Freight forwarding personal effects overseas

When it comes to shipping your peronal effects, you want your goods to be delivered in perfect condition and on time. Freight Forwarder Quote Online can ensure such delivery and facilitate all the procedures required when shipping your personal effects to and from Australia.

Whether you have a small suitcase or a full container of personal belongings, Freight Forwarder Quote Online is able to facilitate shipping for you all over the world. We can also provide Customs clearance information relevant to personal effect shipments at any sea port or airport.

Our team has shipped personal effects overseas to and from Australia and know the difficulties that authorities can pose in different countries. We have effective methods of clearing your personal effects through the numerous government bodies, making sure storage charges and delays are avoided.

Major locations we ship to and from Australia

We ship to and from over 16,000 Australian places. See the major locations we ship to and from Australia to overseas.

Countries we ship to and from

We ship to and from over 40,000 overseas locations. See the countries we ship to and from overseas.

Airports and seaports

To see the various air and seaports we ship to and from Australia and overseas, just follow the links below:

• Seaports overseas
• Seaports in Australia
• Airports overseas
• Airports in Australia

Packing your personal effects when shipping

In order to make the shipping cost-effective, we recommend the packing of your personal effects be done by you. It will be expensive if done by third parties.

Whether freight forwarding personal effects overseas to and from Australia via sea freight or air freight, we ask that you pack in either plastic crates or cardboard boxes. We will repack the crates or boxes onto a pallet (palletise) to avoid damage when shipped via sea freight.

How to best pack your personal effects for shipping

If you are planning on packing the personal effects yourself before handing them off to us, then here are some simple packing instructions to help you out.

Choose the right box, making sure that the box can hold its weight and is made of heavy corrugated cardboard. You may use crates if the items are heavier and you require more space.

• Make sure you protect your goods by surrounding them with packing chips, bubble wrap or newspaper.
• Carefully seal the box or crate making sure you cover all seams and do not leave any open areas.
• Clearly label your boxes or crates with your name and destination address. Add a copy of the label and include it inside the container in case the outside label is accidentally removed.

If your personal effects are to be shipped via sea freight, your correctly packed boxes or crates will then be protected using industrial wrapping and secured to pallets to minimise risk of damage.

Use our online freight quote calculator to receive your free shipping personal effect quote. It’s free, fast and easy. Otherwise, feel free to give us a call at 1300651233 or send us a message.

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Classifying personal effects

A consignment of goods needs to have been owned by you for at least 12 months in order to be classified as personal effects.

Personal effects are consignments made up of:

• Personal belongings
• Household goods
• Unaccompanied baggage

Personal effects can attract GST and duties

Individuals with permanent residency, and returning Australian or New Zealand passport holders can import their personal effects to Australia duty and tax free. Alcohol, however, even if it is part of a cellar collection, is still subject to duties and taxes.

There are also restrictions on certain types of items.

Personal items that can’t enter Australia

Martial artists or collectors of dangerous weapons, including antique and collector’s items, must provide an appropriate shooter’s license issued by the local police department before they can be released by Customs. The following firearms and dangerous weapons are, however, strictly prohibited from entering Australia:

• Spring-loaded knives
• Daggers
• Swordsticks
• Blowpipes
• Knuckledusters

Goods manufactured from an endangered species are also prohibited.

For more detailed Customs information please visit www.customs.gov.au.

What personal effects get fumigated by quarantine

Some personal belongings may be infested with unwanted pests or have plant or animal material that can carry disease.

To prevent these hazards from entering Australia our quarantine services (Biosecurity) require fumigation or treatment of the following items:

• Wooden items and gardening equipment
• Lawn mowers that have not been emptied or cleaned
• Carpets
• Vacuum cleaners with full or unclean filters and bags
• Christmas decorations
• Feathers
• Plant materials such as flowers and seeds
• Animal skins
• Bicycles
• Any equipment used in animal husbandry or sports
• Items filled with prohibited materials (such as water, sand, or straw)
• Sea shells

The fumigation and inspection of these items is offered on a “fee for service” basis.

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Documentation for shipping personal effects by sea

When freight forwarding personal effects overseas by sea there are several documents that are required to be completed as part of the process. These documents depend on the country of origin however the most common requirements are:

• Completed and signed Form B534
• Packing list
• Delivery order with the name and address of the owner

Need more help sending your goods to Australia?

The Australian Border Force have additional information on moving personal effects to Australia and for any assistance when shipping personal effects we are happy to help.

Send us a message or give us a call on 1300651233.

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