Thermal Scope Country Restrictions
To all the thermal scope owners out there: would you be able to share which countries you’ve been to that have allowed you to bring your thermal scope in / out of the country vs countries that ban it?
We are about to begin the exciting journey of buying our 1st scope (hugely encouraged and supported by all the info in the forums on here and from Jon’s posts). However we are pretty discouraged from the lack of information available online on which countries allow it to be brought in for mammal watching purposes and the way you need to contact immigration/ their local police to understand the rules for every country.
If there are any experienced folks out there who’ve listed which countries allow/ don’t allow, it would be immensely helpful for us/ other interested mammal watchers.
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12 Comments
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tomeslice
Sorry – Jon I just saw your reply after making my own, very simple reply.
I completely agree though – the less you ask, and the more discrete about it you are – the better.
I definitely DIDN’T ask in China if I can bring it in..
or anywhere for that matter.
If anyone ever asked me what it was, I always thought I’d say “video camera”. Though I don’t think I ever actually ended up having to say that. Lol.With that said… it’s an expensive little piece of device to take too lightheartedly when it comes to potential confiscation. I don’t know what I’d do if I were in that situation. I guess try to arrange to keep it in the airport until I fly back out.
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tomeslice
Hello!
Here’s my input:
Ever since I got my thermal scope I’ve successfully visited the following countries:
Uganda
Rwanda
Madagascar
Malaysia
Thailand (No mammalwatching there, but I arrived twice in 2 different airports and had several hours in-between, changing between airports)
Singapore
China
Paraguay
The United States
Finland
Sweden
Spain
Switzerland
IsraelI know people have had different experiences than myself in Singapore, but I didn’t have a problem coming directly from Turkey, nor on the way back – coming directly from Bornean Malaysia
Also regarding China – I was told by Sid that it’s technically illegal to bring in a thermal scope. I purposely flew in directly from Thailand to Chengdu, and despite having my carry-on bags scanned on the way in, I didn’t have problems with bringing in my scope.
Cheers!
Tomer -
Karolis
I’ve seen a few threads mentioning Singapore in relation to night vision devices, so I thought I’d share what I’ve found.
I live in Singapore and plan to buy a thermal monocular, which I’ll be bringing in and out of the country regularly. So, I did some digging.
In Singapore, it’s the Singapore Police Force (SPF) that determines whether a license is required for night vision or thermal devices. You can contact them at SPF_Licensing_Feedback@spf.gov.sg—they typically reply within 2–3 business days.
I asked if I needed a permit to own or transport a thermal monocular in and out of Singapore. Their reply was: “Night Vision/Infra-Red Goggles and Binoculars are classified as security equipment under the Private Security Industry Act 2007 (PSIA). A Security Equipment Service Provider Licence is only required if you are engaging in the business of providing, for reward, any security service to other person which is regulated under PSIA. Personal use of these items does not require a licence.”
In short: no license is needed for personal use.
However, when entering Singapore through Changi Airport, I asked the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the baggage scanner whether such a device would be allowed. I didn’t have one on me—I just wanted to see their reaction.
Their initial response was: “No, you can’t bring night vision into Singapore.” I explained it was for personal use, not for resale or distribution, and that I had written confirmation from SPF stating no permit was needed. That final point—mentioning the SPF email—changed their stance. Since SPF is the authority on this matter, the ICA officers agreed I’d be allowed to bring it in.
It felt like they weren’t fully aware of the nuances and defaulted to “no” out of caution. If I hadn’t had that email, I probably wouldn’t have felt confident pushing back.
Bottom line:
You can bring night vision or thermal devices into Singapore for personal use, but I strongly recommend getting written confirmation from the Singapore Police Force beforehand—just in case you’re questioned at customs.-
Michael Johnson
I had a similar experience with ICA when arriving at Singapore from Malaysia in 2019. All hand luggage was inspected as we left the airplane. A comment was made by an officer that maybe my binoculars (seen on the x-ray screen) was a thermal scope, but that was dismissed by another officer. As the topic had come up, I asked an officer why they were banned, and was told it was because Singapore was a small country. I asked what would happen if I ways transiting with a thermal scope, and they said it would probably be held till my departure.
