The cost of removals to India will depend on several factors, such as the volume of goods you are sending, what packing is required, and the distance you are from the port.

A part from the removals and shipping, additional costs will also need to be considered, such as optional insurance/shipment protection and Singapore customs inspection fees that need to be paid on arrival.

The best way to get a more accurate price or estimate is to call our team or request a removals quote online. They can also advise on reducing your removal costs to get the cheapest removals to India.

NB: As prices are regularly changing, we highly recommend you contact us to get an estimate of current removal costs and book a free home or virtual survey so that we can give you a more accurate removals quote.

We offer a fully comprehensive removals service to India, which will take care of everything for you. The removals service includes door-to-door pick-up and delivery (not door-to-port), export packing by professional international removal packers, specialist cartons, crates and antique packing as required, help with customs paperwork and inventory listing, shipping via accredited shipping lines, transport to and from the port, customs clearance service.

Additional fees not included in your removal costs quote include customs inspection fees, duties and port fees payable on arrival in India, storage services and maritime insurance or shipment protection cover, which is recommended but not required.

Beware of cheap removals quotes to India which do not include all the costs.

Your household belongings and furniture will be shipped to India via a sea freight service. The overseas removals service can be quite complicated, but with United Removals’, our expert teams will make the process as easy and stress free as possible. You can sit back and let us do all the heavy lifting!

Our India removals service includes the following steps:

1) A home or video survey to provide you with an accurate quote or removal estimate.

2) A personal Move Coordinator to plan and manage all aspects of your home removal.

3) They will guide you through completing all the necessary paperwork for sea freight shipping, customs clearance and shipment protection.

4) On move day, our movers and packers will take care of all the packing and export wrapping of furniture and other belongings.

5) If you require a full-load container (either 20 ft or 40 ft), the shipping container will be delivered to your property and loaded by the packing crew.

6) For shared or part-load containers, your household goods and personal belongings will be taken in our removals van to one of our depots for loading onto the shipping container as groupage.

7) The container will then be sent by sea freight to India.

8) On arrival at the port (we ship to all major ports in India), our local partner agents will handle the customs process for you. Once your shipment has been cleared and all customs fees and duties paid, it will be released for final delivery.

9) Your belongings will then be delivered to their final destination to your new home address or to storage if required. Our partner, India removals service, will then unload your goods and unpack furniture to ensure all your belongings arrive safely.

If you are only sending a few personal belongings, such as luggage and boxes, we recommend our baggage or box shipping service.

We can deliver boxes and other packing materials for you to self-pack. Once you are ready, we can collect them and deliver them to your address in India.

Our baggage shipping service for small moves includes up to about 20 boxes or suitcases and can include items such as TVs, bicycles, surfboards and toolboxes.

Often it will be more cost effective for smaller shipments to be sent by our air freight service.

It does not, however, include large items of furniture.

Planning to travel or relocate to India? It’s important to be aware of the prohibited and restricted items that you cannot bring into the country. Whether you are visiting for a short stay or moving permanently, understanding the regulations will help ensure a smooth journey and avoid any legal issues.

Prohibited Items:

1. Narcotics: Importing opium, heroin, morphine, cocaine, poppy and its skin and seeds, cannabis (hemp), and other seeds with similar narcotic effects is strictly prohibited.
2. Counterfeit and Fake Currencies: Importing counterfeit or fake currencies is not allowed.
3. Obscene Materials: Importing publications, photographs, oil paintings, paintings, cards, books, magazines, and stone sculptures that violate religious sentiments or public morals, or intended as pornography is prohibited.
4. Goods Imported from Boycotted Countries: Importing goods from boycotted countries is not allowed.
5. Asbestos Boards and Pipes: Importing asbestos boards and pipes is not permitted.
6. Laser Pens with Red Flash Light Beams: Importing laser pens that emit red flashlight beams is prohibited.
7. Hazardous Waste: Importing hazardous waste is strictly prohibited.
8. Used and Renovated Goods: Importing used and renovated goods is not permitted.

Restricted Items:

1. Agricultural products: Importing seeds, tubers, outdoor seedlings, and honeybees into India requires a permit from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.
2. Food: There are specific quantity limits for importing various food items into India, such as dairy products, oils, vegetables and fruits, dates, sweets and bread, grains, cereals and red meat, fish and seafood, caviar, eggs, honey and sugar products, herbs and spices, saffron, special-purpose food, drinks and syrups, and canned food. Cooked duck eggs (balut) require permission from Customs authorities.
3. Medicines and drugs: Travelers are advised to carry proper prescriptions and ensure that the quantity of tablets justifies normal use during their stay. Bulk quantities of medicines containing banned substances require prior permission from the Ministry of Health and Prevention.
4. Weapons: Importing weapons, ammunition, body protection, and related equipment requires permission from the Ministry of Interior.
5. Technical equipment: Equipment such as satellite phones, listening or recording devices, radio transmitters, powerful cameras, or binoculars may require a license from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority.
6. Jewellery: Importing jewellery containing precious metals or stones is subject to certain restrictions and may require specific documentation.

