If you are planning on moving to another country that is located on the same continent then your international moving company will most likely be using a truck to move your personal belongings. Trucks are also the original transport vehicle for international moving by sea or by air so the information in this article can be applied to those also.



Before you can load up your truck and move to wherever it is that you are moving to you must determine the size of the moving truck that will be required. An experienced international moving company will know exactly what you need and how to pack it. Each item needs to be placed in the truck separately and all of the contents of the moving truck have to itemized on an inventory list for when you cross the border or arrive at the debarkation point of your ship or plane.

When you arrive at the border or loading dock your truck will be examined and the representatives of your international moving company will be questioned regarding its contents. Customs officials may ask that the truck be emptied so that they can inspect your belongings more closely. Your international moving company should anticipate this and have your truck packed in a way that makes loading and unloading less difficult.

Once the contents have been inspected and cleared by customs officials a tax will be assessed and must be paid before the truck can cross the border. If you are moving by ship or plane, this tax will be assessed on the other end when you land. The amount of the import tax is calculated by the inventory list which should have the value of each item listed on it and a total net worth for the shipment. If your international moving company did this all correctly your time at the border will be brief and your furniture and personal effects will arrive at your new home on time.

The most common international moving done by truck is between Canada and the United States or United States to Canada. The border between these two countries is the largest international border in the world between two single nations, spanning five different time zones and three thousand miles. Trucks cross over on a regular basis and, up until a few years ago, could enter either country without a passport. Today that system has changed and stricter regulations are in place to discourage smuggling and possible terrorist activity.

International moving in Europe has also become more common in recent years and easier to organize with the introduction of a universal currency, the Euro. Most of Europe now uses the Euro and this has eliminated the need for currency exchange and complicated conversions for trucks traveling over multiple borders. Taxes are paid in Euros and immigration regulations are fairly standard across the continent. The world is getting smaller all the time and the international moving process has been streamlined to catch up with it. Make sure that the international moving company you hire is aware of all the changes.