Nearly all international relocations from Victoria, British Columbia are processed through the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority. Just 30km from downtown, this busy shipping port makes it easy to ship your household goods overseas.

When shipping overseas by container, you can choose a full container load or less than a container load. A full container load gives you over 12 meters of space for your belongings. This should be enough for the contents of a 2 bdrm home and maybe even a vehicle. With less than a container load, you share the container with others. The drawback to sharing a container is that your goods will be handled more, increasing the risk of damage, and may take longer to reach your destination if the container has to make additional stops.

One of the first questions people have is about cost. Costs for moving overseas can be tricky to calculate, but you can get rough estimates about the cost to ship the container. This number does not include some taxes, fees, or customs duty, but can help you begin to budget. Container shipping from Victoria to London costs between $10,600 - $14,300. To Tokyo, the cost would be $9,400 - $12,600. Again, these are rough estimates that don’t include customs duty and other taxes, so keep that in mind when budgeting.

What You Need to Know Before You Go

There are two important aspects of moving that you must pay special attention to when moving overseas: the paperwork and the packing.

The paperwork is the most boring part, but maybe the most important. Every country has different requirements for paperwork needed at the border. Some countries require you to present a residence or work permit, an account at a bank in their country, a visa, a letter from an employer, or other documents. Other countries want to get your paperwork weeks in advance of your arrival, which is really important to know before you get on the plane.

Wherever you are going, all countries are going to want to see a copy of your passport and require verbal or written declarations for everything traveling with you.

The other aspect is packing. Packing for an overseas move is not the same as when you move across town. Your goods have many miles to travel and will pass through many hands on their way to their destination. The best way to pack is to have a professional moving team like Three Movers, but if you must do it yourself, invest in the best packing materials. For breakables, use non-collapsible, heavy-duty cardboard cartons with generous padding to ensure a good result.

The Best Way to Move Overseas

Moving your belongings overseas feels like a big leap of faith. You are counting on strangers to treat your goods with care, and you are counting on that the research you have done is enough to help you avoid unwanted surprises. By working with Three Movers, you can avoid all that stress.

Our team of international shipping experts knows what it takes to get you from door to door without a hitch. We can help with packing your belongings, using our high-quality packing materials, give you accurate guidance on how to complete your paperwork and what you need to bring, and manage the dreaded shipping logistics, giving you a single point of contact who has eyes on your shipment. To learn more about how Three Movers can help with your international relocation, contact us today for a free, no-obligation shipping quote.

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