Customs, paperwork and the checks nobody mentions
Most of the hard rules for an international move are set by the country you are moving to, not the UK. The common pattern is duty relief on used household goods for people genuinely changing where they live, with conditions on how long you have owned the goods and how soon you import them. Get those wrong and you can pay import duty on your own furniture.
Destination rules we get asked about most
| Where | Who qualifies | Key conditions | Source |
|---|
| Ireland (EU example) | People who lived outside the EU for a continuous 12 months before moving | Goods owned and used for at least six months. Imported within six months before or 12 months after you move. Sell, lend or hire them out within 12 months and import charges are due | Revenue.ie |
| Fiji | People taking up or resuming permanent residence who lived outside Fiji for over 12 months | Goods owned and used for more than 12 months, for personal use only. Needs the C22 baggage declaration, passport, tax ID, inventory, shipping documents and biosecurity clearance | FRCS |
| UK side, leaving | Anyone leaving to live abroad permanently or to work abroad full time for a full tax year | Tell HMRC, on form P85 if you do not normally file Self Assessment, or the SA109 residence pages if you do | GOV.UK |
Ireland is shown as a worked example of the EU rules. Other EU countries apply the same relief with their own forms, so check the customs authority of the exact country before you pack. Rules change, so always read the current page on the day, not a summary from a removals company, including this one.
Moving to Fiji from Yorkshire
Fiji comes up more than you might expect. It is one of the longest routes there is from the UK, so the volume advice above counts double. Three things are worth knowing before you get quotes. First, the Fiji household effects relief needs goods you have owned and used for more than 12 months, which is stricter than the six months in the Irish example, so new purchases bought for the move may attract duty. Second, biosecurity clearance is part of the process, so clean garden tools, outdoor furniture and anything that has touched soil before it is packed. Third, a part-load to a smaller destination only moves when the shared container fills, so ask how often the service runs and build that wait into your plans.
Check who is holding your money
International moves are often paid in advance, and that is the one place a move can go badly wrong through no fault of yours. The British Association of Removers runs an Overseas Group whose members are inspected against the BS 8564 overseas moving standard, and its advance payment guarantee means that if a member ceases trading after you have paid, another member completes the move at no extra cost. If a company wants a large payment up front for a door to door international move, ask whether that payment is protected. Kruze takes no deposit to book.
A timeline that works
- Three months out: decide what is going, get a volume estimate, and ask for quotes.
- Two months out: book the shipping, start selling or giving away what is staying, and check the customs rules for your destination.
- One month out: tell HMRC, gather the documents customs will want, and book packing and collection.
- Final week: clear what is left, keep valuables, documents and jewellery with you, not in the shipment.
International removals FAQs
Can I ship just a few boxes from Leeds to Fiji cheaply?
Usually the cheapest route for a few boxes is extra baggage or a baggage shipping service, not a removal. A part-load starts to make sense once you are sending furniture or a room's worth of belongings.
Will I pay import duty on my furniture?
Often not, if you qualify for your destination's transfer of residence relief and meet its ownership and timing conditions. In the Irish example goods need six months of ownership and use, in Fiji more than 12 months. Check the rules for your destination before you pack.
Can you collect in Bradford, Wakefield or Harrogate for an overseas move?
Yes. We collect across West Yorkshire, including Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Harrogate and Barnsley, and quote each international move to the job once we know the volume and destination.