Please note that this is a general overview of prohibited and restricted items for import into India. It’s important to consult the full list most up-to-date and detailed information on regulations and requirements.

If you only have a small number of personal effects to send to India, then our air freight removal service is for you. We can provide you with boxes and cartons, or you can use your own bags and suitcases. This is the quickest removal service but also the most expensive. Many people, therefore, use a combination of both air freight and sea freight shipping services.

You can check out our more detailed India International Removals Guide below or why not call one of our advisers on 01942 557102?

They will be happy to answer all of your questions, give you some guideline prices and arrange a home survey consultation to provide a more accurate price.

We recommend getting a few quotes for your move so you can compare the different styles of companies and ensure you are happy with their service. Make sure, however, that you are comparing like with like. For example, are the volumes the same? Is everything included?

Also, overseas removals are very different to domestic moves. It is therefore essential to ensure that your removalist is experienced, if not specialising in international moves.

We are confident that you’ll find your quote from United Removals to be very competitive and can be assured that standards of service are second to none.

In recent years, shipping costs have increased, so you may want to keep this in mind when you consider what you want to take with you to India and what you can leave behind. However, it isn’t all bad news; remember, it becomes relatively cheaper as you ship more.

You need to think about the cost involved in replacing some of your items in India if you are not sure about shipping them. Even when they are only small items, this cost can soon add up, particularly if there are a lot of belongings.

Research the cost of replacement items as some things are more expensive, and some may not even be available – it may turn out that shipping them may be more economical in the long run.

Will you need storage in the UK or India?

Moving from one location in the UK to another is rarely the smooth process that people hope for, so it goes without saying that when you move to another country, the entire process can become a little trickier.

Often people find that they have a period of time once they have sold their property and before they move when they need to place their belongings in storage, which we can help you with.

We have several storage solutions depending on your needs. We can arrange storage for your personal effects in the UK before they are shipped or in India after they arrive – whichever suits your situation.

If the issue is that you do not have a fixed address in India to ship your belongings to, then we can arrange for your household goods and personal effects to be placed in storage in India whilst you sort out accommodation.

Once you have a property ready, our local movers can arrange delivery of your belongings from storage.

Your belongings must be appropriately packed for shipping to India. The journey is lengthy, and they will be moved from one form of transport to another more than once.

This means that there is a chance that items could move within your shipping container, and if they are not adequately protected, then they could become damaged.

A high standard of export packing is, therefore, essential, so it is recommended that you use a professional packing service. This will also save you a lot of time and stress.

Our team of professional packers are expertly trained to deal with all the issues encountered with export wrapping. The boxes that we use to transport all of your smaller items are double-walled, and we also ensure that all of your furniture is export wrapped to ensure that it arrives in good condition at your destination.

For those delicate and fragile items, such as artwork and antiques, we can arrange specialist packing to offer better protection to your articles. This includes custom-built crates.

Our expert packing team is here to help you with as little or as much of your packing process as you want. We offer all of our customers the following packing services:

• Full international export standard packing & wrap service
• Fully trained export packers
• Provision of export quality boxes, cartons, packing paper & packing materials
• Custom wood casing/crates, if required
• Professional antique wrapping for delicate items
• Advice on preparing your items for transport to India
• Premium grade disinfectant available for outdoor items
• Complete inventory list for customs

You may wish to start packing some boxes before your move day. Speak to our team about using export quality cartons and remember you’ll need to keep an inventory of items for customs.

You will need to ensure all your belongings are clean and in condition before they are packed. It is also essential that they are dry to avoid mildew and mould forming on the long journey.

Take time to consider what items to take and what delicate and valuable need extra care when packing.

Our international removals service is perfect for shipping your furniture to India from the UK.

For furniture removals, every item is carefully packed or ‘export wrapped’ using packing materials such as blanket wrap. All furniture pieces, including sofas, armchairs, beds, tables and cupboards, can be packed and shipped in a container.

As large items are bulky, you consider which are cost effective to send. For example, most houses and apartments in India have built-in wardrobes, so shipping these might not be worthwhile.

You may wish to put your belongings in self-storage units whilst you are selling your property or waiting for your visa to come through.

Shipping your belongings to India from storage is a simple process. If your household belongings and furniture are in self-storage units in the UK, our team can arrange to collect them and professionally pack them for shipping either at the self-storage unit or back at our depot.

If you wish to pre-pack yourself, please ensure you have appropriate international shipping cartons/boxes and that everything is carefully wrapped and packed for its journey.

Many of our customers worry about customs clearance for all of their belongings when they arrive in India. This is something that we can help you with. However, you may find the following helpful information when planning your move.

Indian nationals, foreign nationals including those of Indian origin, transferring their residence to India or coming to India on employment, can import their personal effects and household goods into India under Transfer of Residence subject to the following conditions:

– Transferee must have lived overseas for at least 2 years and must be transferring his/her residence to India.

– Transferee must not have visited India for more than 180 days in the preceding two years.

– Foreign nationals must have a resident permit/ business / work / entry visa or a PIO card.

– Appointment letter/assignment letter stating minimum two years stay in India.

