# Shipping Stuff from Philadelphia



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Good morning, fellow forum members,

In a few months, I will need to ship some belongings (mostly many boxes of books and my photography collection) from my mother's house in a Philadelphia suburb to my apartment in Mexico City. I need the name of a reliable company to take care of this for me. I am willing to spend a goodly amount of money to do as these are things that I am not willing to part with. Suggestions of companies to contact would be greatly appreciated. ¡Mil gracias!


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> Good morning, fellow forum members,
> 
> In a few months, I will need to ship some belongings (mostly many boxes of books and my photography collection) from my mother's house in a Philadelphia suburb to my apartment in Mexico City. I need the name of a reliable company to take care of this for me. I am willing to spend a goodly amount of money to do as these are things that I am not willing to part with. Suggestions of companies to contact would be greatly appreciated. ¡Mil gracias!


One quick question. When you first moved here did you bring household goods with you? In other words have you used up your free import amount. And, I think that there is a time limit from when you enter the country to when you will loose that free import license. 

As far as what company to use my suggestion is always check with your friends and find out who they used, assuming that they were happy with them. Almost any licensed and bonded moving company can handle the job. Many of them also have shared moves that can take a little longer but reduce the cost.

Good luck.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

pappabee said:


> One quick question. When you first moved here did you bring household goods with you? In other words have you used up your free import amount. And, I think that there is a time limit from when you enter the country to when you will loose that free import license.
> 
> As far as what company to use my suggestion is always check with your friends and find out who they used, assuming that they were happy with them. Almost any licensed and bonded moving company can handle the job. Many of them also have shared moves that can take a little longer but reduce the cost.
> 
> Good luck.


I flew down here several years and only brought the clothes that could fit into two suitcases. I had no thought of bringing more at that time. Since then I have brought more clothes and odds and ends and have shipped a few books, so no need for an import license.

None of my friends here have shipped their belongings from the East Coast or from anywhere else in the US, for that matter. That's why I was hoping for the name of a company or two.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

Checked the thread on SEARCH: Found SEYMI and Strom-White. I know there was another I spoke with, I'll try and dig it up.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

FHBOY said:


> Checked the thread on SEARCH: Found SEYMI and Strom-White. I know there was another I spoke with, I'll try and dig it up.


I wrote to SEYMI a while ago and never heard anything back, which doesn't inspire confidence in their reliability. I´ll try Strom-White. Thanks for your help, FHBOY.


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

There are quite a number of foreign consulates in Philadelphia, so there should be movers experienced in international moves, who are used by the foreign diplomats and staff when they arrive and leave the US.

We moved to Mexico from a city with a large diplomatic presence, and we checked the movers in the yellow pages and saw that quite a lot of them advertised that they had experience with international moves. You could also ask at the Mexican consulate if any of the staff there can personally recommend a mover.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

maesonna said:


> There are quite a number of foreign consulates in Philadelphia, so there should be movers experienced in international moves, who are used by the foreign diplomats and staff when they arrive and leave the US.
> 
> We moved to Mexico from a city with a large diplomatic presence, and we checked the movers in the yellow pages and saw that quite a lot of them advertised that they had experience with international moves. You could also ask at the Mexican consulate if any of the staff there can personally recommend a mover.


That's a good idea, Maesonna. Thanks.


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> I flew down here several years and only brought the clothes that could fit into two suitcases. I had no thought of bringing more at that time. Since then I have brought more clothes and odds and ends and have shipped a few books, so no need for an import license.
> 
> None of my friends here have shipped their belongings from the East Coast or from anywhere else in the US, for that matter. That's why I was hoping for the name of a company or two.


It's not really a license but the ability to ship duty free. Check and see if there is a time constraint. You don't need a license but you would like to get your stuff duty free.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

pappabee said:


> It's not really a license but the ability to ship duty free. Check and see if there is a time constraint. You don't need a license but you would like to get your stuff duty free.


