Moving furniture abroad often involved a different level of planning and preparation.
One of the most important steps in your international move is shipping furniture overseas.
Therefore, it is important to learn about the shipping processes and hire a trustworthy moving company, to help you tackle this obstacle and focus on the new opportunities that await you.
How will you move your belongings to another country?
There are options to ship furniture overseas and they include air freight, sea freight, or land freight.
To ensure your international move goes smoothly, we recommend that you start looking for an international moving company as far ahead as three months and book at least two months in advance.
That way, the movers can assess your needs, learn your preferences, and help you figure out what’s best for your budget and time frame.
Moving to another country via sea freight
The most common and cost-efficient way to transport household belongings to a new country is by shipping via sea freight.
The costs associated widely vary depending on the weight and size of your belongings along with the type of container you hire and transport fees.
There are two types of sea freights to consider:
1) Full Container Load (FCL)
This shipping container will cost a little bit more but it’ll allow you to bring more stuff abroad.
If you have enough furniture to fit the entire container, then it is worth shipping furniture overseas with an FCL.
2) Less than Container Load (LCL)
If you don’t have a lot of stuff to move, you might want to consider sharing the space of a shipping container by getting a Less than Container Load (LCL).
You can save money as you share the expenses of the container with someone else.
An international moving company will arrange to ship furniture internationally through a container that is sent to your home.
Once the container is loaded, a truck will pick it up and transport the container to the port.
Most international moving companies offer door-to-door and door-to-port services with an agent that helps manage the move to make sure your container is on the right carrier and that all customs clearance documents are completed and submitted.
Moving to another country via air freight
Airfreight is a less common way to move household belongings to a new country as it is much more expensive compared to sea freight.
In addition, there’s usually a limitation on the weight of belongings that you can ship via air freight as an aeroplane can only hold so much cargo.
Airfreight is suitable to ship furniture overseas if you are looking for a faster and more efficient option.
If you’re moving abroad on a tight timeline, we recommend considering this option for shipping furniture overseas.
Moving to another country by land freight
This option is obviously limited and requires the destination country to be accessible by land.
It has the lowest cost to ship furniture internationally to help you save money during your move.
How to ship your car?
If you are planning to bring your car with you when you move, you have to make sure you’re allowed to drive the car in the new country first.
This is because each country has its own licensing requirements and guidelines for operating vehicles.
International movers charge a relatively hefty price for transporting a car overseas.
You can also opt for air freight but it is incredibly expensive compared to sea freight.
We recommend reaching out to an international auto transport company that specializes in shipping vehicles.
To ensure you choose the best international auto transport company, you should ensure:
- they offer service from your home country to your new country
- they are properly licensed, bonded, and insured
- they only work with third parties (such as freight carriers) that are also licensed, bonded, and insured.
Other costs to consider when you move your car include:
- marine insurance
- destination charges
- customs duty
Important tips to remember when moving abroad
Your destination country may have different restrictions, so it is important to learn which items are restricted or prohibited.
When moving overseas, your belongings might be taxable in the new country and the tax amount is determined at a certain percentage of the item’s value that you’ve declared.
Insure everything. You must get insurance for every shipping piece of furniture.
Bring the stuff you can’t live without with you, don’t ship it.
Shipping your belongings overseas can take several months, especially if they’re being transported by sea.
So anything you think you’ll absolutely need for a few days and up to a few weeks or months should travel with you.
Documents checklist
Before you move, it’s important to check what documents you’ll need in your new country. Essentials typically include these nine documents:
1) Passport: This is the single most important document when travelling and moving abroad.
2) Visa: This is an official travel document placed inside your passport that allows a visitor to stay in a country for a specific purpose for a set amount of time.
3) Work permit: Many countries require that visitors and new residents obtain an official work permit in order to work.
4) Birth certificate: This is an official document issued at birth that includes your name, gender, birthday, birthplace, and parents.
5) Driver’s License: In addition to a passport, a driver’s license provides a second way to verify your identity if necessary.
6) Marriage certificate or divorce papers: A marriage certificate or divorce papers are official records of your marital status and can be used for tax purposes, proving a marital relationship and/or changing a last name. It’s a good idea to pack these away somewhere safe when moving.
7) ID cards: Your government ID allows the government to identify individuals and track their records and financial information.
8) Health and vaccine records: Research vaccine requirements before travelling abroad. Bring a copy of your health and vaccine records with you, so you can easily submit your information to new doctors and hospitals. You may also need to show your vaccination status in order to enter certain countries.
9) School records: If moving with school-age kids, it’s essential that you bring their school records with you. This will make the transition to a new school easier and will ensure they’re able to enrol on time.