Moving from Aus to the USA?
It’s a big move. But with Overseas Packers & Shippers taking care of shipping your belongings, your relocation to the USA suddenly becomes a lot easier.
And with more and more Australians moving to the states, you want a trusted shipping company helping you through this international move.
We offer all types of shipping options to America. Our shared services depart on average every 12 weeks, and our sole use container and LCL services depart weekly. Air freight services are generally a daily service.
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Moving to America
Whether you are moving for family, work, or just a change of scenery, moving to the United States from Australia is becoming an increasingly popular move. The USA boasts the world’s most powerful economy, offering a large range of employment and study opportunities for Australians to take advantage of, especially those seeking a career advancement overseas.
America is also filled with a variety of cities, climates, and cultures that make for great locations to set up a new home for yourself. However, moving to these locations requires the assistance of a trusted international moving company that has the experience and capabilities of transporting your belongings to the other side of the Pacific Ocean.
At Overseas Packers & Shippers, we bring decades of experience shipping the belongings of Australians to all corners of the globe – including the USA. We make it our mission to ensure all your belongings arrive safely at your new destination, ready to help you set up your new home.
Your Trusted Shipping Company for Moving to the USA
Overseas Packers & Shippers have the skills, experience, and proven processes for moving Australians to every part of the USA. Whether you are wanting to ship your possessions to America’s east coast, west coast, or centre, our team – alongside our trusted global partners – will take every measure to ensure your belongings are shipped safely and on time.
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Our Process:
One of the reasons we have had so much success moving people to the USA from Australia over the years is because of the process we have developed to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Let’s take a closer look at this process:
Get an Estimate:
Fill out our ‘Quick Estimate’ form online with your moving details, and we’ll provide a tailored estimate within 24 hours.
Survey:
Choose an in-home or online survey to get an accurate quote based on the volume of your possessions.
Packing:
Our team will pack and wrap all your belongings for you, ensuring everything is ready for the move.
Shipping:
Receive detailed shipping information once your container is ready, including vessel details and estimated arrival. For the USA, this typically takes between 4-6 weeks.
Customs:
Our team will guide you through the customs process, ensuring all paperwork is correctly submitted on time.
Arrival:
Our international partners will collect your container at the port and deliver it to your new home or a secure warehouse.
Our Partner Networks
Overseas Packers & Shippers are accredited international movers, with a network of partners in the USA to ensure your belongings are collected and delivered seamlessly to your new home.
As members of the prestigious FIDI (Fédération Internationale des Déménageurs Internationaux) and the exclusive OMNI (Overseas Moving Network International), our team is committed to maintaining the highest standards of service. These accreditations reflect our dedication to quality and provide you with peace of mind during your move.
Our memberships allow us to connect with equally high-quality overseas shipping partners through FIDI and OMNI, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience for you.
Moving from Australia to the USA can be daunting, but with our professional and welcoming approach, you can rest assured that your move is in good hands. We take pride in our reliable network and the exceptional service we offer, making your transition to a new home as effortless as possible.
Customs Forms
To stay on top of the required customs clearance expectations and responsibilities for the USA, visit the FIDI Customs Guides page today.
FIDI Customs GuidesPreparing for Your Move to America
Preparing for your move to the USA from Australia requires careful planning and ample time. It’s best to give Overseas Packers & Shippers three to six months’ notice before your moving date to ensure a smooth process. This advance notice allows us to coordinate all aspects of your move efficiently.
One of the first steps should be applying for your USA visa, as this process can be lengthy and may face delays. Without a valid visa, you won’t be allowed entry into the country, so starting this early is crucial and we recommend you have it in place already before you first contact us.
Another important step is completing the customs forms accurately, declaring everything you’re bringing into the USA before your belongings are shipped. Overseas Packers & Shippers can assist with this process, ensuring your forms are filled out correctly and reviewed by our partners in the USA.
While we provide support, the responsibility of submitting accurate customs forms ultimately lies with you. This step is vital to prevent any issues or delays once your belongings arrive in the USA.
When moving from Australia to the USA, we recommend that you do not pack your own boxes. This is because America’s customs and boarder control are more likely to inspect boxes that have been packed by an individual rather than a professional shipping company. They will unload, inspect, and repack your items – often with more focus on efficiency than handling the items with care.
