Shipping Questions - Documentation & Dates

[steblin]

Hi All,

New user and first post, but been reading on here for a good while. Some back story - got a feeler from a company a few months back and decided to chase it down, in the end getting the job offer in Auckland. My wife and I had always dreamed of doing something like this, and with our eldest kid at 3 1/2 and second due in October, came at the right time, so Visas depending, we're hoping to make the move in January.

Now to the question - I'm getting confused messages from shipping companies coming around and giving quotes / advice. My understanding is that now you MUST be in the country before you container arrives, is that right? Also, I imagine you have to take some documentation / declaration with you to present to customs when you fly in to the country with info about the container?

Many thanks for any help, this site has been a god send so far!

[JandM]

Hello and welcome.

If you're not there when your things arrive, you can get charged tax/duty on your belongings. You will only get the duty-free concession for household items if "You have arrived in New Zealand and, on the date the effects are imported, hold a document authorising residence in New Zealand."
http://www.customs.govt.nz/features/...s/default.aspx

It will be in connection with reclaiming your things (exact details will vary, depending on what you arrange regarding collection/delivery) that you need to prove your identity and status, not at the time you personally arrive.

[Mamee & Co]

It also takes 6-8 weeks for your container to arrive from UK. If there is doubt about your arrival date put it into store in UK..possibly cheaper than duties if they were to be levied.

[girlwithanewf]

Our container from Scotland to Wellington took 12 weeks. No need to show any documentation about your container to customs when you arrive on the plane, that is all dealt with separately when the container arrives.

[steblin]

Thanks for all the replies, that's good to know. At the minute we're planning to fly 6 weeks after the goods get picked up from our flat, so should be there in plenty of time. We were planning on moving into a rental ASAP, so the next big issue was what to do while we were waiting for it to arrive, but just found out about the wonders of furniture rental!

[JandM]

Yes, there's furniture rental. Also, others before you have found that landlords, neighbours, colleagues and forumites can be VERY generous with loans. And you can often pick up worthwhile s/h bargains, either locally or on TradeMe, to fill gaps.

[Mamee & Co]

It is also amazing how little you can live with. We bought a couple of second hand chairs, have a box of kitchen stuff ( Karen, if I find it in the move I will get it back to you) and were able to borrow a bed. Brought our camping gear with us. If used to camping it is really easy to camp in a rented house. We bought a wee bar fridge and a wee freezer and rented a washing machine.

But if you leave 6 weeks after your furniture you may not need to bother, as it may arrive shortly after you. Ours left about ten days before us and then we rented a furnished holiday home for a month while settling and finding where we wanted to live.

Good luck!