Here are some tips and important ideas to keep in mind as you plan your international move. Focusing on these points will help advance the moving process efficiently and keep it confusing and stress-free for you.
You can make time for your friend or your foe. Don’t procrastinate with starting the organization of your international move. The experts you’ll be relying on for a successful move will have many aspects to organize and coordinate. Do some research to learn whether your move occurs during any holiday in your destination country, which could cause a delay or disruption in the moving process. The sooner you contact your movers, the more secure you’ll be in knowing that no detail will be rushed and no personal property will be at risk.
Obtain a floor plan or the total amount of square feet your destination includes. Then measure your current living space. If where you’re going to is smaller than where you are, it’s decision time. You’ll need to start choosing what goes and what goes to the yard sale or on E-Bay. Also, check whether stairways or elevators at your new home will create a problem for extra-large items.
Take an inventory of your possessions that operate by electricity. Then research whether these items will work in your new home. In some cases, an inexpensive adaptor is all you’ll need. However, there may be appliances that will have to be discarded and new ones purchased at your final destination. This will help avoid you having to include items in your move that you won’t later be able to use.
Packing is the time when people are most concerned with detail and caution. Even if you’ve moved from America’s East Coast to West Coast and all of your items survived intact, packing for international shipping presents its own unique challenges. It’s highly recommended that you allow expertly trained professional movers and packers to attend to the secure packing of your possessions and property.
International moving insurance, especially for big-ticket items is a highly recommended option. Perform an inventory of the items that you’re having internationally shipped. Once you arrive at a precise value for an item, add the pro-rated cost of moving that item to the listed value.
Shipping a vehicle overseas may be one of the more challenging parts of an international relocation. Import restrictions vary from one country to another. Some of the questions to include in your decision process include whether you’re licensed to drive in your new country, does your vehicle meets the environmental standards required, and Is the cost of insurance is prohibitive.
One of your best resources is the embassy of the country you’re moving to. The embassy staff will be able to provide you with information by mail as well as online which will help you gain an understanding of what information is required of you and the different restrictions you’ll have to address are.
It’s also important to become aware of the U.S. Embassy of the country you’re relocating to. You’ll learn about the services and information that they offer and will also be a useful contact if the embassy of your destination country is unable to help you.
By taking these simple steps and gaining the knowledge that they offer, you’ll make your international move a much easier and stress-free experience.
