Astro Movers Blog

Situated in the Southeast Asian region, Thailand boasts off its wonderful beaches that house an incredible marine life. Thailand is a great destination for retirement if you want to get away from the Western culture, because here you will experience total immersion of Thailand culture. Its climate is also one of the reasons why retirees would like to retire here, due to its likable sunny climate almost all year round; you will get to enjoy different types of outdoor activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling.

The people in Thailand are very friendly and warm, do not be afraid to converse with them because they would most likely try their best to understand and talk to you. English as a Second Language Teacher would be of a good profession for retirees if they plan to retire here. Due to Thailand’s want of learning the English language, they are open for retirees to come to their land and teach them if possible. Retirees can be rest assured also of his safety because Thailand is known to be on of the safest place in the planet.

The cost of living in Thailand is low, so for retirees coming from the USA, Canada, and Europe their money will really go along way if they are to spend it in Thailand. It would be like living in luxury without spending a fortune. Thailand’s healthcare is also outstanding, and private hospitals prioritize retirees and old people. Healthcare cost is also much lower compared to other modernized countries.

Thai cuisine is a definite must try! Their food is one of the most famed in the world for its savory, uniqueness and mouthwatering concoction of dishes. Thai food is renowned for its spiciness and this can be found in the streets, such as the name “street food”. You might get the wrong impression that it might be dirty food, but it is actually not, especially when it is prepared in front of you. And there are varieties of fresh foods that you can pick from.

Applying for a residency visa is easy if you have all the needed documents stipulated by the Thai Embassy in the application form. The application may take sometime but the wait will be all worth it, because once you are legal to live in Thailand, you will get to relax, enjoy and live the life you have always wanted to live. Bask in the sun like, play in the sand, discover an entirely different place, and explore the country like real traveler. Thailand offers some of the most unforgettable experiences in the world, so better get prepared for this once in a lifetime adventure, read as much information as you can so that you will know what to expect.

So you’ve landed yourself a very good offer to work in Dubai, and have started to prepare yourself for the move to Dubai, UAE. Let’s get you prepared with some quick tips that would help you make the transition as painless as possible, but most of all, enjoyable. Still, always remember that Dubai is nice on the eye, hard on the pocket!

1- Bring your driving license with you (to change it for an Emirati driving license, or at least skip some of the regular tests and shorten the needed duration to get a driving license).

2- Look for a Chiller Free place to rent (Utility bills in Dubai can become very notorious, specially if you go for a villa, and with the extremely hot and humid summer. When you go for a chiller free place, you avoid paying the A/C’s hefty electricity bill).

3- Look for free zones residential areas to rent, to avoid paying the 5% Dubai municipality housing fees (Dubai municipality charges 5% of the annual rent, which is added to the utility bill, but older neighborhoods, and the new areas allocated to free zones are not included in those fees, and so renting there will save you the 5% fees).

4- Consider buying second hand furniture from people moving out, who post their stuff on online classifieds websites like Dubizzle and Souq (People living in Dubai got used to heart-breaking ads of expats who have moved to Dubai on very nice packages, then were made redundant after few months, with no other similar or closer jobs available, and so they head back home, selling all the brand new furniture and Sports cars they purchased, for a reasonable price. On the other hand, when you buy second hands, you don’t risk losing much should you become redundant as well!).

5- Buy reliable and safe cars, go for Volvo, be prepared to have a car accident every two years, and get a good car insurance policy. Accident rates on all of UAE roads are high, but thankfully fatalities are low. It’s very easy for any one to get a car loan and walk away with a very fast car. The consequences are obvious, the roads are like race tracks for those jerks, and you get used to seeing very exotic cars racing around or zipping through next to your lane, with unbelievable speeds, so better be prepared and drive a trusted 4×4 car. Go for Volvo or BMW, if not consider a Toyota Land Cruiser or Nissan Patrol.

India used to be a closed control-and-command economy until the early `90s. Since then it has opened its economy, and allows foreign investments in most industries except a few strategic ones. Over the last 15 years, the Indian economy has enjoyed an average annual GDP growth of around 6% which has grown to 7.5% in recent times. This has attracted many multinationals to India which resulted in the increase of foreign nationals moving to India.

India is a country with 28 states and 7 union territories .There are 18 official languages and more than 300 spoken languages in India. Population as per the censes in 2001 is 1,027,015,247 and total Area of the country is – 1,027,015,247 sqkm

Tips on General Behavior:

The traditional way of greeting in India is performed by holding your palms together, as in praying with a slight bow. Shaking hands is also an acceptable way to greet people among urban and westernized Indians.