Our professional team at Overseas Packers & Shippers will handle all packing for you. This ensures everything is packed securely and meets all international moving standards. By entrusting us with the packing, you can have peace of mind knowing that your belongings are in safe hands and will arrive at your new home in excellent condition.
What to expect when shipping to the USA
As well as providing reliable moving services, we seek to inform you about important factors that may impact your move in each country. The main point to keep in mind when you are shipping to the United States of America is that your items are likely to be inspected.
Whilst you are able to pack your own cartons please ensure that you take a detailed inventory of the items packed in the cartons. Customs will more than likely inspect any Packed by Owner carton which can delay the clearance of your items and potentially include additional charges which are not part of your removal contract.
As a general rule Customs prefer “Packed by Removalist” shipments. Whilst this doesn’t guarantee that Customs will not inspect the shipment it is their preferred packing method.
American Visas
Before making your move to the USA you must have a valid visa in place. If you have no visa when your personal effects arrive in the USA there will be major issues with Customs and more than likely additional charges for items such as storage and administration charges until the items are cleared – if at all.
When moving to the USA the authorities class people in two main groups for visa purposes. These groups are immigrants and non-immigrants. There are several categories within these two main groups and we will give a brief overview of the most important ones below.
If you don’t plan on settling permanently in the USA and you are moving there for a stated, limited period of time you fall under the category of a non-immigrant visa. The sub-categories that fall under the non-immigrant visa depend on the various reasons people might be moving to the country.
If you are planning on moving to the USA permanently you fall under the immigrant visa category. The Green Card (officially called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program) is the most well-known immigrant visa and is highly sought-after. To find more information about this visa, see the Bureau of Consular Affairs website.
Other visa categories are for employment-based immigration, EB 1-5. If you have been offered a job in the USA, your prospective employer needs to prove that there are no available USA workers to fill your potential position. They will also need to prove that hiring a foreign employee will not put the wages and working conditions of USA workers in similar positions in jeopardy. There are some people who are exempt from this rule. This includes multinational executives or managers, foreign investors (EB 5), researchers, outstanding professors and people with high-profile achievements in a certain field (EB 1).
If you are immigrating to the USA you will need to register before your arrival as required by The Electronic System for Travel Authorisation. This can be done via the Department of Homeland Security on the ESTA homepage. To qualify for entry using a Visa Waiver Program, a valid, machine-readable passport must be presented by every traveller (children inclusive). For nationals of some countries, an electronic passport can be presented.
Useful Forms:
Frequently asked questions
How to move to America from Australia?
To move to America from Australia, start by applying for a USA visa. Next, give Overseas Packers & Shippers three to six months’ notice to ensure a smooth transition. We’ll handle packing, shipping, and helping you navigate customs forms, providing a stress-free moving experience.
Do you move Australians to every part of the USA?
Yes! Our trusted partners in the USA are capable of transporting your belongings to every corner of the country – whether that’s the east coast, west coast, the country’s centre, or even Alaska and Hawaii.
How long does it take for my belongings to arrive in America?
The transit or ‘on the water’ time for your belongings to arrive in the United States typically takes between 4-7 weeks, depending on the shipping route and any unforeseen delays.
Additionally, please keep in mind that it can take a similar amount of time in addition to this for our team to secure a spot for your container on the ship. If you are using a shared container, the timeframe may vary slightly. Therefore, we recommend allowing ample time to organise your shipping well in advance of your moving day to ensure a smooth process.
Are my belongings going to arrive intact and undamaged?
We take every precaution to ensure your belongings arrive in the USA exactly how you left them in Australia. Our team uses highly reliable packing material and techniques to give your possessions the best chance of a safe arrival. The same is true for our shipping partners in the USA who will deliver your belongings to your new home.
However, we cannot guarantee that no damage will occur during transit. For this reason we recommend insurance to cover any damage to your belongings during shipping.
Also, if your belongings are held up at customs for whatever reason, they may be handled by people without the experience and expertise of a professional removalist. In these cases, there is a small chance of your belongings being damaged.
To avoid such a situation, make sure you are filling your customs forms correctly and following all instructions from both us and our partners. This will reduce the likelihood that your container will be unpacked and inspected.
We take over the complicated process of moving…
Helping our clients pack, organise insurance, liaise with shipping officials on their behalf and unpack at the end of the move.
Learn more about our process
