International Moving Checklist: What to Do Before You Move Abroad

Why you need a checklist (and why most people leave it too late)

Moving abroad is one of those things that feels manageable until it isn’t. One week you’re browsing property listings in Dubai, the next you’re standing in your kitchen wondering how to get a washing machine to the Middle East by September.

The difference between a smooth international move and a stressful one usually comes down to timing. Start too late and you’ll pay rush fees, miss shipping windows, and forget something important. This checklist breaks the process into stages so you can work through it at a reasonable pace, starting about eight weeks before your move date.

8–6 weeks before: research and first decisions

This is the research phase, and it’s the most important one.

Decide how you’re shipping. You have three main options, and the right one depends on how much you’re sending and when you need it:

• Sea groupage: your belongings share container space with other shipments. Cheaper for smaller loads (typically from £5/kg), but transit takes 6–8 weeks because the container doesn’t leave until it’s full.
• Full container load (FCL): you get the whole container. Faster transit (4–6 weeks) and better for larger households, but more expensive.
• Air freight: arrives in days rather than weeks, but costs significantly more per kilo. Worth it for essentials you can’t wait for.

Most people moving a full household use sea freight for the bulk and send a few boxes by air for things they’ll need immediately. If you’re only sending personal effects and boxes, international box shipping or baggage shipping may be enough.

Book a survey. A reputable international removals company will want to survey your home before quoting. This can be done in person or by video call. The survey determines volume (measured in cubic feet), which drives the price. Don’t skip this step. Guessing volume almost always leads to surprises on moving day.

Get at least three quotes. Compare like for like: does the quote include packing? Insurance? Customs clearance at the destination? Delivery to your new address or just to the port? Some companies quote port-to-port and leave you to arrange the last mile yourself. Others, like London Moving Services, offer full door-to-door service including customs clearance and home delivery.

For a detailed breakdown of what drives the price, see our guide to international moving costs.

Check destination country restrictions. Every country has different rules about what you can import. Egypt, for example, requires a detailed packing list stamped by the Egyptian consulate. The UAE restricts certain electronics and medications. Research your destination’s specific requirements early, or ask your removals company. They deal with this every week.

6–4 weeks before: paperwork and admin

This is the admin-heavy phase. It’s not exciting, but it prevents problems later.

Sort your documents. At minimum, you’ll need:

• Valid passports for everyone in the household (with at least 6 months’ validity)
• Visas or residency permits for your destination country
• A detailed inventory of everything you’re shipping
• Proof of residence at your UK address (utility bills, council tax)
• Any destination-specific documents (consulate stamps, import permits, vehicle registration if shipping a car)

Look into Transfer of Residence relief. If you’re leaving the UK permanently or for an extended period, HMRC’s Transfer of Residence (ToR) scheme may let you ship your belongings to an EU country without paying import duty and VAT. The rules are specific: you generally need to have owned the goods for at least 6 months and be transferring your normal place of residence. Check the HMRC guidance or ask your shipping company for help with the paperwork.

Notify the right people. Work through this list:

• Your employer and HMRC (P85 form if leaving UK employment)
• Your bank (some accounts can’t be maintained from overseas, so ask about international banking options)
• Your GP: request your medical records and any prescriptions you’ll need
• Your children’s school: request transfer documents and academic records
• Council tax, utilities, broadband: arrange cancellation dates
• Insurance providers (car, home, health)
• DVLA, if you’re keeping your UK driving licence
• Royal Mail: set up a redirect to a UK contact address

Start an inventory. Walk through every room and list what’s going, what’s being sold, donated, or binned. Be honest with yourself. Shipping a broken treadmill to Cairo costs the same as shipping a working one, and it’ll still be broken when it arrives.

4–2 weeks before: packing and preparation

If you’ve booked professional packing services, your removals company will handle this in the days before collection. If you’re packing yourself, start now.

