Getting hung up on ToR application, am I missing something?

My shipping company picked up my stuff and told me to fill out the Transfer of Residence application and email it to nch.tor@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk.

I sent a pdf to the email address and haven't received anything back yet, not even an auto response, is this how you guys submitted it as well, how long did it take to hear back?

Secondly the shipping company is saying they won't ship anything until I get a response, however the uk website say "Your shipping company will ask you to fill in form ToR01 when your things arrive in the UK." https://www.gov.uk/moving-to-uk

Which one is it?

We just finished doing this. We had to actually mail the form. We sent it certified so we would know when it was delivered as they make him sign for it. It took just over 10 working days for us to have it processed and get a response. We then sent the number to the shipping company and our stuff is now on its way.

Thanks, I think this is the best plan of action, that email address seems to be dud.

I submitted mine via the email address your shipping agent gave you.  I never got an auto response either -- was a black hole until I got my approval.  I applied April 10 and got approval April 27 (approval came via email).

My shipping company also told me they would not let my items leave the US until my ToR was approved.  Best to be sure you have free storage of items on the US side to allow for time to get an approval.

Which shipping companies did you use?

And did you have to have your UK visa in hand before submitting this form?

We used upakweship and I did have my visa when we sent the form. However, we started the process before that. We started the shipping process before we even applied for the visa. So it was all down to timing really. Not sure if that had anything to do with it. The TOR application was also done in the UK by my husband while I was still in the US.

Thanks for the info ChiKristin. I'm gonna try calling them today to see if my application came through email ok. The shipping company gave me this number to call but it's always busy

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-clearance-hub-for-goods-entering-leaving-or-transiting-the-eu

Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm
Telephone: 03000 588 454

Out of hours 6pm to 8am
Telephone: 03000 588 401

Weekends, bank holidays
Telephone: 03000 588 401

AV, I ended up using this company. http://www.internationalmoving.com/ I'm paying about $2500 + insurance to ship 200 cubic feet worth of boxes as a door to door service.

Good news. I finally got through to the phone number listed above and they did receive it and had already started the review process. I should hear back by the end of the week with a customs number to give to shipping. so using that email address is a bit of a black hole but it's a working black hole.

Okay, a question.

Enclosures
The following documents should be enclosed with your application:
•
 
a copy of your passport, including your visa if necessary
•
 
proof of registration
 
this document should show you've taken up residence in the UK or another country of the European Union (EU), and the
date
on which you did so. You may also send some other, comparable document which provides reasonable evidence for
this purpose
•
 
two signed lists of goods
 
State the goods you wish to import on this list
•
 
invoices, proofs of guarantee etc. for the goods you wish to import (commercial documents)
Enclose copies of any documents which show you're going to live in the EU, for example:
•
 
your employment contract
•
 
your employer’s statement
•
 
your work permit

What the freaking heck???

If I am shipping stuff older than 12 months, and it's things like socks and scarves, of COURSE I don't have proofs of guarantee and invoices.

How am I supposed to have proof of registration when I don't HAVE the visa yet?

I don't have a work permit because a spouse visa won't require one!

Just...ugh!!!

Please tell me there is an easier way?

Okay, a question.

What the freaking heck???

If I am shipping stuff older than 12 months, and it's things like socks and scarves, of COURSE I don't have proofs of guarantee and invoices.

How am I supposed to have proof of registration when I don't HAVE the visa yet?

I don't have a work permit because a spouse visa won't require one!

Just...ugh!!!

Please tell me there is an easier way?

Hmmmm.  I think the employment stuff is to show why you are moving to the UK.  Since I wasn't coming for employment purposes, I instead included a copy of my passport showing my approved spousal visa.  I also didn't include any invoices or proof of purchase for anything I imported.   I drafted a cover memo (mostly to explain why I didn't have a current lease from my old apartment in the US) and sent that along with my supporting documentation:

=======
• A copy of the biometrics page in my current passport
• A copy of the approved settlement visa in my passport
• Three of the most recent canceled checks for paying rent in my former apartment in
Chicago, IL, USA
• A copy of the expired tenancy agreement for my former apartment in Chicago, IL, USA
• A copy of the tenancy agreement for the flat I will be living in in the UK upon arrival
• Two signed pro-formas for the items I am shipping
=====

Hmmmm.  I think the employment stuff is to show why you are moving to the UK.  Since I wasn't coming for employment purposes, I instead included a copy of my passport showing my approved spousal visa.  I also didn't include any invoices or proof of purchase for anything I imported.   I drafted a cover memo (mostly to explain why I didn't have a current lease from my old apartment in the US) and sent that along with my supporting documentation:

=======
• A copy of the biometrics page in my current passport
• A copy of the approved settlement visa in my passport
• Three of the most recent canceled checks for paying rent in my former apartment in
Chicago, IL, USA
• A copy of the expired tenancy agreement for my former apartment in Chicago, IL, USA
• A copy of the tenancy agreement for the flat I will be living in in the UK upon arrival
• Two signed pro-formas for the items I am shipping
=====

Thank you!

How detailed did you get for the items you shipped?

Thank you!

How detailed did you get for the items you shipped?

Not very.  My moving company sent me a sample pro-forma to populate.  It was dated, had my name on it, from/to shipping addresses, a description of goods ("Used personal and household effects as listed below, all of which have been in my use and possession abroad in my normal home for at least six months"), then a bulleted list of what I brought (item # 1, highboy dresser, item #2, women's clothing (skirts, shoes, sweaters, outerwear, accessories, item #3, decorative items (magazine rack, decorative art prints and photos, etc), and so on).  I had 17 items altogether.  At the bottom of the form, I included a total value in GBP (I approximated, and this was consistent with the insurance value I purchased through my moving company), and then I signed and dated it.

Not very.  My moving company sent me a sample pro-forma to populate.  It was dated, had my name on it, from/to shipping addresses, a description of goods ("Used personal and household effects as listed below, all of which have been in my use and possession abroad in my normal home for at least six months"), then a bulleted list of what I brought (item # 1, highboy dresser, item #2, women's clothing (skirts, shoes, sweaters, outerwear, accessories, item #3, decorative items (magazine rack, decorative art prints and photos, etc), and so on).  I had 17 items altogether.  At the bottom of the form, I included a total value in GBP (I approximated, and this was consistent with the insurance value I purchased through my moving company), and then I signed and dated it.

Perfect! Which company did you use? And did they have a deductible for the shipping insurance?

Perfect! Which company did you use? And did they have a deductible for the shipping insurance?

I used a local Chicago-based company, Pickens Kane, and they have been wonderful so far. I ended up going with them after a bad experience with Ranier Overseas (the local shipper they referred me to had all sorts of red flags), no return calls from Gentle Giant for over a month, and general concerns about using Upakweship (I was concerned about constructing my own crate).

I cannot for the life of me find my deductible in the fine print, but I think it's order of $500.

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I applied for a TOR on March 29, and the clearance came through about three weeks later. I did not receive an auto-response, so I phoned (time it for early in their work day or you'll get a polite message saying all lines are busy and call again another time) and they were able to tell me they had received it and that, at that time, the backlog was approximately two weeks.  I did also write and ask, as I'd applied for the TOR before our final pack, if it was ok if we added items and their reply was that they understood we had to apply well before packing and that as long as we had a reasonably complete list of items we'd be ok.