With an estimated population of 81.8 million and a stable economy, Germany has become an increasingly attractive destination for people interested in moving to a new country in search of employment opportunities. Some of the most sought after professional skills in people moving to Germany include mechanical and electrical engineering, information technologyand health care.

If you’re moving to Germany, there are a few things to know about moving abroad before you start packing. While you can buy a lot of things you might need once you’re in Germany, it might also come in handy send some of your personal items to Germany to make your move more comfortable.

One of the first things you should do before shipping cargo to Germany is spend some time organizing your paperwork. Some of the information you’ll want to have before shipping cargo to Germany includes:

• Copy of your passport
• Inventory
• A letter from a third party (for example, an employer, the German Embassy) confirming that you have lived and worked for more than one year in another country.
• Lease agreement for an address where you plan to live once in Germany
• Employment contract in Germany
• German customs registration paperwork

Removals abroad and duty-free shipping to Germany

When shipping cargo to Germany, sometimes your items qualify for duty-free shipping to Germany. It is important to note, for example, that if you are moving to Germany, the moving goods will only have duty-free entry into Germany if they are imported within one year of your establishment of German residence. Removals they are considered items that you already used at your previous residence.

Other requirements for duty-free shipping to Germany to be aware of include:

• You must have lived in a foreign country for more than one year or be a citizen of a foreign country.
• Your household goods and/or vehicles must be owned and used for a minimum of 6 months before the date of shipment of the cargo to Germany.
• Your goods must remain in your possession for 12 months after importation.

You can send food duty-free to Germany as long as the amount of food you send is considered normal for household provisions. This includes meat and sausages, which you can send duty-free to Germany as long as it is for personal use and is considered a normal amount.

If you are shipping cargo to Germany, you may enjoy reading some additional helpful tips on international freight shipping and moving abroad.

Items you will pay tax on when shipping to Germany

Some items do not qualify for duty-free shipping to Germany. For example, you are expected to pay duties on alcohol, including spirits and wine. If you are shipping alcohol to Germany, it is recommended that you create a detailed list to provide to the German customs authorities of the alcoholic beverage you wish to ship to Germany. Other items you have to pay duties on if you want to ship to Germany include:

• Tobacco
• Stocks of raw materials, or finished or semi-finished products
• Commercial Vehicles
• good commercials
• Instruments and portable equipment for craftsmen or freelancers

Restricted items to be shipped to Germany

Some items cannot be shipped to Germany. For example, dangerous goods are not allowed to be shipped to Germany, and there are also restrictions on importing specific animals from certain countries. If you are shipping cargo to Germany, please note that you cannot ship the following items:

• radioactive elements
• Writings that are prohibited by the German constitution
• Materials that are obscene or indecent
• narcotics
• methyl alcohol
• Certain pesticides and chemicals

Are you interested in shipping a car to Germany?

If you are moving to Berlin, Munich or elsewhere in Germany, you may want to consider shipping a car to Germany. If you are interested in shipping a car to Germany, you need to go through some paperwork. Make sure you have a copy of your vehicle’s title to show that you own it. It is also important that you have used the car for at least 6 months before sending it to Germany. When you send a car to Germany, after the German customs clearance process, the vehicle registration office will carry out a technical inspection of your car.

There is certainly a lot to think about when planning a move abroad to Germany. A professional freight forwarding company can help you navigate all the country-specific rules and regulations, paperwork, and logistics. Choosing the right professional international freight forwarding company can help make your experience moving abroad a positive one.