If you are searching for an international moving company in Switzerland, you probably have a home full of belongings in another country and a new address you have never seen. That is a normal place to start. The job breaks into three parts: packing, shipping and customs. Once you know the order, it feels much more manageable.
How an international move to Switzerland fits together
Think of the move as a chain. Each link depends on the one before it, so the order matters more than speed.
A family leaving Singapore, for example, may choose sea freight for furniture and air freight for a few essentials. A couple coming from Manchester can often use road freight. The starting country changes the route, not the logic.
What you can do yourself
Many people handle more than they expect. Before you contact anyone, you can:
- Sort your belongings and decide what is not worth the cost of shipping.
- Photograph valuable items and write an inventory.
- Check which of your appliances work with Swiss sockets and voltage.
- Gather proof of how long you have used your larger items abroad (see the customs section below).
- Keep a small "first week" bag: documents, medicine, school items, chargers.
You can also move on a small scale by yourself, with a few suitcases or a hired van. That works for a studio, a student or a very light household.
When a specialist company helps
Help makes sense when the move is large, the distance is long, or your schedule is tight. A specialist can handle professional packing, insurance for goods in transit, customs paperwork and delivery up to the right floor. Families with children in school often value this, because the timing of the move has to match the school start.
Two points are worth knowing before you ask for help. First, a moving company and a relocation agency are not the same thing: one transports goods, the other helps with the practical side of settling in. Our page on what a relocation agent actually does explains the difference. Second, you can compare how companies work by asking the right questions, listed further down.
Customs: the part people worry about
Swiss customs is run by the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS). If you are moving your home to Switzerland, your personal belongings can be imported free of customs duties as "moving goods" (Umzugsgut or Übersiedlungsgut). You declare them with form 18.44, "Declaration/request for clearance of moving goods". It has to be signed and filed in two copies (FOCBS).
The key conditions are about time:
- The items should have been used for 6 months abroad before you transfer your home to Switzerland.
- The import should be linked in time to your move. According to the FOCBS, it is no problem within 2 years.
In practice, new purchases made just before leaving are the usual trouble spot. Keep receipts and, if you can, note which items you have owned for a long time. Your mover or a specialist will tell you how the rules apply to a specific load. We cannot judge your case; the customs authority decides.
Bringing a car
A car can also count as moving goods, with an exemption from VAT and from the automobile tax, if you used it abroad for at least 6 months before the transfer of your home. Your foreign registration document is the proof. If you used it for less than 6 months, it may be imported temporarily with form 15.30 for a maximum of 2 years from the first entry, then cleared or exported again (FOCBS). After that come technical approval and cantonal registration at the road traffic office. Rates and technical steps vary, so check them with the authority before shipping.
If you are still deciding whether to bring a car at all, our moving-in checklist for your belongings looks at the question from the shipping side.
Questions to ask a moving company
Whoever you speak to, a clear answer to these questions tells you a lot:
- Do you handle customs paperwork, or only transport?
- What does the insurance cover during transit, and what does it exclude?
- Who unloads and unpacks, and what happens to the packing material?
- What happens if my lease or my arrival date moves?
- Can the goods be stored if my new home is not ready?
Never pay for services you do not understand, and ask for the scope of work in writing.
How our matching works
We do not move goods ourselves. We work with leading relocation companies in Switzerland and, depending on your request, put you in touch with the one that fits your needs. You describe your move on the request page: where you are coming from, the size of your household and your timeline. We review it, connect you with a suitable company, and the first conversation is with them. Nothing is decided for you, and what you choose to do next is your call.
If you are also planning other steps, the relocation calendar helps you place the move among the rest, and settling-in help covers what happens after the boxes arrive.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an international moving company to move to Switzerland?
No. You can pack and transport your own belongings, especially for a small household. A company becomes useful when the load is large, the distance is long or the paperwork feels heavy.
What is form 18.44?
It is the customs form for moving goods. You use it to declare and request clearance of your personal belongings when you transfer your home to Switzerland. It is signed and filed in two copies (FOCBS).
Do I pay customs duties on my furniture?
Personal moving goods can be imported free of duties if the conditions are met. The items must normally have been used for 6 months abroad before the transfer of your home (FOCBS).
What if I bought something new just before leaving?
Items used for less than 6 months abroad may not qualify as moving goods. Ask the customs authority or a specialist how they would treat that item.
How long after arrival can I import my goods?
The FOCBS says an import linked to your move is no problem within 2 years. Plan to send things sooner, so your home is ready when you arrive.
Can I bring my car?
Often yes, as moving goods, if you used it abroad for at least 6 months before the transfer. Your foreign registration document is the proof (FOCBS). Rates and technical approval depend on the vehicle, so confirm them before shipping.
What if my car was used for less than 6 months abroad?
It can be imported temporarily with form 15.30 for a maximum of 2 years from first entry. After that it must be cleared or exported (FOCBS).
Does shipping differ between the UK, the US and Asia?
The route and transport time differ: road freight from the UK, sea or air freight from far away. The customs logic in Switzerland is the same. See shipping your belongings for the transport side.
Should I ship everything I own?
Not usually. Sorting before packing saves effort. Many families keep only the essentials, favorite items and what is hard to replace, and buy bulky furniture locally.
Who decides if my goods qualify?
The Swiss customs authority decides, not us and not the moving company. A specialist can prepare the file properly so the declaration is clear.
Can you recommend one particular company?
We do not name companies. After your request, we connect you with the relocation company that matches your move, and you talk to them directly.
What should I ask first when I contact a mover?
Ask whether customs paperwork and insurance are included, and what the scope of work covers. Our list of questions above is a good starting point.
Sources
- Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS), moving goods FAQ
- Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS), relocation goods
- Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS), form 18.44
- Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS), vehicle clearance FAQ
- Canton of Aargau, importing a vehicle as moving goods