Ship your personal effects from any UK address to 185 countries worldwide. Air freight in 4–10 working days, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers. Sea freight for larger volumes. Customs documentation support. Clear quote before we collect. 28 years of experience.
Personal effects are items that belong to you, have been used by you, and are being shipped for your own personal use — not for resale or commercial purposes. Clothing, household goods, books, kitchenware, personal electronics, sporting equipment, musical instruments and furniture all qualify as personal effects when they are genuinely owned and used by the shipper.
The distinction matters for customs. Most countries provide duty exemptions or preferential treatment for genuine personal effects when someone is relocating, returning home, or moving abroad. The same items declared as commercial goods attract full import duties. Getting this right — and documenting it correctly — is at the heart of what we do.
Personal effects shipping is used by anyone moving — permanently, temporarily, or for an extended period. The most common customer types we serve:
Expat professionals moving to Dubai, Singapore or the USA on work contracts. Retirees moving to Portugal, Spain or Australia. Families emigrating permanently. The personal effects category covers the move itself.
Nigerian, Pakistani, Ghanaian, Indian and Caribbean communities returning home after years in the UK. Personal effects — accumulated over years — shipped ahead or alongside the journey home. Barrels, suitcases, boxes.
University students on year abroad programmes, postgraduate students moving internationally, and UK students arriving from overseas who need to ship belongings to halls or accommodation.
Oil and gas professionals moving to Qatar, Oman or Saudi Arabia. Healthcare workers relocating to the UAE. Construction professionals on multi-year contracts. Personal effects for a 2-year posting are a practical necessity.
Athletes, touring musicians and cricket teams shipping equipment that doubles as personal effects. Golf clubs, instruments and specialist kit that travels with the person as part of their professional life.
Travellers who have accumulated more than their airline allows — or who simply want to fly without dragging heavy bags through airports. The personal effects category makes shipping the sensible alternative.
The choice between air and sea freight for personal effects depends on volume, urgency and cost. Here is the honest comparison:
The practical rule: for 1–10 bags or suitcases, air freight is almost always the right choice. For a full household move — furniture, appliances, everything — sea freight or a specialist removal company is more appropriate. For the middle ground (10–30 boxes), call us and we advise based on your specific destination and timeline.
Documentation requirements vary by destination but the core requirements are consistent worldwide. We advise on destination-specific requirements at booking — here is what applies to every shipment:
Some destinations require additional documentation — Australia's DAFF biosecurity declaration, the USA's CBP Form 3299, Canada's CBSA B4 form, India's Transfer of Residence (TR) documentation, Pakistan's OPN scheme. We advise on these at booking. Call 0800 096 38 39 before booking if you are unsure about your specific destination.
Certain items cannot be shipped by air freight regardless of personal effects status. These are IATA (International Air Transport Association) regulations — not carrier preferences. They apply on every route, to every shipper, without exception.
For a complete prohibited items guide see our full prohibited items page.
Select your destination for route-specific customs requirements, duty exemption schemes, transit times and documentation.
Shipping personal effects internationally requires more than a carrier — it requires knowledge of destination customs rules, documentation requirements and what happens when things go wrong. That knowledge comes from 28 years of doing this, not from a website.
We have handled personal effects shipments for Nigerian professionals returning to Lagos, Pakistani families sending boxes to Karachi, students shipping belongings from Oxford to Sydney, retirees moving their lives from Manchester to the Algarve, and oil workers sending kit ahead to Muscat. The customs requirements, restrictions and paperwork differ by destination — our job is to know them so you don't have to.
Clear quote before we collect. Customs documentation support included. 185 destinations. Est. 1998.