Moving To Philippines

Exceptional End to End Moving Experience

Customs Regulations for the Philippines

Passport (original with photo) must contain last entry stamp and biographic pages
Residence or Work Visa
Residence Permit
Work Permit
Inventory of shipment written in English (should state that items are “used”)
Letter of Request for Exemption (Necessary for certain Visa categories only)
- Customs Bond
- Letter of Guarantee
- Bank Guarantee

Customer must be present in the Philippines at the time of Customs clearance
Shipment cannot arrive before your visa is approved
Shipment must arrive 60 days before or after Customer’s arrival in the Philippines
All shipments are subject to inspection upon arrival
Household goods and personal effects must have been in Customer’s possession for at least six months prior to importation

In the Philippines, some articles may not be imported whatsoever. These items include, but may not be limited to:

Firearms, explosives, ammunition and replica weapons (including realistic toy guns )
Narcotics and illegal drugs (including opium paraphernalia)
Drugs intended to aid in abortion
Pornography and subversive material or literature
Altered or mislabeled drugs
Counterfeit, altered, or imitated coins, paper money, banknotes and securities
Gambling machines, lottery tickets, coin operated video game machines or pinball games
Gold/silver and precious metal that does not come with proof of quality
Commercial quantities of foodstuffs, used clothing or rags
Products made of elephant tusk and any ivory tusk material

Some articles may have restricted quantities or require special authorization/ payments of duties and taxes to clear customs in the Philippines. These items include, but are not limited to:

Fruits, vegetables, plants and planting material (must be declared upon arrival, requires Import Permit)
Animal meat and live animals (unless they meet the Pet and Animal Regulations below)
Films, video tapes and disks (Import Permit required for DVDs and TVs)
Prescription medication (requires clearance from the Bureau of Food and Drugs)
Telecommunication equipment
Color reproduction machines
Motor vehicle parts
Pesticides (also require proper registration)

Importing privately owned vehicles is very difficult and requires a lengthy and time consuming bureaucratic process. To import a car to the Philippines:

Customer must be present at the time of Customs clearance
Vehicle must arrive within 60 days of Customer’s arrival
Only one vehicle allowed per family
All motor vehicles must have an Import Authority Permit issued by the Philippine Bureau of Import Service before the vehicle is shipped
- This can only be obtained in the Philippines, not issued by an embassy or consulate office
Owner must have lived abroad for at least one year and car must have been registered in Customer’s name for at least six months
Vehicles more than three years old should be registered under shipper’s name at least one year prior to application of the Import Permit
Automobiles five years old or older not permitted
Destination Agent must be contacted prior to the shipping of any vehicles
Only right hand drive vehicles are permitted

You will need the following documents:

Original registration
Copy of title
Import Permit from Department of Trade or Bureau of Import
Purchase invoice
Passport (original)
Driver’s license
International Insurance Policy
Certificate of arrival
Original Bill of Lading (including chassis number, engine number, cubic capacity, year of manufacture, make and model)

When importing a pet to the Philippines, the requirements are:

Import Permit (from Bureau of Animal Industry) must be issued prior to pet’s arrival and includes:
- Breed, sex, age, color and name of pet
- Owner’s address
- Intended date of arrival
- Copy of the owner’s passport
Health certificate issued at least 10 days prior to arrival
Certificate of Vaccination (must include rabies vaccination, cannot be more than a year old)
No quarantine require

Household effects (except for motor vehicles, vessel and aircraft) may be imported duty free pending an application if the customer is:
- Filipino and now a resident of another country
- A foreigner married to a Filipino
- A former Filipino
Temporary visitors are allowed to bring household goods, personal effects and vehicles provided they file a re-export bond good for six months or pay the levied Customs duties/taxes
For immigrant/permanent resident, all used household goods and personal effects are allowed full tax and duty-free entry on one shipment (air or sea)
For non-residents/retirees (first time settling in the Philippines), all used household goods and personal effects not exceeding $7,800 are allowed entry tax and duty-free
Cars are only duty free if imported by returning Filipino residents and/or foreign embassy diplomats
New and duplicate items are subject to heavy taxes and duties

NOTE – Customs regulations are subject to change at any time. The proceeding information is a brief summary of customs regulations applicable to household goods shipments to this destination and is being provided for general guidance to assist our Agents and Customers. Since such regulations are subject to change without notice, International sea & air shipping cannot be held liable for any costs, damage, delays, or other detrimental events resulting from non-compliance. Always double check with your local embassy or consulate.

Call our International Moving Specialists @ 1 (866) 788-1090

How International Sea & Air can help for moving to Philippines

To start, one of our trained moving specialists will provide a one-on-one consultation with you, thoroughly outlining your moving options based on certain criteria, such as:

Your moving timeline. When do you need to be in the Philippines?
Your real estate plans. Will you be renting or buying?
Your family/household size. Will you be moving alone or with your family? For business or personal reasons?
Cubic feet estimate. How large is your shipment?

What Will Moving to the Philippines Cost?

For an accurate estimate of your shipment size, you should schedule a home survey as early as possible for your move to the Philippines. Our moving specialists will assess your belongings to give you the best estimate possible to expedite your relocation. The cost of moving to the Philippines will vary considerably based on the cubic footage of your belongings and your proposed destination arrival time.

Don’t forget to ask about our overseas packing and custom crating services, too!

About the Philippines

The Philippines, more officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is an island country made up of 7,107 islands located in the west Pacific Ocean within the Pacific Ring of Fire. The area is divided into three geographical regions: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, with the Metro Manila area containing both the capitol city of Milan and Quezon City, the most populous area.

Looking for sandy beaches, a range in biodiversity and a hot and humid tropical maritime climate? The Philippines may be for you.

With a population of 100 million people, the Philippines is ranked the 7^th most-populated country in Asia and the 12^th most populated on earth. In addition to a high population in the country itself, there are also 12 million Filipinos living around the world, making the race one of the world’s largest diasporas.

A founding member of the United Nations, World Trade Organization, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and East Asia Summit, the Philippines are considered a middle power due to its population size and economic promise.

Can’t wait to get started with your overseas relocation to the Philippines? First, find out what you’ll need to clear Customs.

Moving to the Philippines from the U.S.

If you are moving to the Philippines from the United States, there will be plenty to consider and prepare for before you head across the globe to Southeast Asia – and this time should be exciting for you! The last thing you want to worry about is the logistics of a complicated move, so leave it up to professionals to handle it for you.

International Sea & Air Shipping will make your transition to the Philippines as seamless as possible by providing top-notch shipping services for all of your household goods, customs clearance assistance, custom crating, and much more!

Let our trained staff members take the lead in providing you with a great international relocation experience.

All you will have to worry about is starting your new life in your new country. So get ready for the Philippines!Let our trained staff members take the lead in providing you with a great international relocation experience.