Importing a car to Kuwait is not exactly the easiest thing in the world. There are numerous rules and regulations to follow and documents to obtain. Furthermore, you are going to need to prepare the car for international transport. The easiest way to import a car to Kuwait is to hire a shipping company, such as Easy Move Kuwait. That way, you can let professionals handle all the “boring” stuff, and you can free up your time. This article is going to detail the entire process and provide you with some tips on how to make it easier.
How to import a car to Kuwait – Useful advice
Here is the list of things that you may want to consider before shipping your vehicle:
- You will have to follow certain rules and regulations
- Gather all necessary documentation
- Prepare your car for transport
- Find a professional shipping company
- Think of additional insurance before the move
- Important things you should know before importing a car to Kuwait
You will have to follow certain rules and regulations in order to import a car to Kuwait
Every country has its own laws about importing vehicles. The trouble is, they change on a regular basis. You will need to familiarize yourself with international car shipping procedures before you proceed further. Here are the most important bits:
- If you are not a citizen of Kuwait, you are going to need a Kuwaiti sponsorship from your employer.
- The request itself needs to be under your employer’s name
- Your vehicle needs to be under 5 years old, 10 in the case of trucks
The next thing that you will need to do is to:
Gather all necessary documentation
Before you can ship your vehicle, you will need to have all of your documents in order. First, you are going to need a valid driver’s license and a copy of your passport. The authorities will also request proof of purchase of the vehicle (invoice), a valid car title, as well as registration certificate, and proof of ownership. If you are going with international movers Kuwait, make the following documents easier to obtain: Bill of lading, power of attorney, import certificate, and certificate of origin. You are going to need all of them before you can import your vehicle. Some of these documents may take a month or more to obtain, so you may want to apply early.
Prepare your car for transport
As for your vehicle itself, you will want to make sure that it is in perfect condition before shipping it. Arrange a trip to the mechanic before you start the whole process. In order to get your car ready for shipping, you will want to ensure that it is in the best condition possible. Also, take some pictures of the vehicle before you hand it over to a shipping company. Make sure to cover all the angles and any already damaged or scratched parts. This will make it easier to settle any disputes in case they occur.
Normally, shipping a vehicle is a safe thing to do. But accidents can always happen and you may want to minimize the risk by having your car in the best shape possible.
Find a professional shipping company to import a car to Kuwait
The whole shipping process is going to be a lot easier if you choose a trustworthy and reliable shipping company. Try to hire them as soon as you can, however, as that may reduce the price. The more advance notice you provide, the cheaper your shipment might be. Also, you want your shippers to be familiar with Kuwait’s laws, as well as being able to offer several methods of transportation.
Speaking of transportation methods, there are two main ones, which are air freight and ocean freight. Of course, air freight is the faster of the two but is significantly more expensive. If you choose to go this route, you can expect your vehicle to arrive between 7 and 10 days.
The second option, by sea, will take considerable more time (anywhere between 6 and 8 weeks) but is a lot more affordable. You will have two methods at your disposal, which are Roll on Roll off and container shipping. Do some research on both methods to see which one suits your needs the most. However, do note that some ports prohibit the usage of the RORO method so you might want to check into that first.
Think of additional insurance before shipping
As mentioned previously, shipping your car is usually quite safe. However, that does not mean that you may forgo insurance completely. In fact, depending on the price of your vehicle, considering additional insurance options might be a smart thing to do. If you are going with the RORO shipping method, investing a bit more into insurance will ensure your peace of mind. Your shipping company will be able to provide you with a variety of plans, all you need to do is choose the right one for your situation.
Important things you should know before importing a car to Kuwait
Shipping a vehicle depends mostly on the weight of the vehicle and the season, as well as whether you are driving it to the port yourself. The cheapest method is RORO but the shipping container is more secure.
If you choose to go with a container, you can use the extra space to transport other items, as well as your vehicle. Finding a partner that will share some of the shipping costs will go a long way towards reducing overall costs.
Finally, start your preparations as early as possible. Some of the documentation to import a car to Kuwait can be notoriously hard to obtain at times. Work with your shipping company and find the best solution for your budget. The earlier you start, the easier (and cheaper) it is going to be.