In general, Indian society is conservative about heterosexual physical contact and relationships. Refrain from greeting people with hugs and kisses.Shaking hands with women, since it involves physical touch, is not universally accepted in Indian society. Among the urban westernized Indians, you may find some Indian women offering to shake hands. However, it is advisable to shake hands only when it is offered.

It is customary to allow women and guests to proceed before yourself. Seniority, age and authority are respected in India, both in business and in public life.

Indians are enthusiastic about discussing politics and political figures. A foreigner can sometimes find the level of political awareness of an average Indian surprising. It is important, however, to recognize that politics in India is very diverse, and the political issues are often regional in nature. Thus, certain political topics may be very local, and it is advisable to get involved only if you know about them.

Custom Regulations

If you are planning to relocate to India you should have a basic idea about the custom procedures which will help you to decide what to carry with you and what not.

Prohibited and restricted Items

Firearms, ammunition and weapons unless licensed in advance. Obscene literature, photographs or films. Politically undesirable literature and Narcotics.

Entry for Foreign Nationals

Business visas (which have to be supported by a sponsoring corporation) are valid for four months stay that can be extended for up to six months. Beyond that, requires a minimum one year work permit (again supported by the sponsoring corporation), and applicants should allow a minimum of three months for the process. A valid work permit is essential prior to the arrival of household goods. Foreign nationals must possess a visa valid for one year from date of last entry, to avail of duty concessions under transfer of residence.

Household goods

The owner must be physically in India before customs clearance can take place. Air shipments must be shipped within 15 days and surface shipments must be shipped within one month of owner`s arrival in India.
All shipments are subject to customs examination and customs duties will be assessed, based on the Customs evaluation. Other household goods, provided they have been in the owner`s possession and use for one year, will be allowed free entry.

Documentations

Owner`s Passport – Owner must be present in India at the time of customs clearance.
List of articles with values and date of purchase.
Customs Declaration Form signed by owner.
Original Ocean Bill of lading.
Diplomatic consignment – Duty free exemption certificate issued by Diplomatic Mission in India.

Moving to China doesn’t have to be impossible; it doesn’t even have to be difficult. With online travel sites, visa booking agents, and real estate agents aplenty in China, you will have the resources you need to make your move to China easy and efficient.

The first thing you should look to do is book your travel. You can do this by simply going online to a site such as kayak or Priceline to book the cheapest flight possible. However, booking travel should be the easiest part of your trip.

Second, you will need to get your visa taken care of. Will you be arriving in China on a work visa? A travel visa? A student visa? Make sure you get your sponsorship figured out before you get to China. You don’t want to get to the airport and then figure out that you had forgotten about this very important step. If so, you won’t get very far beyond the check in counter. Fortunately, there are some easy resources online to get your Visa completed without you having to go to your nearest embassy.

Finally, you will need to find housing within China. Before you make your way out to your Chinese destination, be sure to contact a few real estate agents in your city of choice. There are quite a number of English speaking real estate agents in Shanghai, and assume the same can be said for other cities (Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen). Do a quick search online to get a sense of a few of the top agents. They will be able to show you some pictures of potential houses as well as the prices related to those houses.

Once you have potential houses figured out, you will then make your trip out to your Chinese city. It is likely that you will need to spend a few days in a hotel while you get housing sorted out, but, if you plan well, you can use those few days to check out housing with the real estate agents who you had built relationships with during the month or so leading up to your move to China. This will allow you to see many apartments over the span of a few days – likely leading to your choice of an apartment that best suits you.

Overall, moving to China is an invigorating and rewarding experience – not only do you get to meet great people, you also get a chance to learn a language and culture at the same time. Simply make sure that you have your travel, visa, and real estate issues settled before you make your move!

How to move to The Netherlands? By now you probably are expecting that moving from one country to another will be a bit more difficult than just moving down the road. You are correct, but whether you are moving to Amsterdam or The Hague, the process is similar and is not all that difficult, once you know what to do. In this article, I will share with you some advice based on my own experience of moving to The Netherlands.

Taxes

You should definitely do some research into how to handle your tax affairs. The more complex they are then the more complex will be handling them during the move although, if so, you probably already have a good tax lawyer or accountant anyway.

