Many don’t know it, but moving furniture abroad is a little different from moving furniture from one Canada province to another or from municipality to municipality. If we remain in the area of the countries, therefore without considering England, Switzerland, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro and a few others, the freedom of exchange of goods and movements is almost unlimited, without particular checks other than those foreseen by the traffic police or by occasional block. However, if we want to move furniture abroad outside the Canada, we have to deal with customs, i.e. with fixed and mandatory checkpoints that require the presentation of specific documents.
Don’t worry too much about duties, or rather: any costs for property assets are sometimes required when moving to the United States, EU, Australia and so on, mostly if the asset was recently purchased (to avoid imports for sale disguised as removals). However, if we remain within the European borders and in the Schengen area, the risk of paying is generally linked to possible errors in completing the papers for the customs. In other words, everything runs smoothly when we know what to declare and how. Conversely, there is the risk of incurring even harsh sanctions, typically due to the particularity of some categories of undeclared transported objects (weapons, seeds, stuffed animals, etc.).
HOW TO FACE CUSTOMS IN THE EVENT OF A MOVE
The best advice we can give to those intending to move to countries with customs at the entrance is to inquire (well) first about the access methods. The more advanced countries are also the ones that offer the most instructions in this regard: Switzerland for example, on the Moving, study, holiday home, marriage and inheritance page, lists a series of specific sections to be read carefully on a case-by-case basis. A similar explanation can also be found on the website of the Canadian Excise, Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM), on the Citizens page of the Info Brexit section for what concerns moving to England (ex EU). Listing all the possible scenarios is difficult and leaves time to find, becausefrom year to year the limitations and regulations change, with new rules to know and respect. A real jungle in which orientation is anything but simple! The safest solution to avoid trouble is to rely on a moving company that is also expert in international transport. And maybe, why not, take advantage of a free preliminary consultation.
”WE MOVE THE IMPOSSIBLE” (AND WE EXPLAIN HOW)
Our slogan as a national and international moving company has always been this: “we move the impossible”. In almost a century of activity (our reality has existed since 1925) we have learned to manage all kinds of situations, from the simplest to the most complex. Dozens of removals were completed abroad, in compliance with the timing and expectations of our customers. In addition to being able to boast the necessary certifications, from Certitalia to registration in the National Register of Road Hauliers, we are able to move furnishings, furniture and household goods with cutting-edge means and instruments, see our Pianoplan stair climbing robot used in transport of works of art, but also pianos, safes, bulky objects and so onup to the top floors of a building or a skyscraper.
In fact, let’s not forget that when transporting furniture abroad, in addition to customs, unloading on site must be considered! If this aspect has not been thought of once you arrive, the furniture could end up in some temporary storage, such as a rented garage or shed. Not exactly an economic circumstance, given that the rent costs money and if the months go by the price will only rise. One more reason to entrust yourself to someone who, from the beginning to the end of the move, can manage the entire transport, without stopping at the unloading of the container in the port (as some do) and without delegating the rest of the tasks to the customer.