Moving by Plane or by Shipments

Hi Everyone,

So have been reading a couple threads on here about moving, but I guess I just wanted to ask for advice as well. I am currently waiting to get all the papers together that I need to finally send off my spouse visa application and join my husband in the UK (so nervous/excited!). If everything goes to plan I will be moving in to join him in Belfast in about 2.5 months. So I'm starting to think about the move and looking at different options.

I had originally thought to move primarily through bringing lots of extra suitcases on the plane with me. However it looks like I can only realistically bring 1 or 2 extra checked bags (2 or 3 in total), and the prices go up a lot with each additional bag.

1) Does anyone have advice on whether or not to move by plane or by shipment?

2) Also, has anyone ever used collegeboxes.com or U-Box (from U-Haul) to move from the States to the UK?

I'd love any advice or experiences you have that might help. Thanks so much!

Hi Everyone,

So have been reading a couple threads on here about moving, but I guess I just wanted to ask for advice as well. I am currently waiting to get all the papers together that I need to finally send off my spouse visa application and join my husband in the UK (so nervous/excited!). If everything goes to plan I will be moving in to join him in Belfast in about 2.5 months. So I'm starting to think about the move and looking at different options.

I had originally thought to move primarily through bringing lots of extra suitcases on the plane with me. However it looks like I can only realistically bring 1 or 2 extra checked bags (2 or 3 in total), and the prices go up a lot with each additional bag.

1) Does anyone have advice on whether or not to move by plane or by shipment?

2) Also, has anyone ever used collegeboxes.com or U-Box (from U-Haul) to move from the States to the UK?

I'd love any advice or experiences you have that might help. Thanks so much!

I moved to the UK with a backpack (personal item), carry-on and two checked bags. I brought clothing and a few special decorative items.
I still have a few boxes of books I want to move over,but this may now be prohibitively expensive since I've lived here with the addition of TOR. I haven't looked into it yet, but I've been here 4yrs 10 months.

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Guys, out of curiosity... what's TOR?

Guys, out of curiosity... what's TOR?

It's a form you have to complete to obtain relief from customs duty when moving your belongings to the UK from a non EU country. Transfer Of Residence.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-transfer-of-residence-tor-relief-tor01

Guys, out of curiosity... what's TOR?

TOR is the new Transfer Of Residence Form you now have to fill out before moving so that you get tax relief on your belongings:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-transfer-of-residence-tor-relief-tor01


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Guys, out of curiosity... what's TOR?

Essentially it means you have to move everything within 12 months of taking residence in the UK or you now get whacked with customs fees. 

Hi Everyone,

So have been reading a couple threads on here about moving, but I guess I just wanted to ask for advice as well. I am currently waiting to get all the papers together that I need to finally send off my spouse visa application and join my husband in the UK (so nervous/excited!). If everything goes to plan I will be moving in to join him in Belfast in about 2.5 months. So I'm starting to think about the move and looking at different options.

I had originally thought to move primarily through bringing lots of extra suitcases on the plane with me. However it looks like I can only realistically bring 1 or 2 extra checked bags (2 or 3 in total), and the prices go up a lot with each additional bag.

1) Does anyone have advice on whether or not to move by plane or by shipment?

2) Also, has anyone ever used collegeboxes.com or U-Box (from U-Haul) to move from the States to the UK?

I'd love any advice or experiences you have that might help. Thanks so much!

Hi!

If you can manage to bring extra bags, I think that's still the easiest and least expensive way to bring your belongings. That way you'll also have everything you need with you right away versus waiting several weeks for a shipment to arrive. I know on Delta airlines, you're allowed up to 10 pieces of luggage. So if you only need to bring a few extra pieces then it's very cost effective.

I am shipping housewares/kitchenware, decorative items, a few small furniture items, my iMac, my crystal/mineral collection, books, CDs, etc. So I've opted to use a full-service shipping company. They will do all the packing because I need to have insurance on my items. It'll probably take an estimated 6-8 weeks to receive my shipment. It is very pricy but it is really my only option.

Just make sure you apply for TOR. It took 7 business days for me to receive my TOR approval so not a terribly long wait... but just keep that in mind as you plan. It can take up to 3 weeks in some cases from what I've seen.

Good luck with everything! 

I moved by plane but this was 5 years ago and I don't think there was any limit to how many extra bags I could tack on (and the pricing per extra bag was high but not "sell your kidney" high). Also, it helped that I had my husband flying over from the UK to fly back with me. We both tacked about 2 extra bags each (he flew over with very little), so we took back 6 suitcases and 2 carry-ons if I remember correctly (or somewhere thereabouts). It was a pain to find a cab to take us home and it was a lot of bags to juggle, but it worked for us (me). It meant leaving lots of stuff behind, but it's all in storage in a family member's basement.

I would say, maybe look at everything you have and see what stuff you absolutely want to have with you from the start. Shipping stuff can take a lot of time so I would say prioritise maybe sentimental items or very fragile items (in your carry-on) and ship the stuff that you can easily be without for a while. If you find you have a lot of stuff, maybe consider tagging an extra bag or two on? You have to do what works best for you and your budget.

Haven't used it myself, but a lot of people have used UpakWeship.  I think it's 100 cubic feet for roughly $1,000.  All dependent on where you are, etc., but could be a way to get everything over for the amount you'd end up spending in extra bags.

Wow! Thank you everyone so much for the advice!

So just so I'm sure I've got this straight, if I plan on moving everything by plane do I still need to fill out a TOR? Or is that only if I am shipping items overseas?

Wow! Thank you everyone so much for the advice!

So just so I'm sure I've got this straight, if I plan on moving everything by plane do I still need to fill out a TOR? Or is that only if I am shipping items overseas?

The others will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it's only if you're using a company and shipping your goods (not if you're putting your stuff in suitcases and moving them yourself.

The others will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it's only if you're using a company and shipping your goods (not if you're putting your stuff in suitcases and moving them yourself.

Wow! Thank you everyone so much for the advice!

So just so I'm sure I've got this straight, if I plan on moving everything by plane do I still need to fill out a TOR? Or is that only if I am shipping items overseas?

I'm not sure about that but I think maybe it's good to just file TOR anyway in case you are stopped by a customs agent at the airport for some reason. Then there would be no question and no unexpected duties or taxes to pay. Or if you've left something back in the states that you decide you'd like to send for later (within the 12 months of arriving in the UK), it might be easier. I just listed everything (even the things in my suitcase) I thought I would bring so that I would be covered.

I'm not sure about that but I think maybe it's good to just file TOR anyway in case you are stopped by a customs agent at the airport for some reason. Then there would be no question and no unexpected duties or taxes to pay. Or if you've left something back in the states that you decide you'd like to send for later (within the 12 months of arriving in the UK), it might be easier. I just listed everything (even the things in my suitcase) I thought I would bring so that I would be covered.

Ah I see, that makes sense to fill it out just in case. Thank you!

It's not a terrible process - you just list (in general terms) what you are bringing. "Women's shirts, "bakewear," "glass figurines", etc. But don't list only very generail categories like "sporting equipement" - be nore specific specific. (Guns can be considered as sporting equipment and are verboten. So "golf clubs" or "Badminton Set", etc.)  Here's some info on it for ya  - https://www.bournesmoves.com/international-moves/how-to-make-a-tor-application

So if you are using an excess luggage forwarding company, and you're outside the TOR window, do you have to pay duty on your old clothes you're bringing over (that were left behind originally)? If that's the case, the handling fees and customs fees probably negate any savings one would have from using a luggage forwarder over paying the extra $100 or $200 per extra bag with the airline.