Bringing in household goods - what can't I bring in?
I may be moving to Qatar within a few months to work. I have been trying to find information on which household goods I can and cannot bring into the country. I am aware that I cannot bring alcohol (I don't drink anyway) or anything derived from pigs, or pornography. I have a few questions, however. Are there other household goods that I cannot bring to the country? Is there software or electronics I cannot bring? What counts as pornography? Are there books I should leave behind in Canada?
I know that anything I bring in with me on the plane will be subject to search - if I ship my personal effects will they be searched as well? What about computer files? I have a number of fiction stories and written works that I am working on, will those be subject to search? Can I ship my personal computer to Qatar?
Thank you for any insight you can provide!
You can bring most things you want/need from Canada - you've already covered most of the big no nos - pork/alcohol/pornography.
Be aware the electrical system here is 220 as opposed to Canada's 110v - you can buy step down transformers but they are only good to a certain wattage so be sure to read the labels on your electrical goods and on the transformer.
Your computer (especially if it's a laptop) should just need an adaptor for the plug - most made today show on their labels 110 - 220 meaning they'll work at both voltages.
Your shipped goods are also subject to search so see the big no nos list again. At one time in the gulf art books containing pictures of nudes by great artists might be seized but I haven't heard of anything like that in the past 5 years.
Use common sense, if it's something you wouldn't want your 9 year old to have access to then it's probably something you might want to think twice about. That said, I doubt if your lap top files would be checked for written material (unless it's overtly derogatory to the religion or the region or the ruling family - other BIG no - nos)