Moving house: The essentials for a successful move

Author: Emilie DI VINCENZO

The Luxembourg marketplace is an attractive one! And living here has become the dream of many people from abroad. Moving itself gives rise to the need for numerous administrative and practical steps. And you need to know about certain steps that are essential for a successful change of residence…

Foreigners will tell you: emigrating to a new country may lead to a radical change in life. Adapting to this different environment requires psychological preparation, particularly if this decision concerns a whole family. And from an organisational point of view, it is essential to keep to your schedule, day by day. On average it is recommended that one should get started three or four months in advance in order to be able to deal with the various tasks to be carried out, especially administrative or practical, that always accompany this type of move …

The administrative aspect of moving
Having decided to set up your home in Luxembourg, it is necessary to declare your presence with the bureau de la population et de l’administration communale [commune population and administration office], within 3 to 8 working days of your arrival in the territory (depending upon where you come from). Everyone is also required to fulfil the formalities applicable to foreigners associated with entry into, and staying in the country, and to present the following documents: a currently valid national identity card or passport, an attestation of employment from their employer, and sometimes also marriage certificates, birth certificates for their children, etc.
Anyone moving to Luxembourg must generally contact an international removals company, or a Luxembourg removals company if their residence is on the border. The company will then be responsible for dealing with the administrative and customs formalities, which is a big advantage, the expatriate does however have to provide them with the appropriate documents: a copy of their passport, the duly initialled customs declaration, 5 copies of the detailed inventory of furniture and property in transit, 3 originals of the same inventory, each page of which is to be countersigned by the shipper. A freight bill will also be required, a ‘formulaire T’ (T form) for driving in the EU, an original invoice for the supplies required for removals (these are also subject to regulatory charges), a residence certificate, a 136 F declaration and an attestation from your employer. 
One may not think of such things, but dangerous objects require an authorisation from the Ministry of Justice before import. Tabaco is taxed, as is alcohol, according to its degrees of strength: 12% for alcohols < 13°, and 15% for alcohols > 13°. In addition, ivory, narcotics, drugs and medicines are prohibited from your baggage! Not to mention munitions…

The practical aspect of moving
When making a change in their life, everyone transports with them objects of sentimental value and other such objects. One may be inclined to take care of such things for oneself. This can however quickly have an impact on the final budget and lead to a number of inconveniences. For this reason it is better to call upon the services of a specialist company that will be capable of providing all the necessary advice. To make be best choice of service provider, obtain as many quotations as possible! The specialist companies are not necessarily the most expensive, and it is often more prudent to entrust one’s property to a long-standing professional… In order to obtain a reasonable quotation, the removals company will send a technician to your home, who will be able to assess and calculate the volume of furniture and objects to be moved, and who will also be your single point of contact throughout the operation. Furthermore, only an experienced company will be in a position to provide the best advice in terms of lead times and provision of services: type of packaging, equipment/materials to be used, booking a parking space with the current and future commune for the date of departure, costs associated with various taxes (customs and insurance), etc.
For greater reliability, opt for a carrier who is affiliated with the FIDI (Fédération internationale des déménageurs internationaux [International Federation of International Movers]. Technical and professional competencies are guaranteed. 
The formalities for crossing the border for vehicles originating within the European Union are not compulsory. However, do not forget to register your vehicle as soon as possible!

Advisory:

Consult the Luxembourg embassy or consulate on international removals with Luxembourg as a destination.

Obtain a proper quotation with the carrier
Before obtaining a quotation, remember to make an exhaustive list of your property so that you can draw up a “declaration of value”. This document means that a level of compensation can be determined, in the event of the loss or damage of your property, according to the nature of the loss. You are required to complete this yourself specifying the overall value of your property as well as the specific value of certain property items (ensure that you carefully complete and read the detail of the conditions and terms of the removal company’s contract), which will enable the removals company to draw up a non-life insurance contract and provide you with an insurance certificate.

Once this step has been completed, you can obtain a quotation. This must include the following points:

-The departure address – location for collection of property
-The arrival address in Luxembourg
-The volume
-The type of transport
-The carrier’s provisions of services: dismantling furniture, packing up crockery, special packaging, transport and delivery, etc.