Process For Moving Overseas

Moving overseas is exciting and there is so much to look forward to once you get to your new home. The process of moving all your goods from one residence to another, however, can be daunting. The good news is, if you are in that situation, help is available. Having a professional international moving company whose staff is experienced, through personal moving journeys and through helping hundreds of others who are choosing to move overseas. AW Transportation’s team knows exactly what you need for a successful and hassle-free move.

Our process is comprehensive. We know how stressful moving is in general. When moving overseas from the United States, so far from the places and people you know well, the stress can be magnified exponentially. We specialize in removing the logistical headaches for our customers.

Free In-Home Moving Estimate (Or Self Survey)

A survey to inventory all goods to be moved is necessary for us to determine the scope of your move. You can elect to fill out a self-survey form, have a professional contact you for an online survey, or meet with one of our relocation professionals to discuss the details. In either one of these meeting forms we can discuss budget, packing, storage, and shipping options.

Information

When you leave your home country and move to a foreign one, you will need to know about the rules and regulations, customs, and prohibited items for the country you are moving to. We can help with that. We will inform you of the necessary forms and regulations, and help you get them filled out and submitted in a timely manner. We can also tell you firsthand about what it will be like moving overseas, and even, for some destinations, personal accounts of what they are like. Knowing as much as you can about the country you are moving to takes some of the worry away, and you can spend more time looking forward to the experience.

Packing

Our professional movers carefully pack and prepare your household items for safe shipping. We want to make sure that your goods will arrive at your destination undamaged. We will pack everything from your dishes to your other fragile items, your piano or grand piano, flat screen televisions, and everything associated with your move in a professional manner to avoid any damages.

Your goods will then be transported to the location port or airport where they will be shipped overseas.

Shipping

The next step will be for us to arrange the safe transportation to the closest air or seaport of exit where your goods will begin their international journey.

Being licensed by the Federal Maritime Commission, allows us to handle all aspects of shipping by sea. After determining whether you will need to ship via air and/or ocean freight, whether you will need a “full container load” (FCL) or if you are able to save money with a “less container load” (LCL-a container that may contain the household goods of others as well as your own), we will book the container or airline space accordingly, and arrange for your goods to be loaded at the US port or airport of exit for their overseas journey.

Clearing Customs

Clearing customs is vital because you will be unable to claim your household goods until they are released by the destination customs office. In some countries you are required to be physically present, but in most countries you will only need to be in the country once your goods arrive. We will inform you of the customs requirements for your destination country and ensure that those requirements are met so that your household goods can be customs cleared and released without delay and extra costs.

Destination Services

Once your goods are released by the destination customs office, our partners will arrange the delivery to your new residence. Our partners will then handle all aspects of the delivery, from unloading the lift van or container to the delivery into your residence, as well as unpacking, arranging to place the goods where they belong and the removal of any packing and wrapping debris.

Insurance

We can provide transportation and storage insurance as part of our services when we organize a move for you. Most of the time, our international moves work smoothly, and our clients’ household goods are delivered with everything intact. However, accidents do happen, and items can be lost or damaged. Just like your automobile or homeowner’s insurance you never really plan to use it, but prefer to have it in place in case it is needed.

Additional Moving Services

In addition to the services outlined above, we can also offer:

Domestic and International Storage Options

Sometimes due to your timing or travel plans, availability of your new residence, school holidays, employment or visa complications, you will need a way to store your household items for a period of time. We can arrange secure storage at the origin end of your move, as well as in your destination country for your convenience.

Container Shipping Service

We do a thorough inventory so that we can accurately determine the size shipping container needed to transport your goods. The most common sizes used for shipping household goods overseas are 20-foot and 40-foot containers. The 20-foot container is typically big enough to contain the belongings, including a bike, of an apartment that is about 850 square feet. The 40-foot container can typically include household belongings, including a car and a couple of bikes, of an apartment that is about 1075 square feet.

You have the choice to ship your household goods in a container with only your items or in containers with other parties’ items as well. If you have relatively few belongings, for example, less than half of a 20-foot container, you will probably save money by using the shared container, called a less container load (LCL). The LCL option is less expensive but also could be less secure because the chance of items getting lost or damaged is higher. In addition, since other people’s items are included, customs clearing can be more complicated or take a longer time.

A full container load (FCL) is the other option, and only your possessions will be transported in one of these containers. We will make sure you have all the information needed to make your choice.

International Car Shipping

As part of an international move, we can arrange for the shipping of your car overseas. We would include in our quote the cost of the shipping in a container or via Ro-Ro and the documentation needed.

Art & Antiques Shipping

Many clients have prized art pieces and antiques that they want to take with them when they move overseas. As part of an international move of household goods, we will carefully pack these precious items and can build special wooden crates if needed to protect them.