all products in the world today. Isreal is a pretty old place after all...
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@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
- Devices which transmit programs wirelessly (Video Poster)
No IoT devices then?
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@cvi said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
No IoT devices then?
This sounds like a good idea, just on general principle.
When looking at a device, ask yourself, can this be identified as an IOT device? If so, it's identification is ID: IOT.
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@tsaukpaetra Not often you see a place with directly racist laws like that. Good to know we didn't elect their favored presidential candidate.
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@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
handheld knives
But knives I hold in my foot or mouth is ok?
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@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
- Drink having description of Zamzam (Zamzam is a holy well located in Saudi Arabia)
- Commodities with the government logo correctly depicted, which consists of two swords with a palm tree (tall trunk with leaves at the end of it) between them.
These can't be imported? Is it okay to export them? Is it okay to have them within the country?
Can I import a commodity with the government logo incorrectly depicted?- Two, three and four wheeler children’s motor cycles or vehicles with a height not exceeding 50cm from its wheels axle equipped with an engine working on gasoline or gas or any other flammable material regardless of its speed; such vehicles working on batteries are also banned if their speed exceeds 10km/h;
- ... 127V ...
- Small cars and bicycles for children, that do not exceed 50 cm in height from the axle, and that are driven by engines powered with gasoline or gas or any combustible material in addition to battery operated cars if their speed exceeds 10 km/hr.
- Entertainment devices with hysterical laughters
- Pencils in the shape of syringes.
- Hides of lions.
- Greeting cards with small musical devices which work automatically when the card is moved.
- Toys in the shape of human hands, which are placed by some drivers in a prominent way in their cars
- Cars with two exhausts, which work with 450 horsepower force and manual transmission.
- Pinhole glasses (that work by laser).
- Light emitting shoes in which mercury is used.
These seem oddly specific. If my car has two exhausts and generates 450 horsepower, but has an automatic transmission, then it's fine? Or if it only generates 449 HP? Or 451, for that matter...?
Can I have toys in the shape of bear paws? (WARNING: somewhat graphic content)
Doesn't #28 duplicate #8?- Imported empty bags bearing brands and labels or food products or cement or logos of companies, except the ones imported for national companies.
- Commodities with flags of foreign countries marked in significantly large form.
- Commodities which have names & photos of celebrities.
Odd enforcement of nationalism, but okay, I guess.
- Atron substance
What is this? My google-fu suggests either some kind of pharmaceutical or ingredient in paint.
- Coupons of Hadi (sacrificial animal), sacrifices, ransoms (Fidyah) and charity. (paper document referring to sacrificial animals – sacrifice offered during Hajj; Sheep, camel, cow…)
- Cameras which permit viewing the body without clothes (naked).
- Massage devices which are presented in an immoral way.
- Transparent feminine cloaks (Abaya) even for personal use.
- Cosmetics which cause irritation to human organs.
- Prototype of Prophet Mohammad’s stamp (peace be upon him).
Government enforcing religious rules. These are examples of Sharia.
- Products manufactured or including parts made in Israel as follows:
- No Israeli commodities or products of whatever kind and no Israeli coupons or other movable values shall be brought in or imported into the Kingdom. Further, no exchange or trading in the foregoing shall be permitted.
- Goods and commodities made in Israel or in the production of which any percentage of the products of Israel enters whatever such products may be, shall be considered Israeli whether such goods and commodities come directly or indirectly from Israel.
- Commodities and products reshipped from Israel or manufactured outside Israel to be exported for the account of Israel or for the account of the persons or bodies shall be treated as Israeli goods
- Six-pointed Star.
Anti-Israel sentiment, enforced by government mandate. Also religious in nature. (See also: my "Palestinian" Media Propaganda thread in the Trolleybus Garage.)
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@doctorjones said in Items that are prohibited from bringing to Saudi Arabia:
Cameras which permit viewing the body without clothes naked (I want one of these! Is it a mode you switch on?)
Infrared light can see through certain clothing.
In the old analog days, Kodak's Ektachrome Infrared film was notorious for making IR visible, and IR film in general had plenty of
urban legends behind the Iron Curtain.
In this digital age, camera manufacturers add special filters to block IR and prevent this. See Sony Nightshot. This site has some technical details and "hacks" for the curious.
Potassium bromate - Wikipedia
