Moving To Singapore From The UK

Moving to Singapore

Whether you are moving to the main island in Singapore or to one of the smaller islands, Britannia Movers International has the local knowledge and experience to tailor the move to your individual needs.

	Importing Personal Effects to Singapore Shipments of used household and personal effects can be imported duty free provided the shipper holds an employment pass less than 6 months old, to allow GST Relief. For returning Singapore Nationals, proof of employment and residence abroad for more than 6 months must be provided. Your local Britannia Member will provide you with detailed customs regulations. All necessary documentation must be completed and submitted when requested, before your shipment is dispatched. Please note that you must be in the country in order to successfully complete all customs clearance procedures. All books, CDs, videos, DVDs and magazines are subject to physical inspection and should be packed in to separate cartons and marked clearly. There will be a charge for this inspection. 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 Groupage or shared load containers usually take an average of 8 – 12 weeks door to door. However, this can vary depending on volumes being shipped, customs or immigration delays and prevailing weather conditions. Sole use containers loads take on average 4 – 5 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.
	Importing Motor Vehicles to Singapore Only vehicles that are less than 3 years old may be imported and registered for use in Singapore. A surcharge of $10,000 is payable for each imported used car registered in Singapore. Britannia thus discourages importation of cars to Singapore.
	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 Singapore with Britannia

Your Move to Singapore with Britannia – Britannia can offer you a door to door shipping service to Singapore, and can either ship your effects by shared load or by full container load. In addition we can offer a door to door airfreight service. Our agents in Singapore 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 variety of additional removal services when moving to Singapore. We are authorised to provide comprehensive insurance, can arrange storage and can also take care of your pet transport.

If you are interested in moving to Singapore, find out your removal costs, and read more about Britannia’s international removals.

Living in Singapore

Whether you are looking for new business opportunities, or a different lifestyle with a good standard of living, moving to Singapore can be an ideal choice. This multicultural and cosmopolitan city-state can offer high living standards, excellent communications, transportation and healthcare facilities, and cultural diversity.

Located in Southeast Asia, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, Singapore is an island country that is made up of a highly urbanised main island and 63 smaller islands. The country has a strong and growing market-based economy, significantly depending on exports. It is one of the largest financial centres in the world with a striving business sector with English as the predominant language. Singapore is also a relatively crime-free country, where pollution is low, traffic jams are almost non-existent, and where high living standards and a comfortable life are achievable.

Although Singapore is not the perfect place for outdoor adventures, as almost 50% of the city is occupied by skyscrapers and high rises, and government control can at times be excessive, it can be a suitable destination for many. Singapore has a diverse culture, with different racial and religious groups living in relative harmony, and whenever you feel more adventurous, you have over 60 islands to discover.

Interesting Facts About Singapore

• Singapore is among the 20 smallest countries in the world, and has a population of just over 5 million.
• Singapore has four official languages, English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil, English being the first language of the nation and the language of business and government.
• The world’s highest man-made waterfall and largest fountain are both located in Singapore.
• The main religions of Singapore are Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Taoism and Hinduism.
• The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve in Singapore contains more species of trees than the entire North American continent.

Tips about Moving to and Living in Singapore

• UK citizens do not require a visa to enter Singapore to stay for less than a month. If you are planning to stay in Singapore permanently, you will have to obtain a permanent visa.
• If you are an investor or skilled worker, you will definitely find it easier to obtain a permanent residency permit.As economic growth is stable, the country is in need of skilled workers and professionals. There are also many high profile Western companies in Singapore.
• There are a number of international schools in Singapore, however, as the medium of instruction is English in state-schools as well, you could also enrol your child in one of these.
• The cost of living and housing is relatively high in Singapore, and it is one of the most expensive Asian regions, with some products costing even more than in the UK. Professional salaries however will also be substantially higher than in many other Asian countries.