Overview of International Moving
Depending on what country from which you are moving, and to where you are moving, an international move may be made by boat, train, or moving truck. For example, if you are moving from Canada to the United States or vice versa, you most likely will move using the same options as moving locally or state to state. You would either book a professional moving truck rental company to complete the whole endeavor, or you may do part of the work yourself and book a moving truck driver. Lastly, you might do all the work yourself including renting and driving a moving van.
Moving internationally overseas, on the other hand, usually means moving by boat, but, although the container will be transported by boat, between the home and the departure port and between the destination port and the new home will require a truck rental to move the container. The container will need to be hoisted up onto a truck by crane or other specialty moving equipment.
Furthermore, people moving overseas may choose to purchase their own container, or may rent crates from the moving truck rental location. If a container is purchased, the owner will arrange a crane to move the container from the site where it was purchased to the home or spot where it will be packed. Once packed and locked, the individual will then to call the rental company to have the crane load the container on a truck to move it to the loading dock at the port.
Containers can be as large as forty feet long, and resemble a tractor trailer with no wheels. The longer the container, the more expensive it will be to haul. Another cost which will be very high is the distance involved in moving the container from your home to the port. Depending on where you live in the country, the port may be thousands of miles away from your home.
In some instances, more than one type of moving truck rental will be required to move the container from your lot to the port. Any move requires organization and planning but when making an international move, it is important to read as much documentation as possible, ask questions of customs offices, research all expenses involved, and speak to more than one overseas shipping company to obtain quotes.
For do-it-yourself international moves, there are several questions that you should ask before committing to one company or another. For example:
- Because this is a one-way move, can you return the moving truck rental to a dealer in your new location? How far will you have to travel from your new hometown to the truck rental drop-off point?
- What kinds of extra fees are applicable for leaving the rental truck in a different country? While many of the major truck rental companies have outlets in both the US and Canada, do not assume, that you can just drive the rental truck over the border and return it anywhere you find a dealer. With franchises and country regulations, it would be prudent to understand the details before booking the truck rental.
- How does the rental ownership and insurance work in the other country? Are different papers required for each country?
- Does the truck rental company provide all the cross border documentation for customs or should you obtain the forms elsewhere?
- How much of your contents are considered "personal effects" and what items can you legally move to the new country?
- Do you have the appropriate paperwork and medical vaccines for your pets? Are your pets permitted to travel across the border? Must they be quarantined?
- Do you have the necessary paperwork for all members of your family? Is their citizenship information in order, and do you have your workplace papers if required?
- Ask the moving truck rental company about potential repairs on the vehicle when traveling such a long distance. Does the company offer a phone number for immediate roadside assistance on the moving truck rental? Do they have approved garages along the way for major repairs? Who is responsible for accommodations if the truck breaks down and it takes more than a day to fix?
Indeed, the sooner you begin your inquiries about legalities and logistics, the smoother your move. Start your research immediately upon becoming aware of your international move. The internet is a good place to find resources and telephone numbers. Start with the country's government sites and move to the local state or township sites to obtain information about your particular destination. If you do not have the internet, use the resources at the local library.
Also, with the popularity of the internet, the books at the library seem to be outdated at times. Accessing the internet, especially for government sites, should give you up-to-date information. Most libraries have internet now, so use the computer at the library to find out about your international move. Check truck rental sites, so that you can read about their policies on out-of-country moving truck rentals.
Be aware, that even though you have asked staff at the truck rental company a particular question about your move, always verify the information with the appropriate expert. For instance, if you are told that customs allows a specific item to be imported, call customs and make sure. Double check your information, and do not assume that something in one country is the same in the other. For the States and Canada, although the countries are very similar, individual states and provinces have varying legislative powers, so the state or province to which you are moving may have different laws than the one from where you came.
Because of the advance planning required in an international move, the moving truck rental should be booked early. The rental company might need to make special arrangements for the truck rental or may only have certain trucks that are permitted to travel outside the country. In addition, they may need to contact the returning location to set up the details for the return of their truck rental vehicle. Also, you might want to insist that the truck rental you are booking is inspected before driving it on such a long journey to avoid any surprises such as air conditioning or heating not working properly. Try to book a moving truck with lower mileage and recent maintenance.
Regardless of how close the new country or how far away, a moving truck rental may be needed at some point in the process. Whether the move is overseas using a container or across land using a truck, it is important to organize and research your move accordingly.