Container shipping, customs paperwork, FIDI-network partners, and the practical reality of moving a household overseas from Sussex.
Overseas removals from Sussex follow a clear rhythm. Book the container. File the customs forms. Handle the port. Deliver at the other end. The cost picture is different from what most first-time movers expect. Overseas moves are one of our main specialist areas. We handle 100–150 a year through our international removals service. Jobs range from small baggage shipments to full 40-foot containers. Destinations span Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.
The main rule: international moves are 30% logistics and 70% paperwork. What varies is the customs forms. The destination country’s import rules. The fact that you arrive on one date and your goods arrive on another. The detail below walks through each part.
Three shipping methods. Full container load (FCL) — a 20-foot or 40-foot container exclusively for one household. Loaded at our Lower Dicker depot, sealed with the customer’s seal, shipped via established lines to the destination port. Best for moves over 35 cubic metres (roughly a 3-bed house).
Groupage (LCL) — contents share a container with other households heading to the same destination region. Cheaper than a full container but slower (the container waits to fill), and the shipping schedule is less flexible. Best for moves of 10–35 cubic metres.
Baggage shipping — small consignments under 10 cubic metres, typically a few cartons and a couple of pieces of furniture. Sea-freight is the cost-effective option; air-freight is faster but significantly more expensive. Best for student moves, baggage shipments, and small downsizing transitions.
Every country has its own import regulations. The paperwork categories: inventory list (every item in the shipment), customs declaration (the destination country’s specific form), proof of residence, biosecurity certifications (Australia, NZ inspect wooden items for pest contamination).
For European destinations, the paperwork has simplified post-Brexit but still requires more attention than pre-2020 EU moves. UK contents entering EU countries need a T1 transit document and a customs declaration at the destination. We handle the paperwork through FIDI-network partners.
For non-EU destinations (Australia, NZ, US, Canada, Middle East, Asia), the destination country’s requirements set the standard. Some (Australia, NZ) are particularly strict on biosecurity; wooden items need fumigation certificates. Others (US, Canada) focus on duty calculations.
European destinations: typical door-to-door time is 2–4 weeks. UK pack and load (1–2 days), customs processing (3–5 days), road transport across Europe (3–7 days), destination customs (2–5 days), destination unload (1 day).
Transatlantic destinations (US, Canada): 4–8 weeks. UK pack and load (1–2 days), customs processing (5–7 days), sea shipping (10–21 days depending on route), destination port handling (5–10 days), destination unload (1–2 days).
Pacific destinations (Australia, NZ): 6–12 weeks. The sea shipping alone is 4–6 weeks one-way; combined with paperwork and customs inspection, total typically lands at 8–10 weeks for well-planned moves. For customers planning to be in the destination country before contents arrive, serviced accommodation bridges the gap.
Costs vary by destination, shipping method, and inventory size. Ballpark for 2026: UK to Spain or France (FCL 40-foot) — £6,000–£9,000. UK to Australia or New Zealand — £10,000–£14,000. UK to US or Canada — £8,000–£12,000. UK to Middle East — £7,000–£11,000.
Groupage rates are roughly 60–70% of equivalent full-container rates per cubic metre but with longer transit times. Baggage shipping rates are higher per cubic metre but the total cost is lower for small consignments.
The fixed costs (paperwork, customs handling, biosecurity certificates) are roughly constant regardless of shipment size; the variable costs scale with cubic metres. This is why small international moves can feel disproportionately expensive per cubic metre.
FIDI (the International Federation of International Movers) is the global trade body for international removals. Member firms operate to defined standards, undergo regular audits, and offer cross-border partnership arrangements. We’re a FIDI-network member; this gives our customers access to FIDI-member partners at every major destination.
The practical benefit: the customer deals with us at the UK end. We coordinate with the FIDI-member partner at the destination end. The partner handles local customs, local delivery, and any in-country issues. The customer doesn’t manage a foreign-language conversation with an unfamiliar firm.
For genuinely remote destinations (small islands, restricted-access countries) the FIDI network doesn’t always have member firms; we then arrange via the next-best agency network. This is the minority of moves but worth flagging at survey if your destination is unusual.
The first weeks in a new country are when the planning either works or doesn’t. The standard pattern: customer arrives at the destination 2–6 weeks before contents arrive, stays in serviced accommodation during the gap, sets up local utilities and bank accounts, then receives the shipment.
