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I am planning to go on a driving tour of Europe next summer, and would like to bring my car. My intention is to send the car ahead via overseas shipping, fly out from Los Angeles, and pick up the car at the port of the first country where I intend to start my vacation. Right now I still don’t know my exact itinerary, but I do know that I will be traveling to Italy, France, Germany, and Switzerland.

Is this possible? What are the things I should know about overseas shipping of vehicles to Europe? One more thing, how about you joining me on this tou

The answer

Thanks for writing. Yes, it is possible to ship your car to Europe, drive it around there, then ship it back. It’s actually very easy! Here’s what you should know:

You will need to find a good international shipping company for your car. There must be many in Los Angeles; it shouldn’t be hard for you to find a good one. Just make sure that they have a good track record and specialize in overseas shipping of vehicles.

Your car could be shipped overseas via RO-RO, where the car is driven onto the ship and tied down, or via container shipping, where the car is packed and shipped in its own metal container. Shipping rates vary, so I suggest you discuss this with your shipping company.

Your car’s registration and insurance papers must be current. Take out the papers and license plates from the car, and bring them with you when you fly. I would also advise you to buy marine insurance for the car while it is in transit. Some people also get additional insurance for while it is abroad. Talk to your international shipping company and your insurance company and get their advice.

A new license plate for Europe will not be necessary; in fact, it is a requirement that a car driven in Europe for tourist purposes should display the car’s original license plates and a nationality sticker yes, even cars have citizenships too! The nationality sticker is an oval sticker that displays the initials of the country where the car is registered. Failure to display your nationality sticker could result in a fine.

Certain European countries, like Germany and Switzerland, require that you carry a warning triangle caution sign, a first aid kit, and spare bulbs in your car.

When you turn over your car to your international shipping company, make sure that the car has no more than 1/2 of the tank filled with gas. You’ll need to have gas to be able to drive it out of the port, but you don’t want it filled too much as to pose a hazard while being shipped.

When you get to your destination and claim your car, check to see if there were damages incurred during overseas shipping. Affix your license plates and nationality sticker, then drive the car to the customs office to fill out the paperwork and pay your customs duties.

That’s it, you’re ready to explore Europe!

One last thing before you leave the United States, familiarize yourself with the speed limits and traffic signs for each country you intend to visit.

As for your invitation to join you, I think I’ll take a raincheck. I have way too many letters to answer right now. Thank you for the invitation, and enjoy your vacatio

Nir Dotan is a writer and promoter of Internation Moving services, and
International Shipping Local as well as International Moving.

I own a call center in Utah. I have just finalized negotiations with a new partner in the Philippines and will be moving my operations to that country. I would like to ship my equipment, which includes computers, servers, routers, headsets, and other things used in my business.

I would also like to bring my car, if that is possible, as I expect to stay in the country for a long time. Could you tell me what I need to do to arrange for overseas shipping of my car and equipment to the Philippines?

The Answer:

The call center industry in the Philippines is certainly on a roll, and more and more foreign investors are moving there. The call center/business process outsourcing industry is one of the areas in IT and IT-enabled services that the Philippine government is encouraging investments on.

First, you will need to hire the services of an international shipping company that will ship your equipment out of the United States. You have two options for overseas shipping to the Philippines by air freight, or by container shipping (sea). Container shipping is the cheaper option, but will take a little longer.

Your international shipping company will be able to advise you on the best way to pack your equipment in order to minimize/avoid damage during transit, and can even do the packing for you. You might also want to take out marine insurance on your shipment.

Once your shipment gets to the Philippines, you will need to go through a licensed customs broker in that country in order to be able to claim your equipment. Your international shipping company may be able to provide you with a list of licensed customs brokers in the Philippines that they have done business with, or your local partner could arrange for a good one whom you will be able to trust.

Clearances from various government agencies will be required before the cargo you sent for overseas shipping arrives in the Philippines. Your Philippine partner can arrange for these.

After the shipment arrives, you or your authorized customs broker acting on your behalf are required to file an import entry. This must be done within 8 to 15 days, but not exceeding 30 days, after the shipment is unloaded from the overseas shipping vessel. You will need your bill of lading, commercial invoice and packing list in order to be able to file the import entry. Ask your international shipping company or customs broker what other documents, if any, would be needed.

Your shipment will be inspected and valuated by the Customs office, after which you will have to pay customs duties and taxes. It normally takes around 3 to 4 working days for shipments to be cleared if all your documents are in order and the customs duties have been paid.

As for your car, Philippine laws are very strict about car importation, and overseas shipping of vehicles into the country is currently allowed only for returning residents, immigrants, and diplomats. Another simple option You would have is to buy a car in the Philippines instead.

