International Movers
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Cincinnati International Movers
As stressful and challenging as a local relocation can be, it doesn’t compare to the overwhelming yet exciting prospect of moving internationally. As you get ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime to a new country, you need a reliable Cincinnati moving company partnered with one of the best van lines in the industry.
Bell Moving & Storage is a family owned business with more than a century of experience serving Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and the surrounding Tri-State area. We make moving as easy as possible, especially when you’re preparing for a long distance, international transition.
What Is a Cincinnati International Move? – Understanding Overseas Relocation Services
An international move involves moving that crosses international borders into another country. This type of relocation usually involves intercontinental moving such as a move from the U.S. to Europe, Asia, Africa, or South America. It can also involve moves from the United States to Canada.
A local move is generally completed with the same crew and a moving truck while a cross country move often involves your belongings transported using one of the major van lines and their agents. By comparison, overseas moves involve a combination of ground transportation and air or sea freight. While air freight will have your household goods delivered faster, it’s far more expensive. Ocean freight service is the most common option for business and residential moves but be prepared to wait about six weeks for your belongings.
Your international move may be prompted by a new job or transfer, a new relationship, international studies, retirement, or just expanding your horizons and experiencing new cultures and environments. No matter why you’re making this big transition, it’s important to know what to expect.
The world has never been more connected thanks to the availability of air transportation, but international moves still require time and coordination between multiple parties. You will encounter many terms when working with international moving companies in Cincinnati. Because shipping household items is very similar to maritime commercial shipping service, the terminology and process can be intimidating.
Here are some of the parties who may provide services related to your transition.
- Origin agent: This is the Cincinnati moving company that handles the initial assessment and survey of your home, packing, crating, and local labor services.
- Freight forwarder: The freight forwarder is responsible for arranging the import and export of your goods. They will handle necessary documents, notify you of updates, coordinate with other parties, and organize the transportation of your goods from your home to your final destination. The freight forwarder handles shipping consolidation, cargo insurance, reserving cargo space, and preparing documents, but they do not actually transport your items.
- Consolidating warehouse: Ahead of ocean freight shipping, your goods will end up in a container in a warehouse before shipping. If you are not transporting enough goods for a Full Container Load (FCL), they will be consolidated in a consolidating warehouse to join other smaller loads.
- Export/origin port: After your goods are loaded and sealed in a container, they are transported to the port and loaded onto a vessel.
- Ship line or carrier: The ship line is the company that owns the vessel and issues the Master Bill of Lading, the receipt for the transfer of your shipment and a summary of what you are shipping.
- Destination port: This is where your belongings are unloaded and checked one last time before proceeding to customs.
- Customs: Until your belongings have cleared customs, they are stored in a warehouse. Depending on your origin country, you may be required to be present for the shipment to be cleared.
- Destination agent: Finally, the destination agent is the company handling the final stage of the move in the destination country. This includes clearing customs, any activities at port, and delivering your belongings to your new home.
Many of the parties involved in your transition will be subcontractors or third parties rather than the moving company you hired. However, some movers handle more of the relocation than others. Choosing international movers in Cincinnati OH who can function as the origin agent, freight forwarder, and/or destination agent can save money, centralize responsibility if anything happens, and make communication easier.
Dependable International Moving Services with Bell Moving & Storage
Bell Moving & Storage is the preferred moving company in the Cincinnati area for international relocations of all sizes. We are ready to meet all your moving needs.
With comprehensive international and overseas moving handled by our background checked, experienced movers.
Our full service Cincinnati OH moving company helps you save time and worry with a stress free experience and the peace of mind knowing all the details are handled with expertise. Here’s what our overseas moving services include:
- We handle the customs process and paperwork to ensure a smooth moving experience
- A dedicated Move Coordinator oversees the logistics, communications, and planning
- Customized packing services to ensure your items are securely packed and protected for the trip
- Prep work, furniture disassembly, moving, and loading handled by experienced movers
- We make sure your container reaches the port and see it through to delivery at your new home
- Storage is available at your origin or new location
We make the international Ohio moving experience as easy as possible, from beginning to end. Turn to our Cincinnati, Ohio international movers for a full service experience that takes as much stress out of your transition as possible.
How Much Does an International Move Cost?
There’s no getting around the fact that overseas relocation service is not cheap. However, you can minimize the cost to hire a Cincinnati company for your move by carefully researching moving companies, downsizing your belongings, and understanding how overseas move services are priced.
There is no way to estimate your individual cost; this requires a free moving quote and a virtual or physical assessment of what you are moving and the services you will need. Here are some of the most important factors our international movers in Cincinnati will consider to give you a competitive, transparent quote.
