MetEx House, 496a Great West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW5 0TE  ·  Shipping since 1998
0800 096 38 39
🗻 & ✈ Shipping to Singapore • UK’s Singapore specialists • Since 1998

Shipping to Singapore from the UK
Luggage, personal effects & household goods — by air or sea

Everything you need to ship to Singapore in one place. We collect from your door anywhere in the UK, handle the GST-relief paperwork for your relocation, and deliver door-to-door across the island. Air freight in 4–7 working days, or economical sea freight in roughly 2–4 weeks. These sea transit times are approximate — the actual time depends on when your LCL container finishes loading and consolidating, the vessel’s sailing date and route, any transhipment hub before the final destination, and customs clearance, so please allow a week or two either side. Shipping to Singapore since 1998.

Get a quote 📞 0800 096 38 39

Singapore is one of our most popular long-haul routes — a magnet for UK professionals, families and students. It’s also a place where the customs process rewards getting the paperwork right early: Singapore applies GST to imports, but if you’re genuinely relocating, your used belongings can clear with GST relief, provided you apply before the goods arrive. This guide brings together everything that actually matters for a UK–Singapore move, drawn from our Heathrow-side operation and 25+ years on this lane.

Every way we ship to Singapore

Not sure which service you need? Start here — each links to full details, transit times and what’s included.

How shipping to Singapore works, step by step

1
Quote & book

Tell us what you’re sending and where. We’ll give you a clear quote up front.

2
Door collection

We collect from your address anywhere in the UK. No depot or airport drop-off needed.

3
Pack & document

Goods are export-packed and we prepare your itemised inventory and the GST-relief Declaration of Facts.

4
Ship by air or sea

Air freight from Heathrow to Changi, or consolidated sea freight to the Port of Singapore.

5
Singapore customs clearance

Your GST-relief permit is assessed via TradeNet. We apply before the goods arrive so they clear without unnecessary GST.

6
Delivery

Your goods are delivered to your Singapore address — including condo move-in coordination — or ready to collect.

GST relief — how to ship without paying 9% GST

Singapore charges 9% GST on imports by default. But if you’re genuinely relocating, your used household and personal effects can clear with GST relief — as long as you apply before the goods arrive.

Who qualifies: Singapore Citizens or PRs returning to resume residence, and foreigners relocating or migrating to Singapore. You must be moving your place of residence, own the items, and have used and possessed them for at least 3 months.
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The Declaration of Facts (DOF): you apply to Singapore Customs via TradeNet, with proof you’re relocating — an Employment Pass, Dependant Pass, Student Pass or MOM In-Principle Approval letter — plus a detailed inventory. We prepare this with you.
Apply before arrival. The relief must be in place before your goods land — if the process isn’t followed, GST becomes payable, and it can be significant. And don’t sell or give the goods away within 3 months of import.
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What’s excluded: liquor and tobacco are dutiable and never qualify for relief. New items bought for the move don’t qualify either — they’re assessed for GST.

What Singapore prohibits — and what slows shipments down

Singapore is one of the strictest destinations for prohibited and controlled goods. Declaring honestly and leaving the wrong items out is what keeps your clearance quick.

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Prohibited: chewing gum, controlled drugs (with severe penalties), weapons and replica weapons, and obscene or seditious material. These must never be in a shipment.
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Controlled — need a permit: some medicines, telecommunications and radio equipment, and certain other goods require authorisation. Check before you ship.
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In freight generally: aerosols, perfumes and aftershaves (flammable), loose batteries and tobacco are prohibited or dutiable — leave them out.
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List everything clearly. A complete, itemised inventory is what a smooth Singapore clearance is built on. Number your boxes to match the list.

What we see most often — and how to avoid it

Most UK–Singapore shipments clear without drama. The ones that don’t nearly always come down to the same short list:

Applying for GST relief too late. The Declaration of Facts needs to be in before the goods arrive. Miss that window and you can end up paying 9% GST that relief would have avoided.
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No relocation proof ready. Singapore Customs want your Employment Pass, Dependant Pass or IPA letter. Having it ready makes the relief straightforward.
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Overlooking the prohibited list. Singapore genuinely enforces it — chewing gum and the like. One prohibited item can hold up an entire shipment.
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Forgetting the condo move-in rules. Many Singapore condos require booking a lift and a move-in window. We coordinate delivery around that so nothing waits at the door.

What a move to Singapore actually looks like

An illustrative example of a common scenario — your quote is always to your exact shipment.

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A professional relocating to Singapore on an Employment Pass with a one-bed flat’s contents would typically go by shared-container sea freight to the Port of Singapore, with us collecting from their UK door, export-packing, and preparing the GST-relief Declaration of Facts and a detailed inventory before the goods arrive. Transit is usually 2–4 weeks, and with the relief approved the goods clear without GST. Anything urgent — documents, a laptop, essentials — goes ahead by air.

Door-to-door across the island

We deliver to every district — from the CBD and Orchard to the East Coast, Jurong and the heartlands. Because so many moves are into condominiums, we coordinate the practical details Singapore is known for: booking the service lift, working within the building’s move-in window, and timing delivery so nothing sits waiting. Tell us your address and we’ll quote door-to-door.

Which is right for your move?

Air freight suits a few boxes or anything urgent — 4–7 working days, priced on weight and size. Sea freight suits volume — a room, a family’s contents or a whole home — at a fraction of the per-kilo cost, over roughly 2–4 weeks door-to-door. Many customers split the two: air for the essentials, sea for the rest.

Shipping to Singapore — your questions answered

Should I ship or pay the airline for extra bags? +
For more than a bag or two, shipping is usually cheaper than airline excess-baggage fees — and you’re not carrying the weight through the airport. We collect from your door and deliver across Singapore.
How long does it take? +
Air freight is typically 4–7 working days, subject to space and flight availability with the carriers. Sea freight is typically around 2–4 weeks door-to-door, plus customs clearance.
Will I pay GST? +
Singapore charges 9% GST on imports, but used household and personal effects can clear with GST relief if you’re relocating, own the items and have used them 3+ months. You must apply before the goods arrive. New items, liquor and tobacco don’t qualify.
How do I claim GST relief? +
You submit an online Declaration of Facts to Singapore Customs via TradeNet, with proof of your move (Employment Pass, Dependant Pass, Student Pass or MOM IPA). We prepare the documents and inventory with you, before the goods land.
What can't I ship? +
Chewing gum, controlled drugs (severe penalties), weapons and obscene or seditious material are prohibited. Some medicines and telecom equipment are controlled and need a permit. We help you check before shipping.
Can I send electrical items and furniture? +
Yes — furniture, appliances and electricals are all fine to ship. Singapore uses 230V and the UK-style three-pin (Type G) plug, so most UK appliances work without adapters.
Is my shipment insured? +
We offer marine transit cover — we’ll explain the options and cost when we quote, and we always recommend cover for a long-haul move.
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Lak Kharod, Director
Excess Luggage Co. • overseeing UK–Singapore shipping since 1998 • MetEx House, Hounslow, next to Heathrow

Excess Luggage Co. has shipped personal effects, luggage and household goods from the UK to Singapore for over 28 years — through our own Heathrow-side warehouse and collection fleet. We know this route, its GST-relief process and exactly what Singapore Customs looks for. For a quote or advice on your Declaration of Facts, call us on 0800 096 38 39.

Ready to ship to Singapore?

Tell us what you’re sending and where it’s going. We’ll come back with a quote and a realistic transit-time estimate — before you commit to anything.