Duty-free would be nice. I thought what you've been talking about is the menaje de casa and that you have to accompany your possessions in person as they cross the border. Truth to be told, I've never looked into it at all.


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## El Blanco Sol (Feb 5, 2012)

I moved from Philadelphia to Saltillo a 1 1/2 ago. I packed everything into a "pod" from ABF (you can find them on the internet) for a reasonable fee. Everything was shipped to Laredo Texas. I had a Mexican company move everything from Laredo to Saltillo. I did have to pay a tariff, but now know I probably could have avoided it. As far as a suggestion for a Mexican moving company I would ask a friend or trusted compadre to recommend someone.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

El Blanco Sol said:


> I moved from Philadelphia to Saltillo a 1 1/2 ago. I packed everything into a "pod" from ABF (you can find them on the internet) for a reasonable fee. Everything was shipped to Laredo Texas. I had a Mexican company move everything from Laredo to Saltillo. I did have to pay a tariff, but now know I probably could have avoided it. As far as a suggestion for a Mexican moving company I would ask a friend or trusted compadre to recommend someone.


Thanks for the information. I was hoping to find a company that would ship my things from Philly directly to Mexico City. Did you have to go to Laredo to make sure the Mexican company took care of things in good fashion?


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## edgeee (Jun 21, 2012)

*just a thought...*

getting friends to recommend is the way, but don't neglect to solicit advice about companies you should avoid.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

edgeee said:


> getting friends to recommend is the way, but don't neglect to solicit advice about companies you should avoid.


 That's excellent advice. My problem is that I don't any friends in Mexico who have shipped things to Mexico from the States who can tell me which companies to trust and which to avoid.


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## edgeee (Jun 21, 2012)

i'm sure this forum has the right info. after all you've done the hard part, which is finding the right questions to ask.
btw, thanks for all your posts i've been reading.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

edgeee said:


> i'm sure this forum has the right info. after all you've done the hard part, which is finding the right questions to ask.
> btw, thanks for all your posts i've been reading.


The right questions to ask aka The Socratic Method. Cool . . .

You're welcome. It's nice to know that my posts have been helpful to you.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

Here's another mover. This was one couldn't remember yesterday. He responded within a few days by email:

Ronald Ponton
San Miguel/ Mexico Moving Company
(240) 581-1764 US
011 52 1(442) 146-4700 MX
[email protected]


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

FHBOY said:


> Here's another mover. This was one couldn't remember yesterday. He responded within a few days by email:
> 
> Ronald Ponton
> San Miguel/ Mexico Moving Company
> ...


From the name of the company, it sounds like he moves things to San Miguel, which wouldn't be of any use to me. Do you know if that's the case, FHBOY? In any event, thanks for the information.


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## El Blanco Sol (Feb 5, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> Thanks for the information. I was hoping to find a company that would ship my things from Philly directly to Mexico City. Did you have to go to Laredo to make sure the Mexican company took care of things in good fashion?


There are a few companies in the US that will move your things from the US to Mexico but at a very expensive rate. They do take care of all the paper work, etc. for Mexico. Yes, I had to be present in Laredo to make sure everything was properly done by the Mexican movers and to pay the tariff in Nuevo Laredo for my belongings.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

El Blanco Sol said:


> There are a few companies in the US that will move your things from the US to Mexico but at a very expensive rate. They do take care of all the paper work, etc. for Mexico. Yes, I had to be present in Laredo to make sure everything was properly done by the Mexican movers and to pay the tariff in Nuevo Laredo for my belongings.


There's no way I'm going to travel to Laredo from Mexico City to supervise the shipping of my goods. If I find that it will just be too expensive to ship my things here, I'll have to go to Plan B. Thanks for your help.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> From the name of the company, it sounds like he moves things to San Miguel, which wouldn't be of any use to me. Do you know if that's the case, FHBOY? In any event, thanks for the information.


I just checked out this company, and they do ship from the US to several locations in Mexico including Mexico City. Next I have to write to them and get an estimate, which I hope won't knock my socks off!


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