Contents arrival is a separate event with its own paperwork. Customs inspection may be physical or documentary. Biosecurity inspection happens at port for sensitive destinations. Damage on arrival is documented at the unload and handled through standard goods-in-transit insurance on the FIDI-network partner’s policy.
Post-arrival, the customer has 30–90 days (depending on the destination) to register the import properly and pay any duties owed. For settled emigration moves this is usually duty-free; for temporary residence moves, the duty calculation matters. The FIDI-network partner walks the customer through this.
We've been a family-run Sussex remover since 1982. Crews are directly employed and trained at our own staff training centre. Pad-wrap on every full removal, removal-grade cartons, BAR Advance Payment Guarantee on every deposit.
120+ independent Google reviews at 4.9/5. Survey, written quote within 48 hours, deposit-protected booking, calm move day. Whichever category your move falls into — routine local, overseas, antiques, business — the approach is the same.
Booking the survey takes ten minutes via the online form.
Free in-home or video survey, written fixed-price quote, BAR-protected deposit. Sussex’s family-run remover since 1982.
For international moves, the cover is different from a UK move. Standard goods-in-transit insurance covers the UK leg. It usually excludes the international shipping leg. The FIDI partner’s policy covers shipping and the destination. For high-value goods, a marine cargo policy is the right choice.
The cover types break down like this. Marine cargo covers your goods during sea or air shipping. Warehouse-to-warehouse extends cover door-to-door. It includes the land legs at both ends. All risks is broader than named perils. Named perils is cheaper but excludes some causes. For most household moves, all-risks warehouse-to-warehouse is the right pick.
Customs duty calculations depend on the destination country. For settled emigration (permanent move, intent to remain in the destination country for at least 12 months), most countries waive duty on used household effects subject to specific paperwork. For temporary residence or returning to a previous country of residence, the duty calculation is different. The FIDI-network partner handles the specific calculation.
For restricted items, every destination country has its own list. Common restrictions: firearms (always need specific paperwork), alcohol (quantity limits in many countries), medications (require prescription paperwork in some destinations), food (most countries restrict or prohibit). Get the destination country’s prohibited-items list before packing — we’ll provide it at survey based on your destination.
For genuinely valuable single items (art, antiques, jewellery), specialist arrangements may be appropriate. The FIDI-network includes art-specialist member firms for the major destinations. Talk to us at survey if your shipment includes individually high-value items.
Booking your move with us is a five-step process. One: enquire via the online quote form or call our office on 01323 848 008. We’ll arrange a survey within a few working days. Two: the survey itself, usually in-home and lasting 30–90 minutes depending on the move complexity. The surveyor walks the property, photographs access points, counts cartons by size, and discusses any specialist requirements.
Three: the written quote, emailed within 48 hours of the survey. Itemised by line so you see what every cost line covers. Four: deposit and date confirmation. Typically 20–25% deposit on confirmation, fully protected under the British Association of Removers’ Advance Payment Guarantee. Five: the move itself. Uniformed crew, our own lorry, no agency labour, blankets washed between jobs.
For pre-move questions, our office is reachable Monday to Friday 8am to 5:30pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm. We’d rather have the customer conversation early than late — a small clarification three weeks before move day saves a meaningful misunderstanding on the day itself. For the wider company history and our forty-year track record across Sussex, the about-us page covers the background.
For your specific move, we look forward to the conversation. Whichever category falls under (a routine local move, a complex international relocation, a specialist antique or office job), the principles are consistent: in-home survey, written itemised quote, deposit-protected booking, crew you can rely on, calm move day, post-move follow-up. That’s the standard we aim for on every job.
Europe: 2–4 weeks door-to-door. Transatlantic: 4–8 weeks. Pacific: 6–12 weeks.
UK to Europe £6,000–£9,000 for full 40-foot container. UK to Australia/NZ £10,000–£14,000. UK to US/Canada £8,000–£12,000.
We handle it through FIDI-network partners. The customer provides supporting documents promptly.
For Australia and New Zealand, yes — fumigation certificates needed. For some other destinations similar inspections apply.
Documented at the unload, handled through goods-in-transit insurance on the FIDI-network partner's policy.