International Moving Services
Professional international relocation services worldwide since 1976.
International Moves from Durham Since 1976
We've been shipping households overseas for decades. Whether it's a corporate relocation to London, a retirement move to Costa Rica, or a research position in Tokyo, we handle the entire chain from your front door in Durham to your front door abroad. USDOT #0233952. Over 20,000 moves completed across all service types since October 1976.
A full household international move typically costs $5,000 to $15,000+depending on the destination, shipment size, and service level. That range covers everything from a studio apartment's worth of furniture in a shared container to a 4-bedroom home filling a full 40-foot ocean container. We provide a detailed written estimate after walking through your inventory by video call or in person.
International moving involves more logistics than a domestic move. Customs paperwork, crating, ocean transit schedules, and destination-country import rules all factor in. We coordinate all of it so you don't have to chase down forms and shipping lines on your own. For our full range of long-distance moving services, including interstate and NC intrastate, see our long-distance hub.
Ocean Freight vs. Air Freight
Ocean freightis the standard for household moves. It's how you ship a houseful of furniture, boxes, and appliances across the Atlantic or Pacific at a cost that makes sense. Transit times vary by destination: roughly 4 to 6 weeks to Europe, 6 to 8 weeks to Asia, and 6 to 10 weeks to Australia. Those windows include loading at the port, ocean transit, and customs clearance at the destination.
Air freightis faster but costs significantly more per pound. It makes sense for small, urgent shipments: a few boxes of personal items you need before the ocean container arrives, or high-value items that can't wait 6 weeks. Air freight to most destinations takes 5 to 10 business days. We can coordinate air shipments alongside your ocean container so you have essentials on arrival.
Most families go with ocean freight for the bulk of their household and either ship a few suitcases by air or carry essentials with them on the flight. We'll walk through the options during your estimate and help you figure out what makes sense for your timeline and budget.
Full Containers vs. Shared Containers
Full Container Load (FCL).If you're moving a 3-bedroom house or larger, you'll likely need a full 20-foot or 40-foot shipping container. Your belongings fill the entire container, which is sealed at your home and doesn't open again until it reaches the destination. No other household's goods go in with yours. This is the fastest ocean option because the container doesn't need to be consolidated or deconsolidated at a freight terminal.
Shared Container / Less-than-Container Load (LCL).If you're shipping a smaller load, a studio or 1-bedroom apartment for example, paying for a full 40-foot container doesn't make sense. With a shared container, your crated goods share space with other shipments headed to the same region. It costs less, but transit can take a bit longer because the container needs to be consolidated at a port warehouse and deconsolidated at the destination.
We handle both. During your estimate, we'll measure the volume of your shipment and recommend the option that fits. On a shared container, your items are crated and clearly tagged so there's never any confusion about what belongs to whom.
Door-to-Door vs. Port-to-Port
Door-to-door is the full-service option. We pack and load at your home in Durham, handle all the export paperwork, arrange ocean transit, clear customs at the destination, and deliver to your new address overseas. You hand us the keys in Durham and we show up at your new front door abroad. This is what most families choose.
Port-to-port means we handle the Durham side (packing, crating, transport to the US port, export documentation) and the container ships to the destination port. You or a local agent arrange customs clearance and final delivery on the other end. This option costs less and works well if you already have contacts or a relocation company at the destination who can handle the last mile.
We'll explain both options during your estimate and help you decide. If you're moving somewhere you've never been, door-to-door is usually worth the cost. If you're moving back to a country where you have family or a corporate relocation team waiting, port-to-port can save you money.
Customs Documentation and Restricted Items
Every international move requires customs documentation. On the US export side, that includes a detailed household goods inventory, a packing list with declared values, and a bill of lading. On the import side, requirements vary by country. Most countries require a valid visa or work permit, a signed customs declaration, a passport copy, and sometimes proof of address at the destination.
We prepare the US export paperwork and coordinate with customs brokers at the destination to make sure your shipment clears without delays. We've been through this process thousands of times across dozens of countries. We know what documentation each destination needs and we'll tell you exactly what to have ready.
Restricted and prohibited itemsvary by country. Firearms, certain foods, plants, prescription medications, and some electronics are commonly restricted. Some countries tax alcohol and new goods above a threshold value. We'll give you a destination-specific restricted items list during planning so nothing gets held up at customs.
Duties and taxes.Most countries charge import duties or VAT on household goods, though many waive or reduce them for returning citizens or long-term residents bringing used personal effects. We'll explain what to expect for your specific destination. The duty amount depends on the country, the declared value of your shipment, and your residency status.
Professional Crating for International Transit
Ocean containers travel by truck to the port, get lifted by cranes onto the ship, cross an ocean, get lifted off, and travel by truck again to the final address. That's a lot of movement over 4 to 10 weeks. Standard moving pads and shrink wrap aren't enough for that kind of transit.
For international moves, we build custom wooden crates for furniture, artwork, mirrors, marble tabletops, and anything fragile or high-value. We use export-grade lumber (heat-treated and ISPM-15 certified, as required by most countries). Glass is bubble-wrapped and braced. Electronics are double-boxed with foam inserts. Everything is packed to survive ocean swells and crane handling.
Our packing services team handles all of this. Crating is included in the international move quote. You don't need to source materials or hire a separate crating company.
Six Continents. One Company.
We ship to destinations on six continents. Europe is our most common international corridor, with the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands topping the list. Transit runs 4 to 6 weeks by ocean. Asia includes Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, and India, with 6 to 8 week transit times. Australia and New Zealand take 6 to 10 weeks.
South America destinations like Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina typically take 4 to 6 weeks. Africa varies widely: West African ports can take 6 to 8 weeks, while South Africa is closer to 5 to 7 weeks. North America includes Canada (which can go by land, making it faster and cheaper than ocean freight) and Caribbean destinations like Puerto Rico, which ships as a domestic move.
We've shipped households to more than 40 countries since 1976. If you've got a destination, we can get you there. Call (919) 682-2300 and we'll walk through the specifics for your country.
Timeline and How It Works
Step 1: The estimate.Call us or fill out the contact form. We'll do a video walkthrough of your home, inventory what's going, confirm the destination, and put together a detailed written estimate. We'll explain the customs process for your specific country and give you a timeline.
Step 2: Packing and crating. Our crew arrives at your Durham home and packs everything. Fragile items get custom crates. Furniture is blanket-wrapped and braced for ocean transit. We build a detailed inventory with item descriptions and condition notes for customs.
Step 3: Transport to port. The loaded container or crated goods are trucked to the nearest export port (typically the Port of Virginia in Norfolk or the Port of Savannah). We handle all export documentation and container loading.
Step 4: Ocean transit. Your container crosses the ocean. Transit times depend on the destination: 4 to 6 weeks to Europe, 6 to 8 weeks to Asia, 6 to 10 weeks to Australia. We provide tracking updates along the way.
Step 5: Customs and delivery. At the destination port, your shipment clears customs (we coordinate with local brokers). For door-to-door service, a local delivery crew brings your belongings to your new address and places furniture where you want it.
If your overseas home isn't ready when it's time to load, we can hold your belongings in our climate-controlled Durham storage until you're ready to ship. Same sealed container, no rehandling.