International office relocation from the UAE
In short
Moving an office abroad is a commercial shipment, not a household one: goods are declared at commercial value, may attract duty, and often need a certificate of origin. We handle export packing for IT and furniture, the commercial documentation, and coordination with your destination entity.
The mistake that costs companies most is assuming an office move abroad clears like a household one. It does not. Commercial goods are valued, tariffed and sometimes licensed, and the receiving entity usually needs to be a registered importer in the destination country before anything can be released to it.
Why is an office move treated as commercial cargo?
Because the goods belong to a company rather than an individual, and the transfer-of-residence relief that exempts household effects does not apply to corporate assets. That changes three things: the shipment is declared at commercial value, duty and import VAT are usually payable, and the consignee must be an entity legally able to import in that country. Companies that have not yet registered their destination entity often find the container arrives before the paperwork that allows them to receive it.
Our process
Scope
Asset list, values and destination import position confirmed.
Pack
IT crated, furniture palletised, records sealed.
Export
Commercial declaration lodged and cargo shipped.
Install
Cleared, delivered and rebuilt at the new office.
What affects the price
| Declared commercial value | Drives destination duty and insurance. |
|---|---|
| IT content | Crating and specialist packing add cost. |
| Volume and weight | Office furniture is bulky and priced on space. |
| Import licensing | Some destinations require a registered importer of record. |
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a registered entity at the destination?
In most countries yes, or a licensed importer of record acting for you. Confirm this early: it is the single most common cause of containers sitting at a destination port accruing storage charges while a company registration is completed.
Can you ship only the IT and leave the furniture?
Often the sensible choice. Office furniture is bulky, cheap to replace and expensive to ship, while servers, workstations and archives are not. We will quote both so you can compare shipping against buying locally.
How are confidential records handled?
Sealed, numbered crates with a tracked chain of custody from origin to destination. Tell us at scoping if any category carries a legal retention or data-protection obligation, because that can restrict which countries the records may transit through.
Get a free quote
A free survey and a fixed written price before you commit to anything.