Your explanation makes sense and offers some security regarding carrying a thermal scope through Singapore. Mind you over many years I have never been searched moving through the Customs barrier at Changi, and feel this search was properly in some way related to a security incident.
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charleswhood
Entering Oman in 2021, the security services at the airport were looking for thermal scopes (to confiscate them) but did not find mine, since they were distracted by other things (my birding scope, for one). It was not clear what would have happened if they found it, but they were distinctly looking and very strongly indicated it was a forbidden item. I have heard reliable but second-hand information that circa 2022, Nepal authorities were searching bags for them as one entered and exited national parks. The British supply company NHBS has a note that for most (all?) thermal scopes, they can only be delivered to UK addresses. / Charles Hood, California
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Paul Carter
Regarding the Nepal comments on thermal scopes in national parks (2022) note that it was only when I went into Langtang NP (north of Kathmandu) for a 7-day hike that all hikers were having their packs and bags checked, in one case with a metal detector probe. I was asked if I had a large knife; the person next to me was asked if they had a night-camera. There were no checks in the lowland parks that I visited (Chitwan and Bardia), probably because of tourist numbers and access was restricted to day-tours by jeep and walking tours; but when I visited Bardia I was told by an experienced guide that thermals were not allowed. The parks are patrolled by Gurkhas which may explain it.
When I entered Oman through Muscat in March this year I was asked if my Swarovski binoculars ran on batteries (like thermal bins) and they were run separately back through the x-ray machine. I later saw a comment that in Oman they confiscate your thermal scopes and return them to you when you leave. -
Michal
Oman restricts importation of thermal scopes. In Muscat at the airport it is checked quite thoroughly, especially in hand luggage. Scope is stopped and can be picked up on the way back. No negative consequences except loss of time and opportunity for good observation. From what I found out, only the military in Oman can use this equipment. In India, the use of telescopes is prohibited in national parks.There is another aspect of bringing a telescope to places where poaching is rampant. Its loss, for example due to theft, can endanger not only local animals but also park rangers. It is worth thinking about this as well.
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JanEbr
That’s a shame about Oman, which is otherwise a surprisingly sensible country. Now I am glad I was there before I had a thermal … The info about Nepal and India is a bit crazy – so you can bring a thermal, but not into the place where you would actually use it? And you cannot use *any* telescopes in parks in India? What are you supposed to do, get closer to the animals? Is that really good for their protection?
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Jon Hall
This question comes up a lot and it isn’t straightforward to answer. But here are some things to bear in mind.
I have taken a thermal scope on pretty much every trip I have taken since March 2017 to Sierra Leone ( a full list is here https://www.mammalwatching.com/about-mammalwatching-com/about-jon/jons-trips/) . I have never had a problem or even a question. I did not take my thermal scope to Ethiopia last year, largely because of that country’s attitude to binoculars.
I remember someone reporting here that they had their scope temporarily confiscated coming into Singapore a few years ago. I have heard that in India they can cause problems (using them rather than importing them). And I remember a rumour that Nepal also have an issue with them. These sorts of things seem one off and quite randomly applied. But in general any country where customs have a problem with optics and long lenses then you might want to think again.
There remains quite a lot of confusion around the rules. For example exporting them outside the USA was something Pulsar used to warn against. Perhaps they still do, But after digging into this with them I got some informal advice from Pulsar’s legal team that those rules on export PROBABLY applied only to thermal rifle sights, not to the sorts of kit we use. Probably…. This makes a lot more sense. Not sure that has ever been tested in court but given how easily available they are in most countries now it would be pretty silly not to be able to travel with them.
Moreover, given that they are not a weapon and that the vast majority of regular people wouldn’t recognise one in any case (especially some of the new phone attachment style cameras) I think you can probably take them into most countries without anyone caring.
Problems might be more likely to arise if you use them in the field in places where they might be prohibited.
And ‘prohibited’ might mean that someone in the local park office has decided they have a problem with them, rather than there is any real law.
So – as with so much of what we do – it might be a good idea to ask a local and be discrete to begin with if you have any doubts. There are rules – randomly applied it seems – around spotlighting in many places too for example.
Just my hunches though. I really don’t want to be held responsible when the first mammalwatcher gets set down for a 20 year stretch for possession of a Pulsar! Though I will promise to write.