Nir Dotan is a writer and promoter of Omega Shipping services, and
Omega Shipping Local as well as International Moving.

My car was delivered in style, driven by a guy whose cologne has left its permanent musky scent on my seat thankfully not an unpleasant aroma. The final words to me from the rep at the international auto shipping office rang in my head.

You’re moving where?

Whenever I have this conversation with family or friends, I develop headaches. What’s so strange? It’s a land of incredibly ancient and wonderful things. The struggles to survive and the extremes to which one strives to do so, these things appeal to me.

In relocating to such a completely foreign country, by myself, I had to take every precaution that I would be safe, informed, and could adjust as quickly as possible, allowing myself time to consider what I would do once I got there. Write? Work in an office? Drive a cab in a city? Sell goats in a village? The possibilities were endless, as were the pitfalls.

Since my friend in Gambia had offered to rent me a room, housing was taken care of. The problem of transportation was a different matter. Take my minivan to Gambia? I decided to let my fingers do the walking and I found an international auto shipping company that was up to that particular task.

Information was vague, prices were high, and it was possible that a few palms were going to have to be greased. I just kept thinking about exotic wildlife and spicy new seasonings in people and food; that got me through.

These international auto shippers were exactly what I needed in such a situation. They knew, to the penny, how much things were probably going to cost. They could tell me what to do to my vehicle to get it ready for moving (thank heavens my steering column is on the left). And they promised that, since I had a permanent residential address in Gambia and could pay the fees and taxes, they could get hold of the necessary Letter of Authority and Permit for Import that I would need sometimes no small feat, from what I gathered.

These guys certainly had their work cut out for them. All I had to do was to wait for my flight to leave, and spiff my car up to meet customs standards. I had to study for a driving exam, to make sure that I could pass a test there. The international auto shipping company, on the other hand, was up to their ears in bureaucracies and bullies. They were used to this, my rep said, and simply knew how to say “Please” in every known language.

So, on my departure from the international auto shipping company’s dock I saw my car, aimed at Africa, and I sent a silent Godspeed toward it and wished it a safe journey, wondering what I would find on the other side, in a few weeks.

My car was delivered in style, driven by a guy whose cologne has left its permanent musky scent on my seat thankfully not an unpleasant aroma. The final words to me from the rep at the international auto shipping office rang in my head.

Have a safe journey home.

International Moving Company services, and
International Shipping To Africa as well as nation Wide.

Shipping your car to another destination is not as difficult as the idea may seem, provided that you are supplied with the correct information from square one.

The selection of your international shipping company is the first and foremost decision you will need to make. You can find a listing in your local yellow pages or online using a search engine. Most agents will give you a free quote so you can make as many enquiries as you need to until you find the one for you. Factors you should take into consideration when making your selection are:

* Do they have good recommendations and track record?
* Can the provide references to confirm this?
* Have they been in the business for a considerable amount of time? Be careful of fly-by-night companies
* Are they reasonably priced?
* Do they offer personalised service?
* Do they guarantee the delivery date? Some companies have a clause written into their terms and conditions that will relieve them of any responsibility to arrive on the proposed delivery date. You could end up waiting an extended period of time over and above what you expected.

You will need to provide your international shipping company with certain information regarding your car and where you plan to ship it. For example:

* You will need to provide original papers for the vehicle to prove ownership
* Make of the car, model and other specifications
* Origin and destination
* Estimated date of departure

All vehicle transporters must carry insurance, but what they actually cover varies from one international shipping company to another. They also may only have insurance secondary to your own, so it is imperative that you check what they are liable for and what you are responsible for. In some cases, if the insurance cover is not sufficient then you can top it up to a more attractive option.

Leaving your car in someone else’s hands is a huge test for anybody. But with a highly regarded international shipping company, your worries will be minor. On collection, a pre-shipping inspection of your car will be done and a report will be compiled. This is to ensure that any damage currently existing on the car will not be made the shipping agent’s responsibility. It is a good idea to be present when the inspection is done.

More importantly, on receiving your car at its proposed destination, the inspection report will be brought out again and checked against your car for any damage imposed to the vehicle during transit. Make sure that you check your car thoroughly and slowly with the shipping agent present.

Other points to note:

* It is illegal to store anything in your car when it is being transported by an international shipping company
* All alarms and anti theft devices need to be disarmed before your vehicle is loaded
* Any loose items must be secured properly, or completely detached
* The laws regarding shipping of automobiles vary from country to country. It is advisable to confirm with the customs officials of your chosen destination what is required for entry into the country.

Nir Dotan is a writer and promoter of Omega Shipping services, and
Omega Shipping Local as well as International Moving.

