Spain grants relief on household goods for a genuine change of residence, and the application rests on documents you may not yet have. The foreigner identification number in particular is needed earlier than most people arrange it.
One vetted mover from our network handles the shipment. International movers working Spain will raise the identification number at the first conversation, because clearance is difficult without it.
Valencia, Barcelona and Algeciras take most Chinese container traffic. Which one your goods use depends on the service and on where in Spain you are heading. Movers will plan the relocation and the packing week around the sailing they can secure.
The principle. Used personal and household goods generally enter free of duty and value added tax where you are making a genuine change of residence from outside the European Union to Spain. The emphasis on genuine matters: the authorities are establishing that you are actually moving rather than sending belongings ahead speculatively.
The identification number. A foreigner identification number is central to almost everything administrative in Spain, including this. Obtaining it takes time and it can be done through a consulate before you travel or in Spain after arrival. Start it early, because clearance without it is difficult.
Evidence expected. Proof of your residence in China, evidence of your new Spanish address, passport and visa documentation, and a detailed valued inventory. Employment records and a deregistration document from China are commonly requested.
Ownership and use. The goods should have been owned and used by you before the move, and there are usually restrictions on selling relieved goods for a period afterwards.
Timing. The relief generally has to be established around the time of arrival. A container landing while the paperwork is unresolved sits at a Spanish port, and port storage is not cheap.
Excluded. Alcohol and tobacco, commercial goods, and anything bought new for the move.
Confirm the current position. Spanish requirements are administered regionally in places and do change, so work from what your mover confirms rather than from general guidance.
Valencia and Barcelona are well served from China, so freight is competitive. Island destinations and the domestic road leg are where the figure moves.
£300 to £1,100
Personal effects to a mainland address.
£1,200 to £4,000
The common shipment on this route.
£3,300 to £9,000
Family households, mainland arrival.
Tell us the Spanish region and whether the address is mainland or island. Those two answers change the routing entirely.
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Old town access. Spanish historic centres have narrow streets, pedestrianised zones and restricted vehicle access hours. A full size lorry frequently cannot reach the door, and transhipment into a smaller vehicle is normal on those addresses.
Apartment blocks. Lifts in older buildings are small. An external furniture lift is common in Spain as it is in Germany, and it needs booking and often a street permit.
Coastal villages. Steep, narrow and sometimes stepped. Worth flagging specifically.
Summer heat. July and August are hot enough across most of Spain to slow a crew materially, and August is also when a great deal of the country takes its holidays. Delivery capacity tightens and some local services simply close.
Island moves. Balearic deliveries need a ferry leg from the mainland with its own scheduling. The Canaries sit outside the EU value added tax territory, which means separate clearance handling even though they are Spanish. Both should be quoted as island moves rather than treated as mainland deliveries with a bit added.
The Chinese export side is unchanged. Anything made before 1949 needs a cultural relics certificate, and appraisal takes weeks.
The EU routes share a principle and differ in procedure. Spain's island territories differ again.
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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Competitive exchange rate
Generally not on a genuine change of residence from outside the EU. Used household goods normally enter free of duty and value added tax. The emphasis is on genuine, since the authorities are establishing that you are actually moving rather than sending goods ahead.
A foreigner identification number, central to almost everything administrative in Spain including customs clearance. It takes time to obtain and can be applied for through a consulate before you travel. Start it before you start the shipping process.
Valencia, Barcelona or Algeciras depending on the service and your destination. Valencia serves the east coast and central Spain, Barcelona the north east, and Algeciras the south. Road connections from all three are good.
Yes, meaningfully. The Canaries sit outside the EU value added tax territory, which means separate clearance handling even though they are Spanish. They should be quoted as an island move rather than a mainland delivery with an addition.
A ferry leg from the mainland with its own scheduling and capacity, which is seasonal and books up. Also quote it as an island move. Both the Balearics and the Canaries add time and a handling stage.
Frequently not. Spanish historic centres have narrow streets, pedestrianised zones and restricted vehicle hours. Transhipment into a smaller vehicle is normal for those addresses and should be in the quote rather than a surprise.
Considerably. It is hot enough across most of Spain to slow a crew materially, and it is when a great deal of the country takes holidays. Delivery capacity tightens and some local services close entirely for weeks.
A hoist mounted on the street to move goods through a window or balcony, used where a stairwell or lift is too small. It is common in Spain, it needs booking and often a street permit, and it should be priced in advance.
Yes, unchanged by the destination. Anything made before 1949 needs a cultural relics export certificate, obtained through appraisal at an authorised station. Allow weeks rather than days for that process.
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.