# Documents for importing household goods



## travertine

Hi

Our used household goods are being shipped from Canada to France via Rotterdam where they will arrive in a couple of weeks. The shipment has been handled by professional movers and the agent in Holland has contacted me to request 11 documents for clearing customs. Most are straight forward but one seems rather impossible. Specifically the agent wants "proof of registration with the city of Forges de Lanouee, stating that you are entering from Canada (no older than 12 months)". We bought a house here but haven't formally registered. We did however attend the formal welcome for new residents (and new borns). I struggle to see how or why a Mairie would issue a document declaring where I had come from. Has anyone had any experience with this type of request? Thanks.


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## mohsel

usually the entry stamp would be sufficient, especially if you have an exit stamp from Canada .... you can visit the mairie and explain the need and see if they can produce something base on that, otherwise, you can make an attestation sur l'honeur stating that you left from Canada at certain date and entered france on the same day(or +1 based on your flight dates) and attach copies of passport stamps... also a copy of your VLS should be more than enough as you must have entered after its date and you are still within a year.
I cleared my staff from customs myself, and they were just happy with any document to proof entry and reason of being here (visa, work status...etc.) and it was just straight forward.


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## Bevdeforges

Some countries (like the Netherlands and Germany) have a formal registration process for someone moving into a given town. And most countries seem to assume that every other country does things the way they do. Use your validated visa as your proof of arrival in France - and/or as mohsel suggests, create an attestation sur l'honeur.


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## travertine

Thanks to both responders. I will let the agent know that there is no formal registration process in this part of France (or at all) and let them sort it out.


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## LoriEleanor

We had to provide a "Changement de Résidence" prior to the international moving company even accepting to move us (from USA to France). The form must be obtained from the French consulate assigned to the address you are moving from. The form cannot be more than 12 months old at time of shipment arrival into France. 

In order to obtain the form you must submit 12 months of proof that the goods you are moving to France are in fact coming from a foreign address (in other words they've been at the address you are moving from) for the last 12 months. We submitted 12 months of electricity bills. They accepted that.

The cost is something like 25 euros, but they will NOT accept anything but cash payments. Whatever you do, do not send cash in an envelope. We tried that and - shock shock - they never got it. We then sent it via Federal Express with tracking number. They got that.

They then sent the Changement de Résidence to us via email. All the International moving companies we got quotes from would not move us without this document.

If you don't provide the document, you stand a strong chance of paying custom fees on your shipment at arrival, if you find a moving company that will do it. That is what we were told on both ends.


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## travertine

Thanks LoriEleanor for your feedback. I had the same experience in that my mover insisted I obtain the 'Changement de Residence' before they would proceed. I had assumed that this would be sufficient particularly as one of the two documents is addressed to the Douanes. I've provided the agent with as much as I can and hope they can sort it out. My hope/expectation is that when Customs see the shipment is simply rather dull household items they will allow it to pass.


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