Type of Move – Land, Air, or Sea
Moving overseas or internationally can be done in three ways:
- By truck, which is used to transport items to a consolidating warehouse or port, or for relocations to Canada and parts of Mexico,
- By air, although this is very expensive and usually reserved for small shipments that must arrive quickly, or
- By sea in a container on a vessel.
Cincinnati moving to another country by sea is more affordable than air shipments, but it does cost more than land shipment for many reasons including the number of parties involved, complicated paperwork, and additional costs for origin and destination port fees and handling fees.
Other Important Factors
There are many other factors our Cincinnati OH movers will assess to give you an accurate and free moving quote:
- Your origin and destination country
- Move date (weekends and peak moving season may have higher rates)
- Whether you need packing and/or unpacking services
- Short-term or long-term storage needs
- Whether you are shipping a vehicle
- Insurance
- Customs clearance and paperwork fees
Bell Moving & Storage has earned a reputation for superior service and fair pricing free of hidden charges. Contact us today for a free quote from our friendly staff and the best movers Cincinnati has to offer.
Partial or Full Container
The volume of your items plays a very big role in the cost of Cincinnati movers. When it comes to sea freight shipments, there are three main container sizes:
- 20’ with 1,172 cubic feet of volume (33.2 square meters)
- 40’ with 2,120 cubic feet of volume (60 square meters)
- 40’ high cube container with greater height and volume
A visual estimate is necessary to determine the cubic feet your shipment will require. This is the biggest factor in the cost of an international move. Your shipment will be classified as one of the following:
- Full Container Load (FCL) – This means your goods fill an entire container or they are the only items in the container. Your shipment may arrive sooner if you do not need to wait for several shipments to be consolidated and there is better security with a lower risk of loss. It may also be less likely to be detained by customs. It is more expensive, however.
- Less Than Container Load (LCL) – This means your items take up only a portion of a container with other shipments filling the rest of the space. This is usually more affordable than FCL but it may take longer to arrive.
International Moving Tips from Cincinnati
While we can’t give you an exhaustive international moving checklist, here are our top tips for things you should take care of as soon as possible ahead of working with a relocation company.
- Arrange for your visa and work permits as soon as you can. This can be a lengthy process!
- Gather important documents you will need including your passports, birth certificates, driver’s licenses, international driving permits, and vaccination records
- Make arrangements for shipping a vehicle, if necessary, including import and registration requirements
- If you are bringing pets, verify they can be admitted under the country’s animal import laws and check quarantine laws and vaccination requirements
- Research the banking and credit card system in your destination country. Open a bank account there, if possible, but do not close your U.S. bank account or credit cards.
- Plan to take all the items you will need before your shipment arrives in about six weeks including medication, important documents, important mementos, and clothing.
- Keep a moving folder that will stay with you to keep track of contracts and important documents. Back up everything with digital versions stored on the cloud so they are accessible from anywhere.
- Downsize as much as possible! Overseas moving services are quoted based on weight and cubic feet. Check out our guide to donating furniture in Cincinnati OH for local charities that pick up furniture.
Agencies & Resources for International Moving
- USA.gov – Official U.S. website with resources for Americans traveling outside the country.
- U.S. Department of State – Current information about other countries including travel information and alerts, COVID status, contacts, and more.
- STEP – Register with the U.S. Embassy’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to enroll with the local Embassy or Consulate.
- U.S. Embassy or Consulate – Find contact information for the U.S. Consulate or Embassy at your destination.
- International Driving Permit – AAA is authorized by the State Department to issue International Driving Permits.
Choosing the Best Cincinnati Moving Companies for an International Relocation
Not all moving companies in Cincinnati are equipped for overseas relocations. The last thing you should be worried about when moving to a new country is damaged items, poor communication, or household goods that simply never show up!
Do your research to choose a dependable Cincinnati international moving company with the expertise you need. Here’s what to look for:
- Full service moving company with the services you need such as packing or storage
- Fully licensed and insured for your protection
- Experienced and background checked movers
- Company with years of experience performing overseas/international moves
- Positive reviews and referrals from past customers
- Transparent pricing without hidden fees
Bell Moving & Storage is a family owned, full service moving company serving Greater Cincinnati and the Tri-State area. We have been a Wheaton Van Lines agent for more than three decades and our business has served the Ohio Valley since 1922. Our experienced movers in Cincinnati have earned 5-star reviews based on over 100,000 successful moves! We look forward to helping you enjoy the stress free adventure of moving to a new country!
Make your next move the best ever, no matter where in the world you are going to call home. Contact us today at 513-942-7500 to get started with a free quote!
