ToR1-Guide to Immigration to UK: Documents for Moving House Declarations

When you move to the UK, remember to apply for ToR1 (Transfer of Residence relief) in advance. In the first year of immigration to the UK, they can transport personal belongings that have been used for more than half a year without tax.

What is Transfer of Residence Relief (TOR1)?    

Transfer of Residence Relief (TOR) is a declaration document, which requires you to fill in personal information, your Hong Kong address and UK address (short-term lease address can be filled in first), as well as a list and quantity of items. It should be noted that only items that meet the following conditions can apply for tax exemption:

· Items self-used for more than 6 months

· Items will continue to be used for personal use for more than 12 months after entry, and cannot be resold, lent, leased, or given to others

· The item must enter the UK within 12 months of your entry

· Tobacco, alcohol and commercial vehicles are not accepted

· The mechanic tools of decoration and plumbers need to be declared separately    

     If you forget to apply in advance, you can also fill in the Transfer of Residence Relief (TOR) within 12 months after entering the UK. For general items, the approval time for Transfer of Residence Relief (TOR) is about 1-2 weeks. If successful, you will receive the tax that was levied on the returned items when they entered the UK. Of course, if the items you bring to the UK are of high value, it is better to fill in the Transfer of Residence Relief (TOR1) in advance in order to avoid taxation that exceeds your budget when you enter the UK.

Things to prepare for immigration to the UK:

· Pre-plan the items that need to be moved to the UK, and the items in the carton should be marked down to facilitate customs declaration and customs clearance

· You need to fill in the value and details of each box during customs declaration, for example, Box 1, CDs, Box 2, clothes.

· When packing the box, remember to use enough protection for fragile items, such as using bubble wrap and other buffers, and bury them outside the box with fragile labels.

· If you’re considering to send large electrical appliances overseas, remember to compare the prices. Will it be cheaper to buy locally than to ship from Hong Kong to the UK?.

Which mode of transportation is better for immigrants to move?

     In addition to handling immigration procedures and related documents to the UK, it is also very important to choose suitable immigration moving services. In addition to moving by sea migrants, you can also choose to send your household goods to the UK by air. Although shipping can move more objects, due to the pandemic, shipping freight has soared and shipping is also unstable. If you need to apply for ToR1 to provide the estimated arrival date of the item, there is a chance that the application will be delayed.

      If you send your items to the UK by air, you can pack them, declare customs, and send them to your destination in the UK as quickly as one week. UPS usually arrives in 2-3 days, and Aramex usually arrives in 4-8 days.  

What items can't be sent?

      Illegal drugs, offensive weapons (such as switch knives), self-defense sprays (such as pepper spray and tear gas), endangered animals and plants, unprocessed rough diamonds, indecent and obscene articles, pirated copies , meat and dairy products brought from countries outside the EU will definitely be confiscated.

     These items may result in a complete inspection of the entire shipment. Remember to avoid shipping this type of goods!

      If you want to send battery products or sensitive products, it is recommended to send them separately to avoid all delays caused by sensitive items.