As soon as you know that you are moving overseas, you need to start getting information from moving companies. You will want to get a quote from each international moving company, with a minimum of three quotes…

It’s possible that you do not yet have your visas yet, but representatives from the companies will need time to come to your home and access everything to go on your inventory form. This would include everything, everywhere in your home – every closet, under every bed, things buried in the attics, basements and garages.

If they cannot come to your home, then you will need to carefully write out each and every item that needs to be moved. There is no better time to get rid of unneeded items and do some major house cleaning. You can divide your items into three categories – “Must have” items, “Maybe” items, and “Throw/Give Away” items. With a clear list of what must be moved, the international moving company will be able to give you an estimate. Once you have that figure, you will be able to decide rather or not there are still more items that you should not take. The larger and heavier an item is, the more it will cost to move it.

It is also important to remember that there are two ways for things to be moved – by air or by sea. Smaller, more fragile items can be sent by air, and air is much faster, with your items being delivered in 7 – 14 days. It’s important to remember that air is also the most expensive way to move things. Getting through customs is usually easier when shipping by air also. In order to move things by sea, your must meet a minimum amount of cubic feet or kilograms. Of course, shipping by ocean takes quite a bit longer, but the main positive feature is the cost efficiency. If you have large items like furniture, cars, or appliances, you will certainly need to ship by sea.

Another thing to consider is the shipment of your car overseas. International auto shipping is actually a simple project with a few options for you to decide. The most cost efficient way to ship your automobile is through Roll-on Roll-off (RO RO). This simply means that your vehicle is actually driven onto and off of the cargo ship. This saves a great deal of money because the car will be able to be moved easily and placed in an easy location, requiring minimal space. Your vehicle can also be placed inside a carton, if you so desire. Although this is a little pricier, it will give your vehicle extra-special care and protection. The cost for shipping vehicles overseas is based on the size of your vehicle, with it classifying as small, medium or large.

Every country has its own set of rules and regulations. As soon as you know you are moving overseas, it would be worth your time and effort to find out exactly what you need to know about your new country before moving there. For example, if you are moving from the United States to the United Kingdom, you need to definitely contact the UK Consulate closest to you to see what type of visa you will need to apply for and how to do so. Be sure and allow sufficient time before planning your move to the United Kingdom to apply for your visa as it can take a considerable amount of time to process.

Also, when planning the move to the United Kingdom, you have to consider shipping from usa to uk. Depending on how quickly you need to move, you need contact an international shipping company so that plans can be made for shipping from us to uk. Again, the cost and time will be based on how much you need to move and whether to ship by air or sea.

Moving is always an adventure, rather you are moving to another part of town or overseas to a brand new country! You want to find a moving company that will provide you with the peace of mind and service you deserve. Consider all of your choices and choose the company that works best for you and your situation.

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Written by Einat Mazafi
Einat Mazafi is the owner of NY International Shipping, an International Shipping and moving company based in New York. She is also a specialist in providing the best relocation solutions to clients worldwide.