Your International Relocation Experts
Our professional and prompt International Relocation team takes care of every aspect of your move so you don’t have to. Whether you and your family are relocating overseas, or you are responsible for the successful international relocation of your corporate employees, we carefully plan every step. Our certified Move Managers offer expert assistance in planning your departure date, explain international packing requirements, research long and short-term storage options, and provide access to numerous available destination services, handling customs requirements, and checklists to help organize all aspects of the move, well in advance.
Accredited Global Relocation Experts
We are accredited by the FIDI Global Alliance – the leading organization for international relocation companies and customers. Achieving the FAIM certification means that our international moving processes and procedures conform to the highest level of service regulations.
We offer flexible relocation solutions to match your budget and needs. Whether you decide to pack your belongings yourself, or you take advantage of our professional door-to-door packing, loading and unloading services, we will provide expert advice. Our online tracking services will show you where your shipment is at every step of the move.
- Self-packing: When you pack your own move, make sure to give yourself plenty of time, and remember that we can provide you with packing boxes! For a complete list of our packing and moving tips, please click here.
- Professional packing: Your move team will arrive to your residence before that start of your move with all the supplies, experience, and expertise to carefully package and store all your belongings for move day. For fragile and valuable items that require extra careful handling, we offer specialized crating and transportation services
Our certified International Move Managers are well-equipped to handle international pricing, forwarding logistics, overseas transit protection policies, customer services, documentation requirements and destination services available upon arrival.
Pre-Move (Origin)
- Contact within 24 hours of estimate approval to exchange origin and destination contact information.
- Provide country information packet for your destination country.
- Review customs regulations and documents required for customs clearance.
- Explain property protection.
- Confirm details and pack/load dates with you and local agent who will be performing the packing and loading services.
- Reconfirm scheduled pack/load date the day before services are to be performed.
- Contact on pack/load date to ensure everything is going well and answer any questions.
In-Transit
- Make all necessary arrangements with the underlying carriers including: transport to port of exit, port of exit handling, international transportation, port of entry handling, customs clearance, transport to destination agent, delivery.
- Monitor the transport of your personal household effects from origin to destination with UniGroup Relocation’s international trafficking system. Our system automatically prompts the certified move manager to confirm services with each underlying carrier at appropriate times to ensure your shipment is transported without delay. Every step is tracked online so you can monitor the progress of your shipment.
Post-Move
- Contact customer to schedule delivery date.
- Present customer with shipment tracking tools.
- Remind customer of the required documents.
At Destination
- Follow up with customer for any required destination services.
- Advise of the nearest consulate or embassy.
- Provide assistance with claims processing, if necessary.
Your Move Manager will select the container for your move based on your specific needs and the weight and volume of your household goods. They will provide options on the best method of transport and manage multiple arrangements to meet your specific scheduling needs.
Means of Transport
- Lift-Vans
- Standard sizes are 185 to 210 cubic feet. Other sizes can be built to hold bulky items.
- Used if total shipment weighs less than 4,000 pounds.
- Used for storage as well as transportation to prevent additional handling
- Easily be inspected for customs clearance.
- Preferred method when the destination country lacks the capacity to handle steamship containers.
- Steamship Containers
- 20-foot containers hold approx. 1,100 cubic feet and 40-foot units hold approx. 2,200 cubic feet.
- Holds more than a single lift-van for large or bulky shipments.
- Minimum of 700 cubic feet (approximately 4,000 pounds) is suggested.
- May not be available for shipping to some countries.
- Provided by ocean carriers and may not be utilized for storage purposes.
- Due to their construction, allow for best protection of a shipment compared to other containers.
- Can result in lower transportation charges if the minimum requirement for weight and volume are met.
- Air Freight Containers
- Constructed of triple-layered corrugated cardboard, they range in size from 18 to 96 cubic feet.
- Larger containers are fitted with skids for ease in moving with a forklift.
- Restricted to certain dimensional specifications in order to pass through aircraft cargo doors.
Ways of Transport
After your household goods are packed and loaded into the appropriate container, your Move Manager arranges door-to-door transportation. We will determine if the shipment should be moved by rail or motor freight to a seaport or an airport, depending on the mode of transportation. More than one mode of transportation will be required – either ocean or air for the longest part, then truck or rail to and from the entry and departure points.
- Motor Carrier
- Provides access to most geographical areas in the United States.
- More cost effective than air transportation to a port.
- Used to transport steamship containers and lift-vans.
- Option for expedited pickup.
- Railroad
- Capable of transporting more goods in certain trade lanes by stacking steamship containers.
- More cost effective than a motor freight carrier.
- Frequently used to transport steamship containers to and from an ocean port.
- Ocean
- Most common way to transport shipments internationally.
- Usually less expensive than air freight.
- Normally comprises the longest leg of a move, in terms of distance and time spent in transit.
- Air Freight
- Reduces transit time; used to send time-sensitive items.
- Recommended for some countries, depending on the nature of the shipment and final destination.
- Ideal for smaller shipments.
Your Move Manager will assist you with securing arrangements for your specialty items to safely transport them to your end destination. We may also recommend various options for storage at one of our secure warehouse facilities. A partial list of specialty household items is below for reference. For tips on packing these items yourself click here.
- Artwork
- Antiques
- Sculptures
- Pianos
- Wine collections
- Grandfather clocks
- Glass or marble tables
- Chandeliers
- Swing sets, backyard pieces
- Flat screen TVs
- Cars
- Motorcycles
- ATVs, snowmobiles, lawn tractors and other motorized vehicles
- Boats
- and more…
Moving overseas for any period of time often means leaving behind treasured possessions. Our state-of-the-art warehouse facilities are the ideal space to store all your highly-valued possessions. Our facilities feature:
- Video surveillance 24/7
- Advanced climate and humidity control
- Advanced security options
- Over 1 million square feet of storage space
- Space and fire-lock vaults for extremely high valued items
We offer move management services to streamline your entry into a foreign country. Your international move counselor is an expert on the different visa, immigration, and entry requirements your chosen destination requires. We will file the appropriate paperwork on your behalf well in advance of your move. We will also connect you with an experienced and trusted partner agent in your destination country. From start to finish we will have an expert to address all of your concerns and provide support.