Generally speaking, most countries will want a share of your income if moving mid-way through the year. For example, assuming the tax year begins and ends in April then if you move in June, your home country will still want a share (fraction 2 months out of 12) of your income to tax. The rest will be taxed by the Dutch tax authorities (Belastingdienst).

If you are moving with your company then I recommend you bargain hard with them to include tax accountant/lawyer fees as part of your relocation package. If you are doing it yourself then you should find one soon after arriving.

Documents

Generally speaking, you should bring with you the usual documents such as your passport, drivers license (if any), birth certificate and also proof of income such as three months of recent bank statements.

You may also need to get your documents “legalized”. This means taking them to a recognised authority or government department and getting them stamped to prove that they are genuine.

Moving Your Possessions

These days it is easy to ship your possessions using a freight company who will ship it there and also pick up and deliver from door to door.

However, you may consider taking this opportunity to get rid of all the “stuff” that you no longer need. It could be a liberating experience to do this exercise

You can have an exciting life in New Zealand since the people are very friendly and there are no strict dress codes. However, the country is a bit expensive, but you are guaranteed of a great life. North Island and South Island are the two major regions in New Zealand and the weather always brings you surprises.

With lots of immigration rules you have to deal to move to New Zealand, finding an international moving company to move all your household goods is the best thing you can ever do for you. While selecting international movers, make sure that the company provides services in your home country as well as New Zealand. Then only, it will be possible to get local moving services.

Various factors affect the cost of your move. You should take your time to find a moving company and then place your moving order as early as possible. Even though international moving companies offer short notice moving, you may have to pay additional charges. Itemizing things you want and don’t want to move is very important. Sharing containers with other moving orders in the same sector will definitely result in cost savings. If you want to take your car to New Zealand, you should look for auto transport companies as well.

Choosing shipping as your preferred type of moving will save you money considerably. At the source and destination, you must have at least your representative to supervise the move. Movers will create a detailed inventory of items moved along with their conditions. You or your authorized representative should sign this bill. At the destination, customs officials will check the imported goods against the items in the list. You may be required to appear physically to take the goods to your new home.

Even if you don’t have space in your new home for unloading and unpacking, you can hire storage services from the international movers. You can hire spaces in these storage areas and store your goods for as long as you want. The moving companies will pick up your goods at the specified date and delivery date will be an estimate in most of the cases. Various external factors may cause delay in transit when moving to New Zealand and hence, you should be able to live in New Zealand for a few days when delivery of goods is delayed.

France is part of the European Union and complies with the general customs rules of the Union. It is also a member of the World Trade Organization. Besides the standard restrictions and taxes, the French government imposes certain supplementary quotas on some products. It is important to know a few things about the regulations before shipping to France.

You will need to fill some documentation like the certification of origin. Its form depends on the nature of the commodity. If the commodities you are sending are part of a commercial transaction whether is to a company or to an individual, you have to attach a commercial invoice that must contain the complete description of the products and other costs like freight or insurance. You may need to present and airway bill or bill of landing and for dangerous good, a supplementary certification may be needed. In most cases, the importer will need an import permit.

For each commodity you are shipping to France, you have to fill a customs valuation form and the valuation must be accurate. You will have to pay import duties based on the transaction value or the cost of the goods. Excise taxes apply for products like alcohol or tobacco. You must pay a value-added tax. This will generally be 19.6% of the C.I.F. value or as low as 5.5% for some products like artworks, food products, agricultural products, books and medicines.

Take into consideration that when using a shipper to send your goods there will be imposed limits on the package. The maximum allowed weight is 70 kg, the maximum length is 270 cm and the maximum dimensions are 419cm, length and girth combined. Before shipping to France, make sure that the commodities are well packed and are not on the list of prohibitions and restrictions. It is very easy to neglect or forget about an aspect but be sure that the customs agents will notice and you will have either to take back your products or pay fines or penalties.

France is one favourite destination considered by many when considering moving abroad. With its deep history and its love for arts and architecture, it is not surprising many people are choosing France as the country to migrate to.The country has 65 million population and half of which are roman catholics. With a GDP of $2.58 trillion, France is the fifth largest economy in the world. The currency of France is Euro, which is the official currency of the European Union and the country has a size of 674,843km2.

France has a significant English speaking expatriates population, which mostly consists of retired and so called inactive expats which are people below retirement age but not working.

France has plenty to offer families and singles wishing to emigrate to the country. It is an exciting place to live but not easy unless you learn the language. The French take pride in their languages and foreign languages are not commonly spoken. There are bilingual schools but even so you should really be thinking about teaching your whole family the language. There are plenty of French language schools offering courses to foreigners.

