Immigrating to New Zealand...what should I take with?
If you're immigrating to New Zealand, there are a few things you should know about moving your belongings with you. The first thing to keep in mind is that the size of houses in New Zealand is much smaller than what you may be used to. So, if you have a lot of furniture and household goods, you may need to get rid of some before making the move.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you will need to show proof that you are immigration to New Zealand with the intention of taking up permanent residence. This means that you will need to have a job lined up or some other way of proving that you are not just moving for a short-term stay.
If you can provide proof of these things, then you will be able to import your household goods and personal effects without having to pay duty or sales tax. However, there are still some restrictions on what you can bring into the country. For example, you are not allowed to bring in any weapons, illegal drugs, or endangered species.
To make sure that your belongings arrive in New Zealand safe and sound, we recommend using a reputable international shipping company. They will be able to help you with all the paperwork and make sure that your shipment arrives on time.
Get rid of anything you don't NEED. We brought boxes of stuff..."but we will need this"...and now 3 years later we have not even opened the box yet. Be Brutal!!!
BUT...bring what you can. Stuff is expensive in New Zealand, probably not that much more than in South Africa, but remember....you have just paid for flights, immigration etc, you do not want any additional costs, like a bed?
Motor vehicles can be imported into New Zealand provided they comply with specific land transport safety standards regulations. An interesting point to note is that vehicles are required to be spotless, far beyond a quick spruce up this actually means that a thorough clean needs to take place in order to remove all traces of mud dust and grass from the vehicle before it enters new zealand. All elements of the vehicle from behind hubcaps to its undercarriage need to be cleaned. some people opt to steam clean the vehicle prior to shipment however this does not guarantee that it will not also be inspected upon arrival. if you are planning on importing a vehicle it is important to familiarize yourself with the cleaning requirements as well as the import process in general. While it may seem like a lot of work to import a vehicle into new zealand it is actually a fairly straightforward process as long as you are prepared.
If you have any questions about the import process or the requirements for importing a vehicle into new zealand be sure to contact a professional who can help guide you through the process.
