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Magna-Thomson International Movers offers a professional, efficient and comprehensive world-wide moving service. Magna-Thomson’s total relocation package includes advice on the customs and quarantine regulations of your destination country. Your Magna-Thomson Consultant will advise you on your specific destination.

In addition however, these links have been specially chosen to help you learn more about the places you may be thinking of moving to. We have sought out information that would concern a emigrant rather than a tourist. We have, however, not forgotten your recreational needs and we have put together a balanced collection of links that will help. Click on the country of interest to see relevant links.

Australia

General

Import Permit for Cars

  • The Administrator of vehicle standards Federal Office of Road Safety

    Postal Address: P.O Box 1553, CANBERRA, ACT, 2601
    Telelphone: 0961 262 747506
    Faximilie: 0961262 746013
    Email: vehicle.imports@dotrs.gov.au

Firearms

Telephone: 0961 6250 030Back to top


New Zealand

United States of America

Canada

  • torontolife.com - The Toronto Life magazine (Toronto, Canada)
  • torontolife.com/guide - Features and analyses of the top 25 neighbourhoods (Toronto, Canada) If your PC is not Java enabled, you will get error messages. Just click okay.
  • vancouver.ca - Immigration to Canada (Vancouver, Canada)Back to top

United Kingdom

  • moving.com - UK Relocation links: ExpatSpouse offers career guidance, employment advice and family adjustment advice.
  • houseweb.co.uk - The UK’s HouseWeb: covers a guide to buying and selling in the UK, properties for sale, a discussion forum, market conditions as well as related links.
  • upmystreet.comBack to top

South Africa

Firearms

  • Mr Libenberg on +27123536280 or
  • Mr Rossouw -+27123511593 (foreign affairs)

Police / Engine Clearance

  • Telephone: +270118376001 / +27118370513 / +27118376403

Export Permit

  • Cities Permit for Trophies

    Mrs De Beer
    Telephone: +27124287000
    Telephone: +27123103911

  • Gauteng Nature Conservation Permits Office

    Maltir Gopal
    Email: maltieg@gpg.gov.za
    Telephone: +27113551219

Fumigation of container

  • Phoenix Fumigation

    Telephone: +27117932846
    Faximilie: +27117927275
    Contact: Peter Ward

Migration Agents

Pets Travel

Bring or Buy?

Work out your options:

  • Do I Sell everything and buy overseas
  • Do I Ship a few possessions and buy the balance overseas or
  • Do I Ship everything overseas and use your money for setting up

We suggest shipping all goods? Economically it is normally best to ship everything, rather than buying new goods overseas as it is more cost-effective.
It also helps the settling in process to have your own familiar goods around you when settling into your new home in a foreign country.

If you are still finding this decision a difficult one to make and if you require more info on whether it is more affordable to transport your existing furniture and household goods, or to purchase new items once you reach your destination, browse the virtual shopping malls at the links provided below to see what you will pay if you have to purchase new furniture at your destination country.

Australia

New Zealand

United States of America

Canada

United Kingdom

If you require any additional links for other countries please contact us now and we will source this for you.Back to Top

Electrical Items and Compatibility

With the exception of the U.S.A. and Canada the voltage system in most countries is compatible with that of South Africa (220/240v) and it is therefore practical to include these items in your shipment. This includes all large ‘white’ appliances such as fridges, freezers, stoves, dishwashers, washing machines, tumble driers and microwave ovens as well as smaller electrical items such as mixers, kettles, toasters, vacuum cleaners, etc. Television sets and video recorders may need modifications to the sets to make them compatible with your destination country’s reception signal and this may in some cases not be economically viable.

Modern ‘multisystem’ sets should however be okay but you are strongly advised to verify this with the manufacturer of the set. It is generally a sound idea to include most of your appliances (with the possible exception of stoves) in your shipment if they are modern and in good working order as they are very often more expensive to replace overseas.

Stoves are included as standard fittings in many homes worldwide. In the United Kingdom most homes have gas stoves. Don’t forget to take into account the size of your appliances as you may well find them too large to fit into your new home e.g. large double door fridge/freezer combinations, top-loading washing machines, etc. Spare parts availability is also something that should be considered but if your appliances are in good order this shouldn’t necessarily deter you from shipping them. Even if the particular brand is not available at your destination then a possible worst case scenario would be to have a spare part sent out if needed and this could still prove an acceptable risk when compared to having to buy new on first arrival.

Whilst the voltage in the U.S.A. and Canada is different to South Africa’s it does not necessarily altogether prohibit shipment of certain appliances to these countries. In some cases it is possible to have items modified and/or run them off transformers and there are specialist organizations who can advise you of the viability of doing this. For more information on this, please do not hesitate to contact us.Back to top

Liquor and Tobacco

Any alcohol or tobacco included in shipments of unaccompanied personal effects will require the declaration of a separate formal customs entry by the overseas clearing agent at destination. This will cost you a fee PLUS the duty and sales tax due and as such the inclusion of these items is strongly discouraged. There is no duty free allowance of liquor and tobacco in unaccompanied effects, and some states in the USA ban the importation of alcohol. If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact any one of our offices.

If shipping more than 20 litres of alcohol out of South Africa, an export permit is required. Again your Move Consultant will assist.

 

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