Compare Removals To South Africa From UK
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At Compare My Move, we help connect you with up to 6 different removal partners specialising in international home moves. Our service can save you up to 70% on the cost of removals to South Africa.
South Africa is a popular destination. Over 200,000 British Expats have chosen to relocate to areas such as Cape Town and Johannesburg.
While the move from the UK to South Africa is almost 10,000 kilometres, relocation doesn't have to be difficult.
Our trusted partners are on hand to assist you. Having helped thousands of people move across the world, you are in safe hands.
If you want to connect with the best removals companies for your move to South Africa, you're in the right place. Fill out the form below, and we will help find a partner to fulfil your needs.
Which Shipping Option Do You Need?
Before relocating to South Africa, you need to consider the types of shipping options available and their cost. Given the distance, transporting items via road isn't possible.
There are 3 shipping options to consider depending on your budget and preferences:
- Sea Freight
- Air Freight
- Part-Load
The option you choose depends on the size and types of goods you have. You can use one or more services when shipping furniture overseas depending on your requirements.
Sea Freight
Sea freight is the most common and cost-effective removal method for relocating to South Africa. Port of Durban is the most popular port for shipping household items.
What’s great about sea freight is items are not charged by weight and there is plenty of room for your household goods. Sea freight has a reduced carbon footprint in comparison to air freight.
Shipping from the UK to South Africa takes around 16-22 days and the average shipping container sizes are between 20ft and 40ft.
Many of our partners provide packing services, and door-to-door shipping to South Africa, assisting you with the process from start to finish.
Part-Load
Many of our partners offer full and part-house loads.
If you only need to ship a handful of goods, you can opt to share a container with other customers. This helps to reduce costs. It’s a great option for shipping goods on a budget.
Part-load shipping is calculated on the number of items you have. The more items you have, the more space they will take up in the container, and the higher the costs will be.
As the container is fuller when shared with others, this ensures goods are tightly packed. There’s less chance of goods breaking during transit and it requires less handling.
The shipping process can be occasionally quicker depending on the shipping option chosen.
However, part-load shipping to South Africa is not guaranteed to arrive faster than a full container by sea freight.
Air Freight
Air freight is the quickest, but more expensive option when relocating to South Africa. It’s useful if you need access to smaller goods soon after you move.
With over 23 airports in South Africa, shipping via air freight is the easiest option. You can be reassured your goods arrive at the airport most convenient for you.
Air freight takes between 1-3 days, This is a significant decrease in time compared to sea freight. When you take into consideration the distance from the UK, this is understandable.
If you have fewer goods, this is a better option. You don’t need as much space as a shipping container provides.
Air freight to South Africa is based on weight, so it's not ideal for heavier goods. While it's not the best choice for those on a budget, it's a safe and secure method of shipping.
A combination of both sea and air freight is recommended due to the difference in delivery times.
Cost of Shipping Furniture to South Africa
Here are the average sea shipping freight costs from the UK to South Africa based on our Container Shipping Costs article:
| Shipping Size | Cost (On Average) |
|---|---|
20ft Container | £4,895 |
40ft Container | £9,290 |
It’s recommended to buy either a Shipment Protection Cover or a Maritime insurance policy. While companies have Public Liability Insurance and Goods in Transit Insurance Insurance, you should take out your own policy too.
While sea freight shipping costs are based on the size and type of container used, air freight shipping costs are dependent on weight. This means that your furniture removals cost can vary greatly depending on what mode of transportation you choose.
Moving the contents of a 4-bedroom house will be costly. According to DFS Worldwide, shipping 500 kilos of goods to Cape Town, will cost £410. The heavier your belongings are, the more you will pay overall.
While immigrants are not expected to pay VAT or import duties, you'll need to declare goods brought into the country with a full inventory.
Our International Moving Costs article covers this topic in more detail. You will also need to factor in the costs of any additional services used too.
What Documentation Do I Need?
When moving to South Africa, you are required to provide the following:
- Passport
- Visa or permits
- Detailed and numbered inventory
- Packing list
- Customs forms (DA304 and P.1.160)
- Affidavit for travel
- Insurance and protection forms
Customs clearance and quarantine clearance is required on household goods. Clearance takes up to 14 days. If you're shipping pets into the country, you need to ensure you have the documents, vaccinations, and requirements needed.
Covid-19 Restrictions
As stated on the UK Government website, South Africa no longer has any restrictions in regards to covid.
Visas and Permits
You can stay in the country for 90 days without a visa. To stay in the country longer, you'll need to apply for a visa. There are a number of different types of residency permits available. You need to ensure you have applied for the correct permit before travelling.
Other popular overseas destinations
We also offer international removals to many destinations worldwide. Here are some other popular locations: