Moving To The Philippines From The UK

Moving to the Philippines

If you are moving to the Philippines, whether to Manila, Quezon City or Caloocan, Britannia Movers International has the expertise and the international resources to suit the move to your individual needs.

	Importing Personal Effects to the Philippines Shipments of used household and personal effects can be imported duty free provided the shipper holds the appropriate visa and has obtained a tax exemption from the Department of Finance within 90 days of arrival. Returning residents who have been away more than 6 months must obtain the same exemption, but may pay duty over and above their personal exemption of PhP10,000. All consignments must arrive within 60 days of the shipper. Your local Britannia Member will provide you with detailed customs regulations. Britannia and our agents will assist you with completion of customs formalities. To assist us with this please let us have a copy of your passport (and visa if applicable). The required documentation will be supplied to you on arrival.
	Prohibitions and Restrictions In general it is in your interest not to import the following items: Firearms & ammunition Inflammable goods & substances Plants & plant material Foodstuffs, perishables or otherwise Narcotics and dangerous goods Offensive materials Alcohol & Tobacco
	Transit Times Both sole use and crated consignments usually take an average of 6 – 7 weeks. If your final destination is not on the mainland island, delivery may take longer. However, this can vary depending on volumes being shipped, customs or immigration delays and prevailing weather conditions. Sole use container loads take on average 5 – 6 weeks door to door.
	Bar Coding All Groupage consignments will be bar coded before they are loaded into the shipping container. This will ensure that no items are left at origin.
	Domestic Pets Britannia can recommend a specialised shipper of animals to assist you in sending your family pet(s) from home to home. They will coordinate all documentation and necessary veterinary procedures. Find out more about pet transport.
	Moving Motor Vehicles to the Philippines The import of cars not exceeding 1500kg/2800cc is permitted provided they have been owned for longer than 12 months, and if for a resident, that he has been away continuously for more than a year. However duty can be as high as 200% of book value. We do not recommend shipping your car to the Philippines.
	International FX When you are making international payments for individuals you can benefit from IFX expertise in seeking the best possible rate, whether you are sending or receiving foreign currency. IFX can help to protect you from exchange rate fluctuations and save you time and money on international payments. IFX offers : International payments Regular Overseas Transfers Prepaid Currency Card Forward Contracts More info on the IFX website.

Moving to the Philippines with Britannia

Your Move to the Philippines with Britannia – Britannia can offer you a door to door shipping service to the Philippines, and can either ship your effects by sole use container, or for smaller shipments in a wooden crate (LCL). In addition we can offer a door to door airfreight service to some destinations in the Philippines. Our agents in Manila will arrange customs clearance, and deliver and unpack the effects, including removal of debris on day of delivery.

Additional removal services – Britannia can provide a wide range of additional removal services when moving to the Philippines. We are authorised to provide a comprehensive insurance, can arrange international storage and can also take care of your pet transport.

If you are interested in moving to the Philippines, find out about our removal costs, and read more about our international removals.

Living in the Philippines

A melting pot of different cultures and ethnicities, and full of natural wonders, the Philippines is a very exciting expat destination. Whether you are looking for new professional opportunities, want to live in a big city, or enjoy an outdoor lifestyle, the Philippines could be a perfect destination. The Philippines also has a developed economy and offers relatively good living standards.

Located in Southeast Asia in the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines is the second largest archipelago in the world. Its tropical climate and location make it prone to earthquakes, but have also made the country rich in natural resources. The Philippines comprises over 7000 islands and can be divided into three main parts, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Not only can the country boast a rich culture, but it has the world’s 12th largest population, with about 94 million inhabitants. While the Philippines has had its share of political instabilities in the 20th century, and only became independent from the USA after World War II, it has a strong, industrialised economy with relatively low unemployment rates.

If you are looking for outdoor adventures, the Philippines can boast a range of natural wonders, from coral-fringed islands, to stunning hills, and sandy beaches, where you can go hiking, diving, snorkelling or swimming with sharks. Manila, the capital of the Philippines is the commercial, and cultural centre, with some major landmarks, and offers a cosmopolitan and multicultural lifestyle. If you decide to move to the Philippines, you’ll surely enjoy its great cuisine, its cultural diversity that combines Eastern and Western influences, and the range of opportunities the country offers.

Interesting Facts About the Philippines

• The people of the Philippines are from different ethnic origins, including Malay, Chinese, Hispanic and American.
• The Philippines has two official languages, Tagalog (Filipino) and English.
• The Philippine flag is the only flag in the world that is hoisted upside down when the country is in war.
• The coastline in the Philippines is over 35,000km long, which makes it the 5th largest coastline in the world.
• With more than 11 million Filipinos living abroad, the Philippines has the largest diaspora network in the world.

Tips About Moving to and Living in the Philippines

• If you want to move to the Philippines permanently you will need to obtain a visa. If you have a spouse who is originally from the Philippines, getting a permanent visa will be much easier.
• There are a number of international schools in the Philippines that follow the British or an international curriculum.
• You should be able to find employment in the Philippines, especially if you have the right knowledge and skills. In Manila, there is a high demand these days in fields such as computing, business, or technology.
• Living and housing costs are much lower in the Philippines than in the UK.