Though you may not want to be moving the entire contents of your house abroad, as this can prove expensive when compared to just buying new furniture when in the country, but there will no doubt be some prized possessions, antiques, family heirlooms or expensive unique pieces of furniture that you will wish to take with you that will not be able to fit into your luggage. As such, there are various international removal companies who will be able to provide this service for you for a reasonable cost, but this article will outline the documents you will need to have as well as break down fees payable for the goods transaction.

The following documents will be necessary to allow your possessions entry in to the country after your move:

- A document that will certify you are actually moving into a place of residence in your new country is important. This is called a certificat de changement de residence in France, and has an equivalent in many countries. This document can take a variety of forms. It could be a letter or contract from your estate agents or landlord, or if already living at the property, a utilities or service bill to the address with your name on it.

- A document that states that all of the goods being brought into the country are for your use only and not for sale. This is because goods for sale can often require extra charges and tariffs to enter the country.

- For any items that are considered high ticket or have a great value to a third party, you may need to provide a receipt to the relevant national authorities.

- The last thing you will need to provide is an inventory that clearly specifies a list of all the items that you will want to bring into your new country. This has to be written in your native language and then translated into the language of the country you wish to move to. This is to stop any goods smuggling into the country by yourself or by a third party that you would otherwise be unaware of as when boxed up it can be easy to lose track of all your possessions.

Luckily there is no duty to be paid of used goods and possessions that are for personal use when entering the EU from the United Kingdom. The reason for this is that because they are used, it is implied that a VAT has already been paid for on that item from within the European Union (this law extends to moving items between any EU member states). Items that are new and in their original packaging must be declared at customs when entering your new country and must also be only used for personal purposes. For countries outside the EU this may well not be the case.

The duty on new goods depends on a number of factors such as the item’s purpose and where it is being shipped from (specifically from inside the European Union or outside the European Union). The duty price can vary from case to case. In the case of antiques, though there is often no restrictions and rarely duty to be paid on them. The United Kingdom’s embassies will provide a detailed guide on what can and cannot enter the country alongside the corresponding prices (if looking from other countries, check your native embassy). By checking these prices and comparing removal quotes, you can then make an informed decision on what goods should be shipped across from your home or whether cheap replacements once in your new country should be sought after.