As a main player on the world stage, the United States is constantly under the global media spotlight. From its vast plains, snow-covered mountains, deep forests and strange rock formations, to soaring skyscrapers and a thunderous cultural scene, the United States is a collage of extremes.
Marvel at the thunderous spectacle of the 12,000-year-old Niagara Falls in northern New York, or seek an antidote to urban chaos amidst the flat farmland of the Midwest. There are also the black hills of South Dakota, the dramatic mountain and ocean landscape of California's Pacific Coast Highway and, of course, the world-famous Grand Canyon, just one of the 397 National Parks in the country. All 50 states are scattered with gasp-worthy natural wonders.
It's not just the range of landscapes that have attracted so many to the United States. Nothing can prepare you for your first glimpse of Manhattan's unforgettable skyline, the sweet strains of New Orleans jazz or the neon-lit excesses of Las Vegas. While New York City is the most densely populated with soaring skyscrapers, including the iconic Chrysler Building and Empire State Building, other cities have admirable architecture as well, like Chicago's Willis Tower or the monuments of the nation's capital in Washington DC.
The USA is also the unrivalled entertainment capital of the world, bursting with theme parks, sports venues, and theatres. The turquoise waves of surf capital California and ski resorts of the snow-cloaked Rocky Mountains in Colorado provide ample excuses for adrenaline junkies to explore, whilst the palm-lined beaches of laid-back Miami and sweeping Oklahoma prairies offer true relaxation.
At OSS World Wide Movers, our network of FIDI / FAIM accredited partners covers the whole of the USA.
Our partners in the USA are well-versed in all aspects of the requirements for importing personal and household goods. This guarantees a seamless, tailor-made move to the USA, from start to finish, including your new home, as well as your personal effects, vehicles, and, most importantly, your much-loved pets.
If your move is for work purposes and you've already been extended a job offer, you'll want to apply for E3 visa, a special visa designation just for Australian citizens. Applications go directly through the U.S. Consulate rather than the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), greatly reducing the timeline for acceptance compared to most other visas. It's important to know that the E3 visa only lasts for 24 months. After that, you'll need to apply to become a permanent resident or U.S. citizen.
While this visa is good for many job opportunities, it's not a given that you'll be extended an E3 visa just because you're an Australian citizen with a new position in the States. The U.S. Department of Labor only gives out the visa for skilled positions, typically meaning jobs that require a college degree. If your new job doesn't meet the threshold for an E3 visa, your visa options will include the H1B visa and the L1 visa. In each case, you'll need your new employer to sponsor your application.
If you're making the move to the U.S. for personal reasons, your path to residency may be a little harder. While the children and spouses of American citizens can qualify for a green card, this isn't true in every situation. Notably, the U.S. doesn't allow for "de facto partner" green cards, meaning that only a legal marriage to a citizen will qualify you for residency.
Contact the High Commission of USA in Canberra by visiting Moonah Place Yarralumla, ACT 2600.
Phone: (02) 6214-5600
Email: australia@ustraveldocs.com
Follow this link to the High Commission website: https://au.usembassy.gov/
When moving your household goods to the USA by sea freight, this will typically take 10 – 12 weeks for an FCL service. For services such as LCL and shared container services (i.e. groupage), these will take longer to reach your destination as your goods will need to be consolidated with other consignments heading to the same destination. Please discuss these options & shipping times with your removal consultant, as shipping times will vary greatly for each destination when using this type of service over an FCL service.
If you are sending items to the USA that have been packed by yourself, "owner packed," then they will attract more stringent inspection by the USA Customs on arrival.
Providing a detailed carton-by-carton moving inventory will assist the USA Customs in inspecting your effects and may avoid unnecessary delays. It is advisable to have your goods packed by your moving company if you are looking at sending larger consignments to ensure the clearance process can be conducted with a minimum of fuss.
Moving motor vehicles and motorbikes to the United States is possible, provided the Customs criteria are met. The exact timeline, however, will vary depending on where you're moving, with shipments to America's west coast most likely to take the shortest journey.
Car shipping service usually goes from depot to depot, meaning the motor vehicle will be collected by you from a partner depot in America following customs clearance. Customs may require evidence that the owner of the vehicle has lived abroad for 12 months or longer. A copy of your passport with a date stamp showing arrival in the USA, or a copy of a lease or rental agreement in the U.S., would be sufficient.
Moving a boat to the United States has similar requirements to moving a car when it comes to registration requirements and process.
Customs and Quarantine in the USA will have a special interest in the boat due to its exposure to marine life, however as Australia has a fairly clean marine environment, your boat should pass customs and quarantine without any problem.
Moving living things across the world always comes with a unique set of logistical challenges. In most cases, it's recommended to send your pet through a registered pet transportation agent who will be able to contact all the relevant agencies in the USA.
If you are considering a move to the USA then it's very important that you understand the tax differences between the two nations.
It is vital that you understand and obtain specific accounting and taxation advice suitable to your individual circumstances prior to your arrival.
OSS offers a full range of moving insurance options depending on your needs.
Although your shipment to the USA will be packed to export standards (designed to withstand the longest journey), the small cost of insurance gives you complete peace of mind with regard to the exposure and rigours that are always inherent when moving from one side of the world to the other.
Ask us about MoveCover, our Marine Transit Insurance product.
When looking to relocate to the USA, you will need to consider the extensive list of restricted and prohibited items.
The following PDF is an extensive list of all prohibited and restricted items when moving to the USA: Moving to the USA – FIDI Guide
For USA there are two associated plug types, types A and B. Plug type A is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and plug type B is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin. USA operates on a 120V supply voltage and 60Hz.
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