Moving internationally can be a very complex and daunting process even for families that have moved extensively within the United States. Each country has their own set of rules for entering the country and what items or things you are allowed to bring in. It is important that when planning your international move or relocation that you pick a moving company that is familiar with the requirements for the country you are moving to and can obtain the right documents for you and provide you with the sound advice that you need to prevent problems for you down the line once you arrive in a new country.
You should be aware that an international move is a much longer process than a domestic move. You should expect to need months prior to your actual moving date to allow for all of the proper paperwork to be in place, and it can take a long period of time to make all of the necessary arrangements. One all of your paperwork is in order, and you have had your items picked up at the point of origin , you will likely see transit time of 30 to 60 days to get delivery depending on your destination.
There are number of different points of contact with your goods during the international moving process. To begin with you will have your origin mover that will pack and load you goods and then transport them and the container to the applicable port. You will then have a freight forwarding company that will handle the arrangement of your container to be shipped by ocean to the nearest port to your final destination city and country. Once your goods have arrived in your international port of call, you will have a company that will receive your goods and clear customs for you with the foreign customs office in the particular country that you are moving. Finally, once your goods have cleared customers, a local moving company in the country will deliver your goods to your new destination and handle any unpacking and unloading required.
To ensure a smooth and successful move, all of these companies should be coordinated through one single contact. For example, the company that you plan and book your move with should be a company that has good relationships with all of the other necessary points of contact, and should be able to provide you with complete tracking of your shipment from start to finish. Otherwise, without this relationship, getting accurate information regarding your shipment may be a nightmare and the long delivery times can create a lot of anxiety and concern. It is extremely important to collect as much information about the company that you are going to book your move with, and verify their ability to successfully handle all the details, as well as their ability to be a single source contact for you. One of the best things to check in is a company's experience handling moves to a particular country or region of the world. This prior experience and their answers to your questions about how your move will be handled will help you gauge your chosen moving company's capabilities to handle your move.
Moving internationally can be expensive and you should prepare for considerably higher costs than a domestic move. Your charges for your move are based on the weight of your goods, and are priced at a flat rate to you that will include full services. Most countries will not allow a shipment into the country that has not had the packing and inventory of the goods performed by a professional moving company. The mover must adhere to a strict list of items that cannot be shipped, as well as a long set of rules as to how they must inventory your items. Then the moving company must supply certified documents as to the contents of your container and complete inventories documents for each item.
Our best advice is to consult an experienced professional mover with extensive international moving experience and to thoroughly check their qualifications and references. It is worth the investment to have your goods handled by a qualified company than to have the problems associated with one that has limited experience or capabilities.
