Moving from Dubai to the USA
Shipping a home from Dubai to the USA typically costs AED 22,000–32,000 door to door in a 20 ft container and AED 9,000–16,000 as a shared-container part load (market ranges last checked October 2026). Used household goods usually enter duty-free with CBP Form 3299, provided you used them for at least a year.
By Movers Dubai editorial teamLast checked against U.S. Customs and Border Protection (opens in a new tab)
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Dubai to USA moving costs
Typical door-to-door market ranges, compiled from public price pages of international movers and container marketplaces.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Dubai to the USA, 20 ft container | AED 22,000–32,000 per shipment |
| Dubai to the USA, shared container (part load) | AED 9,000–16,000 per shipment |
West Coast destinations usually cost more than East Coast ones from Dubai, and inland cities add a rail or truck leg after the port.
US customs: CBP Form 3299
CBP Form 3299, the Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles, is the form used to clear household goods that arrive separately from you. Your mover's US agent usually prepares it with you, but you sign it and are responsible for what it says.
The one-year rule
CBP says household furnishings such as furniture, dishes, linens, books and artwork are eligible for duty-free entry if they were for your personal use, or used in a household where you lived, for one year. The year does not have to be continuous or the year just before the move. Household goods less than a year old that do not travel with you are dutiable.
Where the shipment is cleared
Goods are cleared at the first US port of arrival, unless the forwarder sends them in bond to a port nearer your new home. CBP does not tell you the shipment has arrived; the carrier does. Goods not cleared within 15 days go to a general order warehouse and can be sold at auction after six months, so keep in touch with the agent.
If you cannot attend
You can name a friend, relative or agent to clear the goods with a signed letter to the CBP officer in charge, along with the completed Form 3299.
Items that cause delays
Food, plants, medicines, firearms and products from protected species can hold up a shipment or be refused. Firearms you owned before leaving the USA need proof, such as CBP Form 4457. Ask the mover for the US list before packing.
Planning the move from Dubai to the US
Choose the US port with your mover: shipping to the port nearest your new home is often cheaper overall than a cheap ocean rate to a distant port followed by a long truck leg. The international moving guide compares full containers, shared containers and air freight. Ask whether the quote includes US terminal handling, customs clearance and delivery to the door, and how much storage costs if your US home is not ready.
Keep receipts or photos that show how long you have owned high-value items. They help if a customs officer asks whether something is less than a year old. The international documents checklist lists the other papers to keep with you.
Questions for a Dubai to USA mover
- Which US port will the container arrive at, and is in-bond transit to a nearer port possible?
- Who prepares Form 3299, and what do you need from me for it?
- Which US charges (terminal handling, exams, delivery) are in the price?
- How long is the quote valid, given freight rate changes?
- What is the marine insurance cover, in writing?
What changes the cost of a US move
- Coast and city
- West Coast and inland cities cost more than East Coast ports.
- Volume
- A part load is cheaper for small homes; above a certain volume a sole container is better value.
- Customs exams
- If CBP examines the container, exam and storage charges are added at the port.
- Delivery access
- Apartment buildings with loading rules or long carries add to US delivery costs.
Dubai to USA moving questions
Answers for people shipping household goods from Dubai to the United States.
How much does it cost to ship furniture from Dubai to the USA?
Typical door-to-door market ranges, last checked October 2026: AED 22,000–32,000 for a 20 ft container and AED 9,000–16,000 for a shared-container part load of about a 1-bedroom home.
What is CBP Form 3299?
The US customs declaration for free entry of unaccompanied household goods and personal effects. It is filed when your goods arrive separately from you.
Do I pay US duty on used furniture?
Household goods you used for at least one year are eligible for duty-free entry. Household goods under a year old that ship separately from you are dutiable.
Does CBP tell me when my container arrives?
No. The carrier or agent tells you. Goods left uncleared for 15 days go to a general order warehouse, so stay in contact with the agent.
Sources for this page
Last checked: .
Official pages
Where the price ranges come from
How the ranges are built: Dubai moving costs.
Moving from Dubai to the USA?
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