It was my dream. To live and work, short-term, in a foreign country. I had wanted to try this for a long time and now, immediately after graduation from college, seemed like the time. When better to leave the country than when you owe vast sums?

The question was how to achieve it. First, get a position somewhere overseas. Then move there and work for a while, hopefully accumulating new language skills and a few mementos along the way. I envisioned Japanese fans and kimonos, German steins and lederhosen, Russian hats and empty casks of vodka decorating my future home.

As it happened, the job came to me instead of me going to it. I am fanatical about reading the newspaper; for some reason I have to read it cover-to-cover daily or I worry that a disease that I had no previous knowledge of will come and wipe out my life. A bus I was riding, owned by a company that I didn’t realize had a really bad maintenance reputation and record, would lose its brakes and I’d find myself doing a header off the Fremont Bridge.

So, reading the paper one day in a local coffee shop, I saw it. An ad for English teachers in Japan. After applying, suiting up and teaching mock English lessons for three students in a dead classroom, and lying to overly-intrusive questions about my abilities to be a workaholic in a foreign country, I had the job.

So: how to get there Do I hire some international moving company and transfer my entire life? Or do I sell everything and start over in a new place, trying to interpret sizes on clothes and shoes and developing new, weird tastes in furniture? I had some money to invest in this, and a deadline that I could live with, which was a blessing.

I decided on going the international moving company route, getting out of Dodge with my stuff intact. I prefer to have some semblance of continuity in life, if it’s achievable. But here is where enthusiasm and optimism came to a shuddering, crunching crash with reality. The money kind, that is.

International moving companies are few. They are expensive. And they live for liability. Fortunately, they also are very careful if they want to preserve their reputations and businesses. So, after extensive review of the web sites I found and testimonials I read, I hired an international moving company of some repute. I signed on every dotted line, massaging my hand at the end.

Worth the money? Every penny! I couldn’t believe this operation. They came into my world and boxed it in two days. They even wrapped my teaspoons in bubble wrap and taped them together. Getting everything to Japan wasn’t a problem. Getting everything untapped, unrolled, and unpacked took about three weeks.

Because of the efforts of the international moving company I flew to Japan in peace, lived two years in constant wonder at my surroundings, and came home after a hard day’s work to an environment I recognized as home.

Nir Dotan is a writer and promoter of International Moving services, and
International Shipping Local as well as International Moving.

Looking for assistance with regards to shipping cars to Canada? Look no further! Everything you need to know about international auto shipping into Canada is right here. There are many rules and regulations instilled by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency that need to be taken into account, fees that need to be paid, and forms that need to be completed, all of which you will find listed on this page.

In addition to that, you are also able to receive free quotes from many different International Auto Shipping Companies, located in many varying vicinities. The quotes are non binding and would be a good place to start.

But before you begin, here are some rules you need to be made aware of:

* Cars shipped to Canada have to have been purchased in either America or Mexico within the last 15 years
* The car needing to be shipped must have been made and equipped for North American territory and must be of current year
* Certain models of cars are not accepted for international auto shipping into Canada, and will need to be cleared with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency before they will be regarded as fit for entry
* Certain alterations might need to be made before transport is accepted. These alterations must meet the criterion set out by the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Act
* Duty and tax on the car must be up to date before it is considered
* All documentation for the vehicle must be available on hand for submission

If all of the above principles are met, you will find that your journey through international auto shipping is uncomplicated and stress free. Failing to meet these points will result in your request being declined.

Fees involved:

* Please note that there are a number of fees involved when considering international auto shipping to Canada
* The RIV (Registrar of Imported Vehicles) fee and excise tax are the primary fees and are compulsory
* Excise tax will vary according to your vehicle

Forms needed:

Before proceeding further with the paying of your fees and duties with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, make sure that the appropriate forms are filled out and that the relevant documentation required for international auto shipping are attached.

* Vehicle Import Form I:

This form must be submitted to the Customs Authority, along with the vehicle’s original receipt of purchase and the documents detailing the origin of the shipment. Payment of fees and duty would then need to be made and the document will be stamped reflecting clearance. From here, the clearance figures will be sent to the RIV who will forward Vehicle Import Form II.

* Vehicle Import Form II:

This form needs to be completed by and presented to the Federal Inspection at Canadian Tire. Provided your documentation is in order and all the requirements set out above have been met, your submission will be filed as successful.

Bear in mind that the import rules for international auto shipping will vary according to each model, make and age of car as well as where the vehicle was purchased. After digesting all the above information you might want to start getting some free quotes using the online form. Good Luck!

Nir Dotan is a writer and promoter of International Moving services, and
International Shipping Local as well as International Moving.