Shipping my personal goods to Germany

If you are moving to Germany and are in need of a professional specialist international moving company, OSS World Wide Movers provide a complete moving and relocation service for all sized private and corporate moving from Australia to anywhere in Germany
Germany is, with it’s central location providing easy access to the UK and the rest of Europe, a popular and exciting destination for Australians. Moving to Germany to further one’s professional training, skill base, and/or career opportunities are common occurrences. For 40 years OSS World Wide Movers has been assisting individuals, business people, and Corporates make the move to Germany with the professional service and advice that comes from choosing a quality international moving specialist.
In 2005, the German government admitted that its immigration system was opaque and overly complex and omitted all previous variations. Now, you get an Aufenthaltserlaubnis that will clearly instruct whether or not you are allowed to work. A residence permit is limited in years and forbids you from working unless it expressly says so. Depending on the line of work you intend to do in Germany, you might be able to obtain permission from the labour office, which is known as the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. However, highly qualified workers (such as academics, IT specialists with an annual salary above EUR 66,000) can gain a Niederlassungserlaubnis from the start.
The situation is similar for self-employed entrepreneurs. The German government grants privileges to someone who invests EUR 250,000 and creates five new jobs. Those who do so get permanent residency immediately and do not need any integration course. If you lack the funds, it isn’t the end of your venture, you will simply only be granted a temporary permit to start with.
Citizens of EU countries are spared the hassle of acquiring any type of residency permit because European law grants the freedom of movement inside the EU. When they register their residential address with the Bürgeramt their status will be documented ‘ex officio’. However, when the family member is from outside the EU, these persons still have to obey visa regulations.

Citizens of the US, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland can enter without a visa but must apply for their residency permit within three months – before their ‘visa waiver’ expires.

Can I pack my own goods when I move to Germany?

If you are sending items which have been packed by yourself “owner packed” then they will attract more stringent inspection by Customs on arrival in Germany.

Providing a detailed carton by carton inventory will assist Customs in inspecting your effects, and may avoid unnecessary delays.

It is advisable to have your goods packed by OSS if you are looking at sending larger consignments, to ensure the clearance process can be conducted with a minimum of fuss.

How do I move my car to Germany?

Moving motor vehicles and motor bikes to Germany is possible provided Customs criteria are met.

This service is usually depot to depot, meaning the motor vehicle will be collected by you from our partners depot in Germany following customs clearance.

Customs may require evidence that the owner of the vehicle has lived abroad for 12 months or longer, so a copy of your passport with date stamp showing arrival in Germany, or copy of lease or rental agreement on in Germany would be sufficient.

Can I move my boat to Germany?

Moving a boat to Germany has similar requirements to moving a car to Germany when it comes to registration requirements and process.

Customs and Quarantine in Germany will have a special interest in the boat due to its exposure to marine life, however as Australia has a fairly clean marine environment, your boat should pass customs and quarantine without any problem.

How long will my move to Germany take?

Clearance of your move into Germany takes approximately 5 to 7 working days for an FCL (Full Container Load e.g. not a shared container), and 7 to 10 working days for a GRP (Groupage or shared container load) once the shipping container has been unloaded from the vessel.

What insurance should I have when moving to Germany?

OSS offers a full range of moving insurance options depending on your needs.

Although your shipment to Germany will be packed to export standards (designed to withstand the the longest journey), the small cost of insurance gives you complete peace of mind with regard to the exposure and rigours inherent in moving from one side of the world to the other.

Ask us about Movecover, our Marine Transit Insurance product.

Shipping to Germany