Removals - UK to Philippines

We used Wentworth International Movers for our removals from the UK to the Philippines. Their local shipping agent here is Goetz Moving & Storage in Manila. The MD of Wentworth is married to a Filipino and they also handle moves for staff of the Philippines Consulate in London. We selected Wentworth from a shortlist of six top international movers and found them to be excellent. Their team appeared at our house near Reading early on the first day and packed everything with the utmost care. We had a 40ft container of which we used two thirds and door to door it took around 50 days of which 30 were on the ocean and two for the journey from Manila to Santiago City.

Goetzmoving handled the customs process in its entirety and also the application for my one time tax and duty exemption as I have a 13A non-quota immigration visa. My presence was not required at any point, only my passport and ACR-I card, so clearly the system has been greatly improved from the descriptions one comes across elsewhere on the internet. The only word of caution I should add is to check the access to your chosen delivery location.  Our container was stopped at the entrance to our subdivision because barangay officials were anxious about it bringing down overhead cables. In the end it was re-routed down a side track and, with the help of the obligatory bamboo pole, all overhead wiring was safely lifted clear. The total time would have been even less had it not been for a "rally" in Manila during which customs would not release containers in case they injured any of those participating. This in addition to a slight delay in providing my ACR-I card lead to an extra charge of around £40 for storage but at the end of the day it was well worth it. Wentworth and Goetzmoving kept us advised of the status of our container at each stage in the process so both come thoroughly recommended if you are moving from the UK to the Philippines.

I forgot to mention two more pieces of documentation you will need to get your one-time 13A tax and duty exemption. You will need to provide a copy of your marriage certificate and some proof of residence in the Philippines, title document or lease agreement as appropriate.

 

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