Relocation Services

MOVING PERSONAL ITEMS TO THE TCI

Moving personal items to the Turks and Caicos Islands can be a painful experience. Or it can be a stress free day on Grace Bay. The key is coordinating everything and making sure your items are packed securely. The items need to be placed in sturdy boxes or bins as they will be stacked on palettes. One thing to remember is that Tropical Shipping, your best friend during this process, charges by cubic feet and not weight. This can impact your planning as you will want your containers to be as full as possible so there will be little room for compaction.

Your personal items are subject to duties in the Turks and Caicos Islands, unless you have a current work permit. New items are subject to duties even with the presence of a work permit. Used personal items are exempt with a work permit. The duties typically run 35% of the value of the items. Customs officials are allowed to assess the value of the items if they disagree with the declared values.

Tropical Shipping’s main export terminal is located at the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida. Their contact information can be found on their website, www.tropical.com

They can assist you with clearing the goods through customs and getting the proper documentation in order to assure a smooth sailing of your items. You can either personally deliver your items to Tropical Shipping or have them shipped to the export terminal. Most national movers will drop your items at the terminal if you complete the proper paperwork in advance.

IMPORTING VEHICLES TO THE TCI

Acquiring a vehicle on Provo is completely different that what most are accustomed to. The first thing you will experience is sticker shock. Then you will notice that a lot of the cars for sale on Provo are in average to below average condition. Most of the time the best option is to import a car from the United States.

Importing a vehicle from the United States is a relatively simple process. The first thing to know is that the vehicle needs to be free of any liens on the title. The vehicle needs to be in good working order as there is a government inspection to have the vehicle properly registered. The most common shipping company used is Tropical Shipping

The vehicle needs to be delivered to the Tropical Shipping terminal located at the Port of Palm Beach. The paperwork required to ship the vehicle can be obtained from Tropical Shipping. Tropical will also clear your vehicle through U. S. Customs for an additional charge. As of this report, the fee to ship most vehicles, including larger SUV’s such as a Chevrolet Suburban, is $1,300.00. This does not include the price of the broker to clear the car through U. S. Customs.

Once the vehicle arrives in Provo, another process begins. You will most likely need to hire a local broker to clear your car through TCI customs. Anyone from RE/MAX Elite can provide you with a list of local brokers. The vehicle will be located at South Dock on Chalk Sound Road. The broker will need the bill of sale and the title in order to get the car through customs.

The duties imposed on vehicle imports are fixed and are charged on every personal vehicle entering the country. The import duty is 35% of the value of the vehicle and shipping charges. There is an additional 10% tax on the value of the vehicle and shipping charges. This brings a total of 45% of the value of the vehicle and shipping to successfully be driving in Provo. Don’t forget we drive on the left hand side of the road here!!

The last pointer for importing items into the TCI is patience. The key to a smooth process is to make sure you have all the appropriate documentation completed accordingly. Most processes take a little longer to complete here in the islands than you will be used to back home. So, take a deep breath and enjoy the weather!