1. How much time should I allow before contacting the international moving company

Moving overseas is more complex than moving locally. You should typically plan on contacting your international moving company at least 6 - 8 weeks prior to your move-out day. Your moving company should then present you with a list of things to prepare for prior to the pre-move survey. The pre-move survey presents the moving company with the opportunity to examine what you need to have moved and suggest the best services available to meet your specific needs.
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2. How much time does a pre-move survey take at my home?

A professional moving company looking at an average 2,000 square foot home, should take at least 45 minutes to 1 hour. This will provide time for an initial review of your needs, a detailed walk through of your home and a presentation of the international logistics involved in moving your possessions overseas. Anything less than an hour could signal that you are not dealing with a professional international moving company!
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3. How do I know what I can and cannot take with me?

As soon as you know that you are going to be moving overseas, you should contact the local embassy or consulate of the country you are moving to. They will have all of the updated information regarding the formal entry requirements for you and your family, and can give you an idea of what you can and cannot take in your shipment. Pay particular attention to electrical items, items that are restricted and/or items that carry a high level of customs duty. Normally, a reasonable amount of canned goods can be shipped, but check for specific foods that are restricted/prohibited by specific countries. In addition, your moving company should provide you with the customs requirements for your household shipment and be prepared to answer any of your questions during the pre-move survey.
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4. Why do I need insurance if everything is packed professionally?

International household goods shipments travel over great distances using many different means of transportation. When you consider the distance, weather conditions during transit and the amount of handling that can occur on an international shipment, insurance gives you peace of mind. In fact, most professional moving companies have a very low claims ratio based on the quality of their packing materials, trained and experienced labor, and utilization of the best transportation services for your shipment.
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5. What is insurance coverage based on?

The majority of international moving companies will offer a comprehensive insurance policy based on Replacement Cost Protection (RCP). You will provide the moving company with a itemized valued inventory list that will detail items with their replacement cost at destination. Ask your moving company about the insurance programs that they provide and the premiums that are charged for that coverage. Make sure you include all items on your valued inventory list and do not underinsure your shipment.
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Your international moving company will assign a destination agent to clear your shipment through customs and arrange final delivery to your new residence. Make sure you ask your moving company about the criteria they use to select their overseas agents and the experience they have in moving people to your destination.
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Certain items are restricted/prohibited by virtually all countries. These items may include: contraband, pornography, drugs, alcohol, weapons, ammunition and perishable foods. For safety reasons, your moving company should also tell you not to ship hazardous or flammable materials such as gasoline or paint, aerosols, gas canisters, etc. If you are being relocated overseas by your company, check to see if they have a policy about what can or cannot be shipped under their guidelines.
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Primarily your responsibilities revolve around your compliance with the specific regulations and associated documentation for your new destination country. Full compliance with the regulations regarding you and your family's entry into the country of destination is ultimately your responsibility. This is also true for the documentation supporting your household goods move. Your international moving company will be able to advise you on the necessary documentation, but you should contact the embassy or consulate personally to verify all of the requirements.

Regarding the move itself, you should be present throughout the packing and loading process, and sign the packing inventory, shipping documents and insurance paperwork. It is your responsibility to make sure that all appropriate steps have been taken on your part. For example, lawn mowers should be drained of all flammable liquids, anything fixed to the walls should be removed and restricted items should be properly disposed of. Your International Relocation Counselor will be able to answer any specific questions you might have about your role in the process.
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Many people mistakenly assume that in this age of travel, international shipments are measured in days instead of weeks. The following are guidelines to destinations from the United States for sea freight shipments (* these guidelines also apply when shipping to the United States):
United States to:

For air shipments, you should allow (in most cases) anywhere from 8 - 14 days for a door-to-door transit time. In some cases you may find shorter transit times for air shipments and (of course) for more remote locations with infrequent cargo service you may actually find a longer transit time. Remember that a cargo air shipment does not travel the same way you might on a passenger flight. Air shipments may take a different routing, be subject to capacity delays and subject to delays at customs. Your International Relocation Counselor will be able to give you a more accurate transit time based on your specific shipment requirements.
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You should make sure that the following items are not packed by the moving company, but rather taken with you during the move: passports/visas, travel documents, medicines, luggage and travel items.

In addition, there are certain items that you should hand pack as no insurance policy will provide you coverage for such items if they are moved as an unaccompanied shipment. Such items include jewelry, cash, stocks (or any negotiable instrument), tax returns, medical papers, furs or coin collections (or similar). If you do have an extensive collection, check with your moving consultant to see if coverage can be arranged at an extra premium if you can not take the items with you.
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While you may wish to pack some items yourself prior to the arrival of the moving crew, you should be aware of the consequences. Generally speaking, we do not allow "owner packed" items. Customs officers in most overseas countries will be looking for inventories that show owner packed items. This will lead to an increased likelihood that your shipment would be called for a full examination. Therefore, it is our recommendation that if you do wish to organize certain items, then leave the packing cartons open for the crew to inspect the contents, verify the condition and make the proper entry on the packing inventory which is reviewed by customs officers. In addition, owner packed goods wil not receive full insurance protection.
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Generally speaking, you will be offered the choice of three types of containers for international household goods shipments. For sea freight shipments, the moving company will probably recommend either loading into lift vans or steamship containers. A lift van is a large wooden crate of standard size (84"x 45"x 84") built of plywood that is made specifically to move household goods overseas.

A steamship container is a large rigid steel container that can be loaded on and off an ocean going vessel with ease. In general, these large containers come in either 20 or 40 foot lengths and can hold up to 1,100 cubic feet or 2,200 cubic feet respectively. Your moving consultant should be able to recommend the most appropriate container for your needs.

An air freight container is by nature smaller than the typical sea containers and is generally used for small, time sensitive shipments. A variety of sizes are available and they are normally constructed of either plywood or industrial cardboard. Again your moving consultant will be able to explain the most appropriate container for your specific air shipment.
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This of course depends on the quantity and type of items that are to be moved overseas. In general terms, an average 2,000 square foot home will require 2 - 3 days for packing, wrapping and preparation, as well as an additional day for loading the shipment into either lift vans or steamship containers. The number of crew members will be based on the requirements of your move, but on average, an international crew will consist of 3 - 4 members throughout the duration of your move.
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