With regards to employment there are plenty of opportunities however you really will have to learn the language. The French government (Unitary Republic) are very committed to encouraging the unemployed back to work. The French state benefit is one of the most lucrative of the developed world. The jobless in France are very well compensated for when out of work. If your planning on moving to France you can be safe in the knowledge that you will be looked after by the state if you were to lose your employment in the future.

If you are looking for property in France then you will find your money will go further. Property prices are on average substantially lower than property in the UK. Location makes a large difference on pricing as does the age of a house. Newer houses are a lot more expensive than older houses and property in the city’s are a lot more expensive than those in the country side. In fact you can live a good life in France for much less than it would cost you to have a similar lifestyle in the UK. That and the lower property prices are nothing but enticing.

France has an excellent healthcare system but you will have to register with their mairie within 3 months of living permanently in the country. This is to provide evidence that you have financial resources to live there. You will also need evidence of personal medical insurance. While France has many attractions to foreign nationals looking to relocate, there are a number of areas which need to be addressed. While there are genuine gaps in the employment market which can be exploited by overseas workers, the downside is the taxation situation.

It is easy to see why France has the most foreign visitors of any other country in Europe and why more and more people are relocating there. However relocating to France requires careful planning and an appreciation of the cultures of this beautify country.

With aplenty job opportunities in the Canada,it has become a popular emigration destination. Parcel sending naturally is on a rise. But to be able to send parcels securely and timely, it needs more understanding of the process.

With deliveries having to cross the Atlantic Ocean, getting parcels sent to Canada is clearly taking much more time than expected. One can actually take away the long wait and engage parcel delivery experts who has the experience and expertise to cut down delivery time. These services are considered being quicker than the normal postal service. It also sets your mind at ease with its increased security features that will guarantee a successful and timely delivery without hiccups.

If you want to make sure your parcel arrives in Canada safely then there are many services available to you that are up to the task. International couriers and parcel companies like Fed Ex, UPS and DHL are all experienced in such deliveries and have many locations spread throughout the world, including Canada, where your parcel can be sent to and quickly delivered as soon as it arrives in the country.

There are many services to choose from but the benefit of this is that with many companies vying for your business you can often find they compete with each other to have the lowest prices which means with a little research and asking around you could get your parcel delivered for significantly less money.

Canada is a popular delivery destination with many expats living there but you could also find you need to send parcels there for business matters as well, many companies have ties to Canada and so using a courier for business related deliveries will be absolutely essential, otherwise you could find that your deliveries turn up late or lost which would leave your clients and customers with a dim view of your business.

Shipping to Germany couldn’t be easier. What you want to send must be legal of course. Between UPS, Fedex, Air Cargo and even Ocean Cargo options you’ll be able to get whatever you want to Germany. Germany is primarily an export based country but they do need to import fuel and other commodities. The countries location in the middle of Europe with many neighbors have made it a natural shipping hub.

Every method of freight shipments are available in Germany, even river barges. A couple of the most popular things to ship to Germany are wine and cars. Here are a couple of recommendations on what to expect if you want to ship a bottle or your favorite car to Germany.

If you want to share some wine with a friend by shipping to Germany that can be accomplished quite easily. The most important thing to consider when shipping your wine bottle is to ensure the bottle is wrapped and packaged securely so as not break on the way. Use plenty of bubble wrap. If you live in the United States you can’t use the Postal Service but Fedex and UPS will ship your wine to Germany and take care of all the paperwork too.

Another popular item to ship to Germany is flowers or floral arrangements. Companys like FTD and others make this as simple as can be. Many times the flowers are provided by a local German florist, but sometimes the selected flowers are not available in country so they need to be shipped to Germany. Due to them usually being pretty lightweight and also because of the need to get them delivered before they wilt or die air express is used for shipping.

Shipping a car to Germany is a little more complicated and can take up to 4 or 5 weeks. Be careful to follow all the steps required to make sure it arrives in one piece. Vehicles are typically transported in containers or by air freight. It’s no problem to import vehicles into Germany, but you will pay some hefty taxes for the right of having your car. First there’s the motor vehicle tax and if you will have a import duty tax and usually a value added tax. These put together will be approximately 25 percent of you purchase price. This concludes a brief description of shipping to Germany.

As you can see there aren’t a lot restrictions except the transportation and taxes costs. Be sure to check them out throughly so there are no surprises when handling your documents for shipping to Germany.