Ireland offers relief on used household goods when you transfer your residence here, and like the British version it is applied for by you rather than by your mover. The requirements are similar but the authority and the process are not the same.
One vetted mover from our network handles the shipment. International movers who ship Ireland regularly will point you at the relief early, because it has to be in place before the goods arrive rather than after.
Most sailings from China arrive at Dublin, with Cork as an alternative. Volumes on this route are smaller than to Britain, so sailing frequency matters more when planning a relocation date, and movers will want the packing week fixed early.
Who applies. You do, to Revenue. Your mover cannot do it because the application concerns your circumstances rather than your shipment. They will file the customs entry using whatever reference or documentation the relief produces.
The principle. Used personal and household effects generally enter free of duty and value added tax when you are transferring your normal residence to Ireland from outside the European Union. China qualifies as outside, so the relief is relevant.
Conditions. Generally you need to have been resident outside the EU for a qualifying period, to be establishing normal residence in Ireland, and to have owned and used the goods for a period beforehand. There are also usually restrictions on disposing of relieved goods for a period after arrival.
Evidence. Expect to show proof of your residence in China and evidence that you are settling in Ireland. Employment records, tenancy agreements, permits and utility records all help. Gather them before you start.
Timing. Apply before the goods arrive. A shipment landing at Dublin with the relief unresolved either waits, accruing charges, or clears with duty and VAT payable.
Excluded. Alcohol and tobacco, goods for business or sale, and anything you have not owned and used for the required period.
Confirm the current detail with Revenue. Conditions and qualifying periods do change, and this page is orientation rather than the authority.
Volumes on this route are smaller than to Britain, which affects sailing choice more than price. Expect figures broadly comparable to a China to UK shipment with a little added for the final leg.
£300 to £1,100
Personal effects, arriving Dublin.
£1,200 to £4,100
The common shipment on this route.
£3,400 to £9,200
Family households after several years abroad.
Tell us your Irish destination and whether it is urban or rural. Access at the far end matters more here than on most routes.
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Sailing frequency is the planning constraint. There are fewer services from China to Ireland than to Britain, so lining a container up with a specific week takes more flexibility. Some shipments route via a British or continental port with a short onward leg, which is normal and should be explained rather than hidden.
Dublin is the usual arrival. Cork serves the south and occasionally offers a better fit depending on your destination.
Rural deliveries. A great many Irish destinations are not near a city. Narrow lanes, gateways, overhead cables and soft verges all matter, and a full size articulated vehicle may not reach the house. Transhipment into a smaller lorry is common and should be priced rather than discovered.
Storage. Returning families frequently arrive before they have a permanent address. Arrange storage in advance rather than as an emergency.
Northern Ireland is a different question. If you are moving there rather than to the Republic, the customs position differs and you should confirm which procedure applies before you begin any application.
Chinese export side. Unchanged. Anything made before 1949 needs a cultural relics certificate, and appraisal takes weeks.
The British relief page explains the same principle in more detail, though the authority and the forms differ.
A move usually means moving money too, whether that is a deposit on a Chinese flat or funds coming back the other way. We have helped customers with currency exchange in any currency through trusted partners for many years, and our partners can help with the money side of your move. Mention it on the form and it gets included.
Experts in currency exchange
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Similar in principle, different in practice. Ireland is a separate jurisdiction with its own authority, forms and conditions. Apply to Revenue rather than HMRC, and do not assume a British application or reference transfers.
Before your goods arrive. A shipment landing at Dublin with the relief unresolved either waits, accruing port charges, or clears with duty and VAT payable. Gather your evidence and start the application early.
Proof that you were resident in China and evidence that you are establishing normal residence in Ireland. Employment records, tenancy agreements, permits and utility records all help. Gather them before you start rather than mid application.
Around seven to nine weeks door to door. Sailing frequency to Ireland is lower than to Britain, so lining a container up with a specific week takes more flexibility, and some shipments route via another port with a short onward leg.
Alcohol and tobacco, goods intended for sale or business use, items bought new for the move, and anything you have not owned and used for the required period. Certain vehicles follow their own separate route.
Not always. Narrow lanes, gateways, overhead cables and soft verges all matter, and a full size articulated vehicle may not reach the house. Transhipment into a smaller lorry is common and should be priced rather than discovered on the day.
A different customs position applies. Confirm which procedure covers you before beginning any application, because starting the wrong one costs time you may not have when a container is already at sea.
Yes, unchanged. Anything made before 1949 needs a cultural relics certificate to leave China regardless of destination, and appraisal at an authorised station takes weeks rather than days.
Common for returning families. Arrange storage in advance rather than as an emergency, and remember that handling in and out generally costs more than the storage period itself on a short stay.
Send your collection address, your Chinese destination, a rough idea of the volume and your date. A vetted mover from our network checks the route, the paperwork and the access, then comes back to you with the price.
Send your move detailsWe match international moving enquiries with vetted moving companies in the AGM Group network, each holding FIDI FAIM certification and BAR Overseas membership.
We are not a removal firm ourselves. We find you the one that suits your route, and you deal with them directly from there.