An international move is not just a bigger local move. Paperwork, shipping schedules and customs all run on their own clocks, and the best results come from people who start early. Use this timeline as a starting point and adapt it to your dates, your destination and your household.
Three months before: research and decisions
- Learn what your destination requires. Visa or residence permit, rules for importing household goods, and any limits on food, plants, medication or vehicles. The consulate of your destination country is the authoritative source; our consulate contacts page lists them.
- Set your dates. Overseas shipping by sea takes weeks, so work backwards from the day you need to be in your new home.
- Get estimates. Ask two or three movers for a survey, on site or by video, and a written estimate. Our guide to choosing an international mover lists what to compare.
- Decide what comes with you. Our guide to what to ship, sell or store makes the decision easier.
- Check your passports and tell your employer, landlord and children’s school about your plans.
Eight weeks before: book and start decluttering
- Confirm your mover and dates in writing, and ask which documents they need from you.
- Declutter in rounds: sell, donate, discard. Doing one room at a time keeps it manageable.
- Gather documents such as passports, visas, birth and marriage certificates, school and medical records. Keep the originals with you, not in the shipment.
- Decide how to protect your goods and read about moving insurance. Photograph valuable items.
- Book special handling early. Art, antiques and pianos need custom crating, and vehicles have their own lead times (see shipping a car overseas).
Four weeks before: logistics
- Make a “first 30 days” list: the items you will need before your sea shipment arrives. These travel in suitcases or by air freight. More in our guide to sea vs air freight.
- Update your address with banks, insurers and tax offices, forward your mail, and cancel or transfer utilities and subscriptions.
- Arrange building access: elevator reservations and parking permits at both addresses if you can.
- Confirm the customs paperwork with your coordinator. Our customs forms page has the forms we provide.
- If there is a gap between homes, plan storage.
The final week
- Empty, defrost and disconnect the refrigerator and freezer, and drain washing machines.
- Set aside what must not be packed: documents, valuables, medication, laptops, chargers and keys.
- Make sure the crew can reach everything, and point out fragile or high-value pieces.
- Confirm packing and loading times and exchange phone numbers with your coordinator.
Packing and loading day
Our crew packs and protects your belongings and records every item on a numbered inventory. Check the inventory before you sign and keep your copy. Where access allows, we load the container at your residence; otherwise we shuttle your goods to our facility and load there. Do a last walk-through of closets, the attic and the garage before the crew leaves.
After you arrive
Check your belongings against the inventory as they are unpacked. If something is damaged or missing, note it on the delivery paperwork and report it promptly, and keep the packing material until any claim is settled. Then take care of local registrations and paperwork your new country requires.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I start planning an international move?
Ideally three months or more before your move date. Surveys, paperwork and shipping schedules all take time, and special items such as artwork or a vehicle need extra lead time. Shorter timelines are possible, so tell your mover as early as you can.
What should I keep with me instead of shipping?
Passports and visas, birth and marriage certificates, medical and school records, medication, valuables, laptops, chargers and keys. Carry irreplaceable documents yourself rather than packing them in the shipment.
What if my new home is not ready when my belongings are?
We offer short- and long-term storage in New Jersey, so your goods can wait safely until you are ready for delivery.
Plan your move with SK Worldwide
Our own crews, our own warehouse in New Jersey and one coordinator for your whole move. Request a quote, call (800) 238-8770, or list your rooms with our online self survey.
