Where in the USA will the belongings be delivered?
Include the state, town and ZIP code when you know them. If you are still choosing a home, give the area and say the address is provisional. Ask whether the proposed service includes delivery to that property, so you do not assume the arrival port is where the move ends. At an apartment, check lift access, unloading arrangements and any building booking requirements.
Which immigration route are you using?
A permanent move and a temporary work or study stay use different routes. The US Department of State explains the immigrant visa categories, and eligibility depends on your circumstances. ESTA, or admission under the Visa Waiver Programme, is for qualifying short visits and is not permission to settle or take employment. Check the right route, and any arrangements for dependants, before you treat a travel booking as your confirmed moving date.
Official guidance: US immigrant visa routes US Visa Waiver Programme conditions
Who handles school enrolment in the USA?
State and local authorities, not the federal Department of Education, handle school administration and admission. Contact the school district for the address you are considering. Ask about address evidence, school records, vaccination documentation, term dates and support for a child joining from overseas. Find out the local requirements before you pack the records you may need. The house search and the school enquiry can go ahead together.
Official guidance: US Department of Education: state and local responsibilities
What belongs in the shipment?
Start with the furniture you want to keep, then estimate boxes of smaller belongings. Measure unusually large pieces and check they suit the new home. Before you include electrical appliances, check they can be used at the destination. Mark anything that needs careful packing or dismantling, and upload your inventory and useful photographs with the enquiry.
- Large furniture, approximate dimensions and box quantities.
- Fragile pieces and the packing help you would like.
- UK collection access and the receiving arrangements in the USA.
What do US customs say about household belongings?
The USA applies its own import rules wherever the collection is, whether the UK, an EU country, Canada or South America. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) describes conditional duty-free entry for qualifying household effects that you have used abroad for at least a year and do not intend to sell or give to someone else. You may be asked for evidence of use. Personal effects are classified differently, and restricted items need separate checks. Do not assume that everything used, inherited or already owned is automatically exempt.
Official guidance: CBP: shipping used household effects
How do you prepare the declaration?
CBP publishes instructions for Form 3299, the declaration for unaccompanied articles. The form distinguishes household effects, personal effects and items that need a separate declaration. Prepare an accurate inventory before packing, and flag new purchases, food, plants, alcohol and anything for sale or business use. Agree who supplies, checks and submits the documents, including any authority to act for you, and keep your travel documents with you rather than in the shipment.
Official guidance: CBP Form 3299 instructions
How do your dates line up?
Three dates are separate: when you must leave the UK property, when you expect to arrive in the USA and when someone can receive the belongings. Ask what a transport estimate includes, how delivery is arranged after arrival and how changes are communicated. Keep essential items with you, and agree any fixed commitments in writing before collection.
What should a quotation cover?
Check packing, collection, transport, document handling and destination delivery against the same inventory. Ask which destination, customs or access charges are included and which may be payable separately. A transport-only amount cannot show the full cost of a household move. Any protection arrangements, exclusions and responsibilities should be explained with the proposal.
Your questions answered
Can I request a quotation before I choose a US address?
Yes. Give the state and the town or area you are considering, explain your likely timing and upload the belongings you expect to take. Update the address and access details before the delivery arrangements and price are confirmed.
What if I am only taking a few boxes or pieces of furniture?
Describe the actual contents rather than choosing a full household by default. The enquiry can cover selected belongings, and we assess the packing and collection for that load and route.
Can pets or a vehicle be part of the household plan?
Yes, as separate requests. Use the pet transport checkbox to ask about pets with the same contact and moving details. Vehicle shipping has its own enquiry for vehicle information. Neither is automatically included in the household quotation, so confirm the proposed arrangements for each.
Keep the official checks with your moving plan
Official guidance checked on 8 October 2026. Recheck the linked authorities before confirming paperwork and dates, using your nationality, residence circumstances and the actual origin and destination of the belongings. Ask us about the moving arrangements alongside those checks.