*SIGH*
Apparently there are set rules when it comes to making an international move. And yes, relocating to Canada counts as an international move.
Naturally, I don’t fit with the set rules. I’m not moving a whole house full of goods. I’m not crossing an ocean. I don’t have 4000 pounds of stuff. That rules out Allied/North American, unless there’s a way to do a partial load and essentially share with someone else moving in the same direction. So far, that seems unlikely. #FAIL
And what stuff I do have is already, or mostly, packed. Except some international moving companies have policies on doing their own packing for international moves. That would be helpful information to put on the company website. #FAIL
Oh, and they need 8-10 weeks lead time, or if I’m really lucky, 10 business days. Oh, but that’s 10 business days from the in home estimate, which they must do. Information that should also be on the website.
I have no problem with that, now that I know it, except time is short.
And if that isn’t enough, I read that, at least according to Atlas Van Lines, Canadian Customs requires the Van operator to present a copy of the owner’s passport and work visa, and the owner must meet the driver at the Customs facility closest to the destination city to clear the shipment. That is a detail no other company has mentioned, either on the website or during a phone call to setup an in home estimate. #FAIL
So who has some helpful ideas here?
Hi Gwynne — I discovered this post through Google Alerts. My wife and I moved from NYC to Sydney a year and a half ago and also had trouble finding a good mover. I just launched a website to help others moving abroad (http://goodmigrationshelps.com). If you’ve already found a mover, I’d love for you to review the service they provided once your move is complete.
Good luck!
Adam Vagley