Moving Your Car Overseas

Whether they are moving from only city to another or from one country to the other, most people want to take their car with them. Seeing as to how their vehicle is possibly their second largest investment in life, it is understandable that they will want to hold onto it where possible. In some cases it is also a very practical move, as you will likely need your car to get around in your new place or when buying a new vehicle in that country is very expensive and the process of importing is not very difficult. How easy it is to arrange for a car removal depends on the country you are moving to, getting a car into some countries is harder than in other.How will you ship your car?The common way that most removal companies will ship a car is in a shipping container. Normally, the movers will bring the container to your property, but if you have arranged otherwise, you might have to move the car to their container yard. Once your car has been loaded and secured, it will be moved onto a cargo ship and unloaded at a port nearest to your destination. What do you do when it arrives in the destination country?After the car arrives at a port in your destination country, you will be notified of the arrival. Depending on how you have arranged with the moving company, you might have to pay the appropriate import duties and custom fees, after which you are free to drive your car away. In certain countries, your car might have to be kept in quarantine for a while before you can take it away. What do I have to do before I export?When exporting a car from the UK, you will have to go through a couple of steps to ensure you have a smooth move. Firstly, you will have to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency that you are moving your car for more than 12 months and will have to provide a ‘Notification of Permanent Export’ from your V5C.In order to avoid quarantine and unnecessary expenses in other countries, have your car thoroughly cleaned inside out before you place it in the container. If your vehicle does not ass the inspections in your country of arrival, you will have to undergo additional cleaning if the authorities insist on it.Depending on which country you are shipping your car to, it might be that difficult or easy to export your car. Your removal company will be better equipped to advise you on how to go about it. In some cases, you can only import your car to the country if you have had it for at least 12 months. In several cases, your car must pass the local vehicle compliance test to ensure that it safe for that country’s streets before you can drive it around. The amount of time customs takes to clear the vehicle is also variable and undefined. Between the arrival of your car and its collection, your vehicle will remain in a port or in a removals agent’s warehouse. Because most people usually have other things that they want to relocate to the same destination, many moving companies provide containers fitted with shelves that will ensure that both your car and items are transported securely.  Shipping can be a complicated and costly process but probably worth the effort. However, do get professional advice on shipping overseas as soon as you can so that you encounter less hassles in the process.