Moving Abroad from the USA: Country Guides
Customs relief, documents, ports and delivery for Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
Short answer
Pick your destination for its duty-free relief rules, documents, main ports and delivery cities. EU countries share one set of relief conditions with country-specific forms; the UK, Australia and New Zealand run their own rules. Every guide links to the official customs office.
Destinations at a glance
| Country | Region | Customs regime | Main ports |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Europe | National rules | Major container ports include Southampton, Felixstowe and London Gateway. |
| Germany | Europe | EU rules | Main container ports are Hamburg and Bremerhaven. |
| Australia | Australia and New Zealand | National rules | Common container ports include Sydney (Port Botany), Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle. |
| New Zealand | Australia and New Zealand | National rules | Main container ports include Auckland, Tauranga and Lyttelton (Christchurch). |
| Ireland | Europe | EU rules | Containers usually arrive at Dublin Port or Cork. |
| France | Europe | EU rules | Main container ports are Le Havre and Fos-sur-Mer (Marseille). |
| Spain | Europe | EU rules | Main container ports include Valencia, Barcelona and Algeciras. |
| Italy | Europe | EU rules | Common container ports include Genoa, La Spezia and Livorno. |
| Netherlands | Europe | EU rules | Containers arrive mainly through Rotterdam. |
| Portugal | Europe | EU rules | Main container ports are Lisbon, Leixões (Porto) and Sines. |
| Switzerland | Europe | National rules | Switzerland is landlocked; containers usually arrive via Rotterdam, Antwerp or Hamburg and finish by rail, Rhine barge or truck, often through Basel. |
| Belgium | Europe | EU rules | Most containers arrive at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. |
Europe
Australia and New Zealand
All country guides
- Moving to UKHow to move household goods from the USA to the United Kingdom
- Moving to GermanyHow to move household goods from the USA to Germany
- Moving to AustraliaHow to move household goods from the USA to Australia
- Moving to New ZealandHow to move household goods from the USA to New Zealand
- Moving to IrelandHow to move household goods from the USA to Ireland
- Moving to FranceHow to move household goods from the USA to France
- Moving to SpainHow to move household goods from the USA to Spain
- Moving to ItalyHow to move household goods from the USA to Italy
- Moving to NetherlandsHow to move household goods from the USA to the Netherlands
- Moving to PortugalHow to move household goods from the USA to Portugal
- Moving to SwitzerlandHow to move household goods from the USA to Switzerland
- Moving to BelgiumHow to move household goods from the USA to Belgium
12 supporting pages in this cluster. All link back here.
How every country guide works
Each guide answers the same questions in the same order: whether you qualify for duty-free relief, which documents customs wants, which ports your container will use, and where delivery usually goes. For the rules behind relief, read the customs guide; for prices, the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries do you have moving guides for?
12 so far: UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium. We add new European countries regularly.
Do EU countries share the same customs rules for household goods?
Yes, the core relief conditions come from one EU regulation, but each country adds its own forms and proof requirements.
Is moving to the UK different from moving to the EU?
Yes. Since Brexit the UK runs its own Transfer of Residence relief through HMRC, with similar 12-month and 6-month conditions.
What makes Australia and New Zealand different?
Strict biosecurity. Everything must be clean and free of soil, and food, plant and animal products are inspected or refused.
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