Moving to Greece from America

1. How Do I Import Personal Items To Greece?
2. Can I Import A Vehicle To Greece? 
3. What If You Don’t Want To Deal?

Greece is popular among American expats who are drawn to the low cost of living and Mediterranean lifestyle. Among the expats in Greece are two main types of people – retirees and remote workers. Finding work in Greece is a little more complicated than it may be in other countries, partly because Greece does not have many multinational companies. For this reason, fluency in the Greek language is critical if you want to work in country for a Greek employer. If you are a remote worker or retired, that problem is solved.

Ready to go? You might want to bring your stuff with you…or even a vehicle. If you are moving from the US to Greece, you need to research the rules for importing personal belonging and vehicles into the country. This guide will give you the basics of what you need to import your personal belongings or vehicle to Greece.

Here’s what you need to know:

How do I Import Personal Items to Greece?

The first rule of importing goods into Greece is that you must be there personally to receive your goods and clear them through customs. Make sure you contact the relevant authorities prior to finalizing any of your shipping plans, to ensure that you have the most current guidance.

Here is a partial list of the documentation you will need:

• Original passports for every member of your party
• Bill of Lading
• Authorization form that has been notarized at the Greek embassy or KEP center
• Declaration form that has been notarized at the Greek embassy or KEP center
• Work or residence permit
• T2L Form – original, stamped by Customs at origin
• Persons entering from non-EU countries need a Certificate of Repatriation
• Comprehensive Inventory list notarized by a Greek consulate in the country of origin and verified on arrival at the destination.
• Proof of prior residency outside of Greece – could include tax documents or utility bills

Can I Import a Vehicle to Greece?
 

Yes and it’s cheaper than you think. You might be surprised to hear that importing a vehicle from America to Greece is less expensive that shipping to other countries. This is because of the large number of imports that regularly move from America to Greece.

Still, you will need to jump through some hoops. To import your vehicle from America to Greece, you will need to submit paperwork including:

• Proof of Ownership
• Custom Clearance Statement – This declaration must be made by the 15th of the month following the arrival of your vehicle in Greece.
• Import Duty
• VAT (Value-Added Tax)
• Registration Tax (calculated based on the value of the vehicle)

What if you don’t plan to stay that long? Greece also has rules for temporary importation of a vehicle. Under these rules, you can import a vehicle to Greece and use it for up to six months before you will need to have it registered with Greek registration plates. At that point, your vehicle is illegal to drive on public roadways until you are in compliance.

What if you don’t want to deal?

The complex regulations governing overseas imports can be intimidating. Sometimes you just want it easy. Fortunately, you can avoid all that hassle by hiring our team of international shipping experts. At A-1 Auto Transport, we specialize in taking care of all the details so that all you have to do is get there.

All you have to do is get in touch with our team of experts who will assist you with all the paperwork, providing high-quality service with attention to all the details. Contact A-1 Auto Transport for your free, no-obligation shipping quote today.