The United Kingdom is one of our most popular destinations. As a NJ-based company, we have the privilege of relocating many British nationals returning to the U.K. as well as foreign nationals who are moving there for the first time. The transit time to the U.K. is rather fast for an international shipment, ranging between 5 – 7 weeks, and the customs clearance procedure is straightforward and easy.
At Dolphin Express we offer two main types of services for shipping to the United Kingdom: consolidation and exclusive containers. Consolidation is intended for small to medium size shipments. In this case we combine your shipment with a few other clients of ours who are also moving to the U.K. Each shipment is individually palletized at our secure 40,000 sq ft warehouse, and then loaded into a 20ft or 40ft container. Once the container reaches the U.K. it is customs cleared and the shipments are deconsolidated and delivered to their final destination. This service is extremely popular, as many individuals choose to take only select items and do not require an exclusive container.
The other type of service is intended for individuals and families who have enough belongings to fill up an exclusive 20ft or 40ft container. This service is often called Full Container Load, or FCL for short. If you are moving out of a 2-bedroom house or more, and are taking most of your belongings, you will most likely require your own container. One of our relocation specialists can come to your home and conduct an On-Site Survey in order to determine whether a container is required, and if so, which type of container.
Foreign nationals who are moving to the UK for the first time and Returning Citizens who have lived outside of the European Union for at least a year are allowed to bring their used household goods and personal effects duty-free. The items must have been in the owner’s possession for at least 6 months in order to be considered “used.” You must fill out a C3 Form in order to apply for the tax free entry and for the shipment to be customs cleared. The original copy of the form should be given to our British agent, and a copy kept with you. In addition, a copy of your passport‘s photo page must be submitted as well.
The process of customs clearance is fast and easy, usually taking up to 7 days. Our reliable agent in the U.K. will guide you through the process of clearing your household goods and personal effects, and will then coordinate the delivery of your belongings.
Contact us today to get a free quote for moving to the United Kingdom. We can also provide a full line of packing supplies, as well as the packing service itself.
