Moving abroad with your household
Long-term relocation with household goods is different from a holiday. You'll interact with a shipping agent, customs broker and your destination's immigration authority.
Checklist
- 01
Decide what ships unaccompanied (by container or air freight) vs. what flies with you.
- 02
Hire a licensed customs broker in the destination country — almost always required for a container shipment.
- 03
Prepare a detailed packing list with approximate values and age of each item. Many destinations require this in the local language.
- 04
Check destination rules on specific categories: alcohol (usually duty-paid, sometimes prohibited), firearms (permits months in advance), vehicles (emissions/safety standards, age limits), pets (quarantine, microchip, rabies titres).
- 05
Insurance: marine insurance for the container is not automatic. Ask your agent for a quote separately.
- 06
Keep originals of all import documents — you may need them again to re-export if you leave.