Shipping Your Stuff

If you’ve gotten this far, you have your visa path in mind, and are beginning to consider the logistics for your big move. How much stuff do you have? How much do you need? What should you get rid of or store? My last move was a nightmare because it was decided to alter plans from two years to three months.

It wasn’t enough time to deal with everything in the family home while I was working full time, and I had accumulated so much stuff that wasn’t worth shipping.  Getting rid of the majority was the hardest part. Listing ads on Marketplace and Ebay is time consuming. Most moving experts recommend 3-6 months timelines for overseas moves. While making your plans, you might want to consider how much time and help you have in dealing with your possessions, vehicles, home, and adjust your timeline accordingly.

Deciding Which Possessions to Bring

This may depend on your budget. If your budget is tight, there will have to be some hard decisions. I originally moved to the UK with two suitcases, and brought additional things back with me when I visited home. My mother was kind enough to store some things in her attic.

Many things are cheap to replace, some things just aren’t practical to bring, especially appliances or some electronics. Get quotes from various types of international shipping companies. You’ll find that the dimensions of each box, as well as the weight, will influence the pricing.If you can pack 10 items in a medium box that will cost $50 to ship, ask yourself if it’s worth it to spend $5 to ship each item. You may find you’ll have a lot to discard, donate, or sell.

When packing, you will need a list of each item in each box, with some companies requiring a copy of the shipping label and copy of your passport as well, so don’t seal up your boxes until they are ready to leave.

Shipping Options

• FREIGHT FORWARDING SERVICE– These companies enclose your items within a crate, insure, ship and arrange reception by a similar UK service. Such firms might only be available in port cities, coastal, Great Lakes, or maybe the Mississippi River. Almost anything can be shipped via this method, large furnishings and cars included. The downside of this is that it can take in the range of 2 months for your belongings to arrive in the UK.
• UPS– Expensive but quick. International Shipping phone number: 800-325-0365
• AIR FREIGHT– Standard airlines have separate freight shipping services, though expensive. Charges are by weight and size, one agent quoted $2.83 per pound as a ball park figure. This is a good method of shipping smaller fragile items or things needed immediately.
• EXTRA BAGGAGE ON PASSENGER FLIGHT– $100 for each checked piece not exceeding 62” (that’s height, width, and length added together) and 70 pounds. Larger than 62” is $152.00, heavier than 70 lbs is $228.00. Prices may vary by airline or service.
• MOVING COMPANIES- These companies will take care of all shipping from door to door, so if your moving costs are being paid by an employer, this would be the most easy but expensive method.

Import Duties and Customs

Anything imported whether via luggage or shipping is possibly subject to customs inspection and liable for import duties of 20% Value Added Tax is basically a sales tax, as of June 2023, the current rate is 20%. More on goods less than 6 months old. See Transfer of Residence Relief guidelines for exemption of import duties on personal items over six months old, where there is a link to an application for relief. (The application also includes submitting your Pet Travel Scheme documents.) Have receipts available if you think you may be questioned on anything of value. If you intend to return to the US with these items, then they are exempt and you do not need to declare them.

Goods Imported for Temporary Use

If you are moving to the UK for a specified period of time, for example, a student coming to study, you can claim Temporary Import (TI) relief on goods for your period of stay in the EC up to a maximum of 24 months. To claim, goods must be imported for a specific use and intended for re-export from the UK within a specified time. See Relief links above.

Bringing Cash?

You must declare cash of £10,000 or more to UK customs if you’re carrying it between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and a country outside the UK. This applies to the entire family or group traveling together. ^1

Storage

Storage facilities vary in price from region to region, be sure to shop around and check out how well the sites are maintained. Bring your favourite cookware, and recipes, but also note that you should bring your own measuring spoons and cups with you as you might have trouble finding them with American (Imperial) measures in the UK as they tend to measure in grams on a kitchen scale.

If you’re are planning to be in the UK for a couple of years, you will probably be better off to sell the cars and cheap older furniture rather than store them. Cars depreciate and deteriorate from disuse, and can create insurance trouble later on if policies aren’t maintained.

1. Take cash in and out of the UK. (2023). Retrieved 4 June 2023, from https://www.gov.uk/bringing-cash-into-uk