Amy H. Says:
I fell in love with Montevideo when I visited some cousins there a few years ago and dream of going back there when I retire. It’s a long way though. How would I get all my stuff there?
IL Executive Editor Jennifer Stevens Says:
Hi Amy,
Expats rave about Montevideo, with its large parks, tree-lined streets, sandy beaches, and wide avenues. Uruguay’s capital city is a good choice for your retirement abroad, especially since you said you have some family there. The Uruguayan people are also generally calm, laidback and tend to show patience, which adds to the relaxed feeling of the country.
When it comes to household goods for your new home in Uruguay, you may want to consider making a fresh start. Like many expats, you may find it makes more sense to buy furnishings that fit a new home rather than find a home that fits your furnishings.
With that said, you may have family heirlooms or other household items you love enough to ship to Uruguay. You’ll be glad to know that you can have a shipping container of your household items delivered to Uruguay duty-free—a real benefit in a country that would otherwise have high import duties.
Most expats who import their household goods to Uruguay go through a Uruguayan moving agent. They may contact a Uruguayan moving agent directly, or a residency specialist may connect them with the moving agent.
A reputable Uruguayan moving agent can coordinate the whole process of moving your household goods. This includes arranging for a departure-end agent (in the U.S. or Canada) to pack your household goods in a shipping container, and then for the container to be delivered to the port, to be shipped to Uruguay.
To create the cost estimate, the Uruguayan moving agent will hire a departure-end agent to come to your home in the U.S. or Canada to survey the possessions you wish to move. During the survey, they will estimate the volume of your belongings to determine what size shipping container you will need. And they’ll determine if you need special packing for fragile items. A door-to-door estimate will often include packing, loading, and transportation (by truck, ship, and truck again) from your home in North America to your new home in Uruguay.
Note: Make sure to ask your Uruguayan moving agent about all-risk insurance coverage for your household goods in transit.
You can read more about moving to Uruguay on the dedicated page of our website here.
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