Moving from Spain to the USA?
Don't let Customs stress you out. We handle the paperwork, packing, and safe delivery to your new home.
Moving to the USA from Spain: The Complete Guide
Quick Summary: Moving from Spain to the USA is a complex process involving US Customs and sea freight logistics. Wisse Moving offers a complete door-to-door solution, handling packaging, customs clearance, and final delivery to your new American home.
| Moving to USA: Quick Reference Guide | |
|---|---|
| Service Coverage | Collection from all of Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, etc.) to all 50 US States. |
| Transit Times | East Coast: 5-7 weeks | West Coast: 6-8 weeks (Door-to-Door). |
| Shipping Methods | LCL (Liftvan/Crate), FCL (Full Container), and Air Freight. |
| Key Requirements | Valid NIE or DNI (required for Spanish Customs), Passport, Visa/Green Card, and used household goods (12+ months). |
| Customs Forms | US Customs Form CF-3299, Power of Attorney, and Supplemental Declaration. |
| Storage Solution | Secure storage available in Spain if your US Visa is still pending. |
Where do we collect?
We can collect your move in any part of Spain. We have offices and/or warehouses in: Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, and Bilbao.
What is included in our door-to-door service?
- Professional Packaging: Disassembling and wrapping of furniture, packaging of boxes.
- Collection: From any city in Spain.
- Customs Clearance: Handling export in Spain and import in the USA (Form CF-3299).
- Delivery: Unloading and placement of belongings in your new US residence.
- Dedicated Move Manager: Your personal single point of contact to guide you through every step.
How to get a Precise Quote (Video Survey)
We don’t use generic online calculators because they are rarely accurate. Moving to the USA requires precision. To give you a fixed, transparent price, we schedule a 15-minute Pre-Move Video Survey.
- ✅ Fast: Takes only 15 minutes via WhatsApp or Zoom.
- ✅ Accurate: We estimate the volume and determine if you need a full container or a liftvan.
- ✅ Expert Advice: Ask your your moving expert any questions immediately.
⚠️ Important: Documentation & Storage Solution
Before scheduling your move, please be aware of these critical requirements for both Spain and the USA:
- For Export (Leaving Spain): You must have a valid NIE number (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) or DNI. Without this document, Spanish Customs will not authorize the shipment to leave the country.
- For Import (Entering USA): You generally need a valid Resident Permit or Visa (if you are not a US national) before the goods ship.
- The “Storage” Solution: If you have to leave your home in Spain now, but you don’t have your US Visa yet, we can help. We offer secure temporary storage in Spain. We will hold your container or liftvan in our warehouse and ship it only once you have received your visa, avoiding expensive fines or delays in the USA.
Different ways of moving to the USA
There are basically three different ways of moving to the USA from Spain:
- Liftvan (Groupage): If you only have boxes and small items, or some boxes and smallish furniture, we crate the goods into a “liftvan”. This crate is loaded into a shared container with other goods. We adjust the size of the liftvan to fit your volume, so you only pay for what you have. This is the most economical option.
- Full Container Load (FCL): If you are moving a whole household, we use a sea container exclusively for your move. We pack and load the goods directly at your residence in Spain. This is a very safe and fast option.
- Air Freight: This is much more expensive and is a good solution only if you have a few urgent boxes.
International Association of Movers
We are a member of the International Association of Movers (IAM). This prestigious organization enables us to provide a door-to-door relocation service from Spain to the USA. If you are moving to Miami, Boston, Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, New York, or any other place in the USA, we will be able to provide you a high quality service through our network of agents.
Customs Clearance in the USA
In order to import your household goods in the USA, your goods will have to be customs cleared. Our customs agents in the United States will take care of this on your behalf. In order to do the customs clearance in the USA, the following documents would be required:
- copy of your passport
- copy of your visa or residence permit (if you don’t have US nationality)
- detailed packing list (our crew will make a packing list upon collection)
- copy of the bill of lading, seaway bill or airway bill (we will provide this)
- Form CF-3299 – declaration for free entry of unaccompanied articles (we will provide the form for you to fill out)
- Supplemental declaration form (we will provide the form for you to fill out)
- Power of attorney (we will provide the form for you to fill out)
- Importers Security Filing (ISF. We will take care of this).
Please bear in mind the following as well:
- All shipments are subject to examination at the discretion of Customs officials.
- For duty-free clearance, the household goods must have been used at least 12 months in the foreign household prior to shipment from the origin country.
