International Moving

What Oler Relo Moving’s International Moving Service Actually Includes — Stage by Stage

International relocation is not a single service — it is a coordinated sequence of services that must execute without gaps. Oler Relo Moving structures that sequence around one dedicated coordinator who is accountable from the moment you schedule your origin survey to the day your belongings are placed inside your new home abroad.

The process begins with an in-home or video origin survey to assess volume, high-value items, and any regulatory flags for the destination country. From there, the team handles export-grade packing — materials and techniques specified for ocean and air transit, which place far greater stress on household goods than a domestic truck move. Customs documentation is prepared and coordinated on your behalf: the commercial invoices, packing inventories, and country-specific import declarations that customs authorities require at the destination port.

For shipment, you choose between full-container load (FCL) for larger households that need exclusive use of a container, or less-than-container load (LCL) — a shared container option that reduces cost when your volume doesn’t fill a full container. Air freight is available for time-sensitive shipments or for items that cannot travel by sea. Interim storage at origin, at destination, or both is available when your move-out and move-in dates don’t align — a common reality in international transitions.

At the destination, Oler Relo’s network coordinates delivery, unpacking, and debris removal so you are not left surrounded by packing materials in an unfamiliar country. Every stage is managed under one relationship, one point of contact, and one transparent price.

Customs Documentation and Clearance Coordination: What It Means and Why It Changes Everything

Customs is where international moves stall — and in the worst cases, where household goods are held, assessed duties they should not owe, or partially refused entry. The root cause in the vast majority of cases is paperwork: missing documentation, incorrect item descriptions, improperly declared values, or forms that don’t meet the specific requirements of the destination country.

Oler Relo Moving coordinates the customs documentation process on your behalf. That begins at the origin survey, where the team identifies items that may be subject to import restrictions, duty-free relief requirements (most countries grant returning residents and new immigrants duty-free entry on used household goods, but the documentation requirements to claim that relief are precise), or outright prohibition at the destination.

The packing inventory — a detailed, item-by-item list with descriptions — is produced to the standard customs authorities expect, not as an internal document repurposed for filing. Country-specific import declarations are prepared in coordination with Mayflower’s destination agents, who understand local customs authority requirements firsthand.

What this means practically: you are not handed a stack of forms and left to research a foreign customs regime while managing the rest of your relocation. Your coordinator handles the documentation workflow, keeps you informed of any items that require your personal attestation or additional proof, and coordinates with destination-side customs brokers when required.

The result is a clearance process that moves at the speed of the shipment — not one that creates a bottleneck at the port while your belongings sit in a bonded warehouse accumulating storage charges you didn’t budget for.

Who International Moving from the U.S. Is Right For — and When to Start

Oler Relo Moving’s international moving service is designed for three distinct groups of customers moving from anywhere in the United States to a destination abroad.

Families relocating for lifestyle or retirement reasons — to Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, or elsewhere — typically have the most flexibility in timing and the most volume. For these customers, the priority is often cost management across ocean freight options, careful handling of high-sentimental-value items, and a destination-services experience that doesn’t leave them managing unpacking in an unfamiliar environment alone.

Corporate transferees and professionals on employer-sponsored assignments face tighter timelines, stricter documentation requirements, and often have third-party relocation management companies involved. Oler Relo Moving’s alignment with Mayflower Transit’s corporate relocation infrastructure means the company can coordinate with relocation management companies and meet the documentation standards that corporate mobility programs require.

U.S. military and government personnel moving on orders have their own regulatory framework — specific entitlements, documentation standards, and delivery requirements. Oler Relo’s experience as a Mayflower agent and its 25-plus years of moving experience position the company to serve this population with the compliance rigor those moves demand.

As for timing: international moves require more lead time than domestic ones. Customs documentation preparation, container booking, and destination-agent coordination all have longer timelines than scheduling a domestic truck. The earlier you engage Oler Relo Moving in your planning process, the more options you have — on freight mode, on departure timing, and on storage if your destination property isn’t available at origin departure. Contact the team as early in your decision process as possible. There is no penalty for planning ahead, and significant risk in not doing so.