– Goods must be shipped out (shipped on board) from the origin country within one month of arrival of the owner into India. For air shipment, within 15 days after the arrival of the owner/passenger. Automobiles can be shipped with 6 months of arrival. If there is a delay then goods can be cleared only if customs condone the delay. Each case will be decided on merits.

– The owner’s presence may not be required during customs clearance (for Bangalore and Chennai – The owner’s presence is a must for sea shipment and may not be required for air shipment during customs clearance) but owner should arrive in India before the shipment arrival and be present in country until the shipment clears customs or else demurrage / container detention will be quite heavy.

– All containers (unless diplomatic) are offloaded at POE/TOE (and reloaded into vans).

– All household goods (old and used) and personal effects are dutiable, but might get concessions if in owners possession for at least 1 year (and used) under the Transfer Residence rule.

– FRRO registration is mandatory to avail benefit of TR by Sea excluding Delhi Port. For Air Shipment Registration Application Form will work.

Customs regulations and duties are subject to change, so it can be a good idea to check for the most up-to-date guidelines and information.

For your shipping container to be released, you will need to pay any customs duties, inspection fees, and also any other charges. These will be payable locally. Our agents in India will be able to assist you with the customs clearance process.

The personal Move Coordinator who is assigned to you when you choose us to assist with your removal will be able to advise you with information regarding what you can and can’t take to India and how you can prepare and clean your items for shipping. If you prefer, our expert packers can help you with this.

This information is essential as it can help minimise customs inspection and quarantine fees that the India Customs Service may change.

United International Removals take great care to ensure your belongings are well-packed and taken care of during their journey. We only use accredited shipping lines and partners to ensure the highest levels of service.

However, due to the nature of international shipping and removals, it is recommended that you take out your own maritime insurance policy or shipment protection cover for complete peace of mind. Just like when you mail a parcel overseas, the shipping company cannot cover the full value of your goods in the unlikely event of something going missing or being broken.

We can offer and recommend Shipment Protection Cover that is highly flexible and will offer you lots of advantages.

This cover is simple and easy to put in place. All that is required is the completion of a shipment protection valuation form detailing the items that need to be covered and their value.

The shipment protection costs are calculated on the value that you want to cover and are based on whether you have packed the items or they have been packed professionally.

It is possible to ship your car or other vehicles in a 40 ft container alongside your house contents.

However, India does have strict import criteria for cars so speak to our team to ensure that importing your vehicle is feasible and cost effective.

Some paperwork will be required but we can help you ensure it is all completed correctly and our agents will take care of customs clearance for you.

India’s real estate market offers a wide range of investment opportunities for both residents and foreigners. However, it’s important to understand the specific regulations and procedures involved in purchasing property in the country.

Foreigners are generally allowed to purchase residential and commercial properties in India, subject to certain conditions and restrictions. Property prices in India vary significantly depending on the location, city, and type of property. It’s essential to research and compare prices in different areas to make an informed decision.

Engaging the services of a qualified lawyer who specialises in Indian real estate law is highly recommended to protect your interests during the transaction.

If you plan to bring your pets to India, there are specific regulations and procedures to follow to ensure their safe entry into the country. The importation of pets is governed by the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.

To bring your pet to India, they must have a valid health certificate issued by an authorized veterinarian in your home country. Additionally, they must be vaccinated against rabies and undergo a mandatory quarantine period upon arrival. The length of quarantine can vary depending on the type of animal and country of origin.

India offers diverse employment opportunities across various sectors, including information technology, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. However, the job market can be competitive, and it’s important to have a clear understanding of the local job market and visa requirements.

To work in India, foreigners generally require an employment visa. The visa application process involves obtaining sponsorship from an Indian employer. The employer must provide relevant documents, such as a job offer letter, and initiate the visa application on your behalf.

Obtaining a visa for expats planning to live and work in India is an essential step in the relocation process. The Indian government offers various visa categories to cater to different purposes, including employment, business, education, and tourism.

Expats can apply for an Employment Visa if they have secured a job in India or a Business Visa if they are planning to engage in business activities. These visas typically require sponsorship from an Indian employer or business entity. Click here to view Indian visa requirements.

To apply for an Indian visa, expats need to submit the necessary documents, including a valid passport, visa application form, photographs, proof of employment or business, and other supporting documents as per the specific visa category.

It is advisable to consult the Indian embassy or consulate in their home country to gather accurate information regarding the visa application process, required documents, and fees.

Transferring Money to India

When relocating to India, it’s essential to consider the process of transferring money to the country. India has a well-developed banking system with several options for international money transfers. To ensure a smooth and cost-effective transfer, it’s advisable to consult with a foreign currency specialist or a reputable bank that offers international transfer services. Consider factors such as exchange rates, fees, and transfer speed when choosing a transfer method.

We hope this information proves useful, and if you’re considering relocating to India, our dedicated team is here to assist you with every aspect of your move. From providing guidance on the visa application process to offering comprehensive relocation services, we strive to make your transition to India as smooth as possible.

Whether you need assistance with packing, shipping, or settling into your new home, our experienced professionals are available to support you at every stage of your journey. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for personalized assistance and a stress-free relocation experience.