The Best International Moving Companies

International moves require specific expertise to ensure that every aspect is handled properly. International Van Lines is one of the top international moving companies for good reason. It specializes in overseas moves and is both affordable and experienced. The company serves more than 140 countries and all 50 U.S. states, offering plenty of customizable options to ensure your move fits your time frame and budget.

The quote process starts online, where a representative will ask questions and help you figure out which services will work best for your move. You can choose to do most of the moving yourself, have the company’s movers handle everything, or go with something in between. International also lets you add insurance, tracking, and door-to-door or port-to-port delivery if needed.

Note that a deposit is required to reserve a moving date and additional fees may be added later in the move. Also, make sure to confirm that your move is being handled directly by International Van Lines rather than contracted out to a third party.

No two international moves are alike, which is why the experts at Mayflower offer such a wide variety of options to make yours easier. You can choose between full- or partial-service packing and loading (there’s no fully self-service option) and opt to place your belongings in storage if your schedule necessitates it. The company’s tracking options and protection plan will also help you feel confident that everything is secure throughout the process.

As with most companies, Mayflower starts its quote process with an online survey. After you enter basic information about your move, a Mayflower representative will contact you to discuss which services you need, figure out your budget, and schedule a survey of the belongings you plan to move. A Mayflower estimator will then work with you to figure out a moving plan and create a quote.

Arguably, Mayflower’s biggest advantage is its move coordinator service. Your personally assigned coordinator will help with all the ins and outs of customs, documentation, vehicle moving, and everything else you need to get to your new country with a minimum of hassle. While having someone that handles every aspect of your International move is great, customer support can only be reached via email which may prove a pain point for some.

Contrary to what its name implies, North American Van Lines offers fast, reliable moving services well beyond just this continent. Operating in more than 130 countries (and all 50 states), the company provides secure solutions for international moves via its exceptional tracking service. North American Van Lines offers a handy real-time tracking option, which lets you keep an eye on your belongings as they travel to your new destination. You can easily access this on the company's site at any time, as the tool operates 24/7.

After you supply some initial information and receive a free quote, one of North American’s moving specialists will reach out to discuss your options, helping you create a custom moving plan that fits your needs and budget. They’ll help you determine if you’ll need any specialty services, such as packing, moving a vehicle, and handling furniture. The specialist can also provide information on the technical aspects of moving internationally, like customs processes, and direct you to resources that offer more detailed information.

One downside to North American, however, is that it only gives you a 30-day window to file any claims for missing or damaged items, so be sure to check your possessions as soon as you’ve finished moving. Also note that contacting customer service is limited to phone only.

While many companies offer minimal vehicle relocation services — or none at all —United Van Lines excels at transporting vehicles to their new homes, no matter how far away that might be. The company has the capabilities, experience, and equipment to safely move most cars, even if the vehicle is a luxury model or an antique needing special care.

A move manager will work with you every step of the way to develop the best international moving plan for you. They’ll also take care of coordinating all the logistics, including customs documentation, packing, loading, and transportation. United can move vehicles from door to door (more common with shorter moves) or terminal to terminal, picking your vehicle up from and dropping it off at regional transportation facilities.

United Van Lines lets you decide whether you’d like to pack and load your possessions yourself, make use of its full-service solutions, or opt for something in between. It can also arrange storage if you need to hold your stuff somewhere temporarily. Once the move is underway, you can track your vehicle and other possessions throughout the journey.

Moving internationally can be stressful and complicated, so working with a company that provides top-tier customer service can make a big difference. JK Moving Services provides 24/7 assistance through multiple avenues, including live chat and email, so you can rest assured that your concerns will be addressed any time of day or night. It also provides you with a personalized move manager who will ensure that all the details and logistics of your cross-border move are taken care of.

JK Moving offers a few different ways to get a quote: You can take a virtual survey, have a virtual consultation with a moving consultant, or get an in-person consultation at your home. After your consultant gathers the necessary information about your belongings, destination, budget, and other details, they’ll provide you with a customized quote.

JK Moving offers a range of packing and loading options. If you’re looking to cut down on costs, you can go with the self-service moving option. Alternatively, you can get partial assistance, employing JK to handle only particularly complicated or fragile items, or you can have the company’s movers handle the whole process. Bear in mind that the company requires an initial deposit, and extra fees may impact your total price.

With plenty of choices and customer-centric solutions, Atlas Van Lines makes even complex international moves simple. Atlas’ commitment to convenience starts with its quote process. If you don’t want to deal with an in-person consultation, you can get a quote online or build and submit a virtual inventory through the company’s mobile app.

Furthermore, Atlas offers multiple packing and loading options so you can find the best fit for your budget. You can hire a team to pack and load everything, deal with only the most fragile or difficult items while you handle the rest, or simply take a DIY approach. If you want to do the packing and loading yourself, Atlas sells packing supplies to make sure you have what you need to secure your items.

The company serves all 50 states and more than 15 countries using a network of local movers to ensure that your move is handled by people who know the area. Atlas provides convenient 24/7 customer service at every step in the process, and has a user-friendly customer portal that lets you track shipments, contact your moving team, make payments, maintain important documents, and file claims if needed. Just be aware that additional fees may occur if have more items than what was quoted.

For small moves, you may find that Allied Van Lines is the right international mover for you. It offers small-scale containers and the choice of full-, partial-, or self-service packing and loading. With Allied, you’ll also get reliable in-transit storage and a 24/7 tracking portal to give you peace of mind as your items make the trek to your new home.

Allied serves all 50 states and over 130 countries and has more than 1,000 representatives taking care of customers around the globe. Its online tracking works internationally, and your move coordinator will be able to assist with all the logistics of an overseas move, including documentation and customs.

One weak point for Allied is its customer convenience. Its website has an online quote tool, but it doesn’t provide immediate quotes — a representative will contact you with a quote later on instead. Allied also lacks 24/7 support or a basic live chat. Despite those shortcomings, the company’s services provide the flexibility many people need to stay on budget during an international move.

If sustainability is high on your list of priorities, Armstrong may be a solid match for you. The company prides itself on its sustainability efforts by using recyclable moving materials, avoiding excessive paper use in favor of digital documentation, and reducing emissions from its fleet of moving trucks. It’s also making environmentally friendly changes to its offices and warehouses, like installing LED lights and implementing other energy-saving measures that are intended to cut energy consumption by at least 80 percent.

In addition to its focus on sustainability, Armstrong offers plenty of flexible solutions to make your international move as simple as possible. It provides both full- and partial-service packing and loading and also offers storage. However, bear in mind that this company only services 19 states, so check Armstrong's site beforehand to see if your area is in one of these states.

Despite the aforementioned drawback, Armstrong will also assist with all logistical details, including customs clearance, freight forwarding, and export/import documentation. You can even access destination and cultural training services to help make the shift to your new country less of a shock. Note that Armstrong isn’t the best for committed DIYers, as it doesn’t have a self-service option.