Frequently Asked Questions About Moving Internationally

For international moves, you will want to book your moving company 1-2 months in advance of the move. The time needed to make all the plans and arrangements can take longer in busy summer months, so you will want to start the process sooner for those time periods.

You can move internationally without a moving company, but keep in mind that many details must be taken care of in an international move. Every country has different customs and paperwork requirements, and items that are prohibited from entry into the country. Without professional moving help, you will be responsible for arranging air and/or ocean freight, properly packing all your belongings, and procuring insurance for your items. If storage is required on either end of the trip, you would also need to make arrangements for that.

You will want to open a bank account in the city you are relocating to. If you plan to return to the US at a later date, you may want to consider keeping your American account open as well to maintain your credit rating so that you can obtain home or car loans when you return.

Many people use a combination of ocean and air freight. Ocean freight is less expensive but takes longer. Air freight is quicker and more expensive, so people normally use this option for items that will be needed right away, such as clothing, baby items, office and school items.

The cost of moving overseas varies. Some of the factors include your destination country, the amount of belongings you are moving, and your moving time frame.

This is different for every situation. The answer can be based on your moving budget, whether you have storage options in the US, and whether the items are prohibited in the country you are moving to. You will also need to check on electrical requirements (110V-220V-240V) and electric plugs used in the country you are moving to.

Companies usually provide a relocation budget, which may determine how many belongings you can take with you. If you rely only upon that budget, you may have to ship all of your items via the less expensive ocean freight and store or sell items that are over the amount allowed by your budget.

This varies according to the country you are moving to. You can be confident that you will need a passport, but other documents may be different. AW Transportation will provide you with all documents and procedures in regards to the documentation needed to properly clear customs .

The time to prepare and organize varies from person to person. However, the actual shipping of your household items can take 6 weeks and possibly more.

Full container load is more secure than Partial, or less than container load (LCL) because you will have a container with only your items included. FCL is more expensive, so you may base your decision upon how much you have to ship.

Some medications will be unobtainable in other countries, and some may be available in lower doses than you require. So, check into the availability before you move, and as long as the drug is legal in that country you may want to bring extra with you when you move.

Personal injury or loss of property could occur and with no documentation, liability issues could arise. AW Transportation only manages shipping containers when they use their trusted service providers.

AW Transportation handles all aspects of the international move including:

• Pre-move survey – physical or virtual
• No commitment free quote
• Document preparation
• Information on Customs regulations for the chosen country
• Inventory and list of all items to be shipped
• Properly pack items and prepare for international transportation
• Provide shipping insurance
• Door to Door service, including all aspects of export and import customs procedures
• Pickup, loading and unloading, and delivery
  Storage when necessary
• Customs clearance in the new destination country