- The owner of the goods must hold the proper long-term visa (non-B1 / B2 visitor’s visa) to import household goods duty free.
- Customs and other government agencies can require a variety of different types of examinations that result in extra costs
- U.S. Customs may also order intensive exams on any shipments containing food products, medications or liquor.
- The owner of the goods is responsible to pay for the exams and any damage incurred during inspections by Customs officials.
Note that this information is merely informative: customs requirements may change anytime, and the final desicion whether your household goods can be imported duty-free depends on US authorities. Once you are ready to move, please check the requirements with us and we’ll inform you.
Restricted / forbidden items:
The following items cannot be imported, or cannot be included in your move:
- Batteries
- Electric vehicles (e-bikes, electric scooters etc.)
- Food, drinks, alcohol, other perishable items
- Plants, seeds or soil
- Hazardous goods
- Game and hunting trophies
- Gold
- Merchandise from embargoed countries (a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control is required)
- Animals
- Weapons
- Medicines
- Tuna
- Drugs, Drug paraphernalia
- Haitian animal hide drums
- Cuban cigars
- Blank tapes and CDs from Iran
- Absinthe
- Counterfeit items or items inappropriately using a federally registered trademark
- Products made from dog and cat fur
- Flavored cigarettes, including cloves
Note: This list is not exhaustive. Please check with us in case of doubts.
Moving to the USA with motor vehicles
You can only import motor vehicles into the US if these meet the US environmental and emission standards (EPA and DOT standards). If a vehicle does not meet these standards, then cannot be imported, unless it is adapted to US standards. This is VERY costly and complicated, and in 99,99% of all cases it would not be feasable. As a general rule, you can import vehicles previously exported from the USA, or vehicles manifactured in the USA. You can find more information here.
Transport of vehicles would always be in a sea container. If you ship a car, then we would load it together with the household goods in the container. For motorcycles, we would crate them and then load them in a container with the moving goods.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about moving to the USA from Spain
The price depends entirely on the volume of your goods. A small move using a “Liftvan” (crate) in a groupage sea container (LCL) will cost significantly less than a full 20ft or 40ft container. Since every home is different, we provide a free video survey to calculate your exact volume and give you a fixed-price proposal.
For sea freight, the typical door-to-door transit time is between 5 to 8 weeks.
- East Coast (NY, Miami): Approx. 5-7 weeks.
- West Coast (LA, San Francisco): Approx. 6–8 weeks.
- Note: These are estimated transit times, and depend on the space on the ships, availability of transport, the speed of Customs, whether there are customs inspections etc. etc. It is not exact science, and delays are common.
Generally, no. You can import your used household goods duty-free if:
- You have owned and used them for at least one year before shipping.
- You hold a valid long-term visa (Green Card, L1, H1B, etc.) or are a returning US citizen.
- The shipment arrives within a reasonable time of your own arrival.
You can pack your own boxes, but the saving normally is minimal. If our crew packs the boxes, then all the necessary materials are included in our service. The packaging would be done professionally and you save yourself much time. For an overseas move, we recommend leaving the packaging to our experienced crews.
No, we do not accepts any food, alcohol or perishable goods in the move. Customs do not allow it, and including any food or drinks may trigger intensive customs inspections or heavy fines.
No problem. We offer secure storage services in our warehouses across Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, etc.). We can hold your shipment until your US visa is approved or your new home is ready, and then ship it then.
Shipping batteries in not allowed, as they are considered hazardous goods. Especially e-bikes, electric scooters or other items with powerful batteries are not accepted by the shipping line.
Short Answer: It is better to carry them with you. Detail: US Customs allows personal medication, but it can cause delays if packed in the sea container. If you must ship them, they need to be in their original packaging with a clear doctor’s prescription in English. Never ship narcotics or strong painkillers. We recommend keeping all essential medication in your flight luggage.
We don’t use generic online calculators. To give you an exact, fixed-price proposal, we schedule a quick Video Call. We virtually walk through your home to calculate the exact volume and discuss your needs. It takes 15 minutes and ensures high accuracy.
You will have a Dedicated Move Manager. You are not just a file number; you will have one single contact person from your first call until delivery in the USA. We pride ourselves on high responsiveness and personal support—no call centers.
Yes, we offer a transport insurance. Although we take much care packaging and protecting the goods, there is always a possibility for accidents, theft, breakages etc. Contact us for more information.
Got any questions?
Our team of experts is looking forward to assisting you.