Packing priorities:

• Pack room by room. Label every box with the room name and a brief contents list.
• Use proper packing materials. Supermarket boxes collapse when stacked in a container.
• Wrap fragile items individually. Plates go vertically (like records), not flat in a stack.
• Keep an “essentials” box separate with everything you’ll need before your shipment arrives: documents, medications, phone chargers, a change of clothes, basic kitchen items.

Separate restricted items. These can’t go in your shipment:

• Flammable liquids (perfume, aerosols, cleaning products, paint)
• Perishable food
• Plants and soil
• Firearms, ammunition
• Batteries (lithium batteries in particular cause problems)
• Prescription medications in large quantities (check destination rules)

Your removals company will give you a full prohibited items list. If in doubt, ask before packing it.

Arrange storage if needed. If there’s a gap between leaving your UK home and your shipment arriving, you may need storage services. Some companies offer free storage for a limited period as part of the move. London Moving Services, for example, includes up to 8 weeks’ free storage at their Watford depot.

2 weeks–moving day: final preparations

Confirm everything. Call your removals company and confirm:

• Collection date and time window
• Access arrangements (parking permits for the lorry, lift access for flats)
• Payment schedule (typically 50% on booking, 50% on final invoice)
• Insurance cover: what’s included, what you might want to add

Prepare your home for collection day. Clear pathways. Disassemble flat-pack furniture if you can. Make sure the crew has somewhere to park close to your front door. Moving 200 boxes an extra 50 metres adds hours to the job.

Set aside your travel essentials. These go with you, not in the container:

• Passports, visas, tickets
• Cash and cards (including destination currency)
• Medications
• Phone, laptop, chargers
• Important documents (insurance papers, employment contracts, school records)
• Enough clothes for 1–2 weeks

Arriving at your destination

Your shipment won’t be there when you land. Sea freight takes weeks, and customs clearance can add a few more days depending on the country.

Before your shipment arrives:

• Arrange temporary accommodation if your new home isn’t ready
• Set up a local phone number and bank account
• Register with local authorities if required (residence permit, police registration)
• Find out where the nearest supermarket, pharmacy, and hospital are

When your shipment clears customs: If you’ve chosen a full-service overseas removals company, they’ll handle customs paperwork and clearance and deliver to your door. If you’ve arranged port-to-port shipping, you’ll need a local customs broker and a separate delivery company, so budget extra time and money for this.

For specific destination guidance, see our route pages for shipping to Egypt from the UK or moving to the UAE.

Common mistakes that cost time and money

After 18 years of moving people overseas, we’ve seen the same mistakes come up again and again:

• Underestimating volume. “I don’t have much” is what everyone says. Then the surveyor measures 853 cubic feet. Get a proper survey.
• Ignoring customs requirements. Missing a consulate stamp or a required document can hold your shipment at port for weeks. Delays at customs also mean storage charges.
• Choosing on price alone. The cheapest quote often excludes customs clearance, insurance, or delivery. Compare total cost, not just the shipping line.
• Leaving packing to the last day. You will run out of time. Start two weeks before collection, minimum.
• Forgetting to deregister. Council tax, utilities, NHS: if you don’t tell them you’re leaving, you’ll keep getting billed.
• Not having an essentials bag. Your container will be on a ship for weeks. Pack what you need for the first fortnight separately.

A realistic timeline

Here’s what a well-planned international move actually looks like, from first phone call to unpacking at the other end:

Build in buffer time. Shipping schedules shift, customs offices close for holidays, and paperwork takes longer than you expect. If your move date is fixed, work backwards from it and add at least a week’s cushion.

Get started

If you’re planning an international move, the best first step is a quick conversation. We can talk through your route, volume, and timeline, and give you a realistic idea of cost and schedule.

Request a free quote online, call us on 020 4515 6333, or send a WhatsApp message to +44 7795 048260.

London Moving Services is accredited by the International Association of Movers (IAM), BIFA, and FIATA. We’ve been moving people overseas for 18 years and hold a 4.9-star Google rating from 53 reviews.