One plan for the whole move
International Moving Planner: Plan a Move Abroad
Answer five short questions and the planner builds one plan for your whole move, whether you are leaving the UK, moving to the UK or moving between other countries: a dated timeline, the questions to put to a removal company, the official pages to check and what to decide next. It's a planning aid, not a quotation, and it all happens on your device.
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How it works
How the moving planner works
- Choose your type of move and the countries: leaving the UK, moving to the UK, EU to EU, or the rest of the world (any two countries when neither is the UK).
- Give a target date, or say it isn't fixed yet.
- Pick a rough size, or use the count you made in the volume calculator.
- Say what else is involved: pets, a vehicle, foreign exchange, storage, fine art.
- Describe the floor, lift and parking at both addresses.
Your plan
What the plan contains
A timeline drawn as a route from where you start to where you're going, with a pin for each stage and its date. Below it, the volume as a range if you've counted your belongings, the questions to ask a removal company for this move, the official pages to check for your destination, and a short list of what to decide next. You can download it as a PDF, copy a private link, save it on this device, or send it with your enquiry so a partner removal company starts from a proper brief.
The other tools
How it fits with the volume calculator and the checklist
The planner uses the same tasks as the international moving checklist, so you can open your plan there and tick tasks off as you go. If you've counted your belongings in the international moving volume calculator on this device, the planner picks up the estimate. For a move to Germany, the Germany guide explains the customs and registration steps in full. Moves into Germany have their own guides too: France to Germany removals, Italy to Germany removals and Netherlands to Germany removals.
Sources
Sources and facts checked
Questions
Questions about the moving planner
Is the moving planner free?
Yes. It's free to use, and nothing is sent anywhere until you choose to send an enquiry. The introduction to a partner removal company is free too.
Does the planner give a cost or a delivery date?
No. It gives no cost, no delivery date and no promise. Your removal company assesses the move and gives you a written quotation.
Can I change the move date later?
Yes. Change the date in your plan and every stage is re-dated, with any task whose do-by date has passed grouped under Catch up first in the checklist.
Which countries does the planner cover?
Any of the 174 countries on our list. Choose Leaving the UK, Moving to the UK, EU to EU or Rest of the world. Germany has its own tasks first, each with its official source. Other countries show general tasks that say who to ask, until their facts are checked.
Can I plan a move that doesn't involve the UK?
Yes. Choose Rest of the world and pick the two countries, for example Singapore to Germany or Malaysia to Spain. If both countries are in the EU, choose EU to EU instead. Where we haven't checked a country's rules, the plan is general and each task says who to ask rather than stating a rule.
Is Moving to the UK only for people coming home?
No. It's for anyone moving to the UK from another country, whether returning or arriving for the first time. GOV.UK sets the conditions for Transfer of Residence relief by where you have lived and how long you have owned the goods, and lists no nationality test. They include 12 months living abroad, so check the official page.
Where is my plan kept?
In this browser only, and only if you choose Save my plan, for 180 days. Until then nothing is stored. A private link holds the plan in the part of the address after the #, which isn't sent to a server. Clear saved data removes it.
Ready to send your move details?
Your enquiry goes to a suitable partner removal company, which assesses the move, quotes for it and carries it out. The introduction is free. Anything you worked out here can go with it.