United Kingdom
Australia
Canada
New Zealand
Germany
Singapore
France
United States
Customs guide — Greek Customs When Moving
Greek Customs When Moving from Dubai: The Plain-English Guide
Everything you need to know about Greece customs when shipping your home from Dubai — including destination customs transfer-of-residence relief, who qualifies and how the timing works. We manage all of it for you.
Thank you!
We'll WhatsApp you within one business day. Prefer to talk now? Call +971 58 879 4825.
What is transfer-of-residence?
ToR is the destination customs relief that lets you bring your used household goods into Greece without paying 20% import VAT or duty — worth thousands on a typical shipment. It has to be applied for correctly and approved before your goods arrive. We handle the whole application as standard on every Greece move.
You qualify if
- You're transferring your normal residence to Greece
- You've lived outside Greece for 12+ continuous months
- Your goods were owned & used for 6+ months
- Your relief application is approved before the goods arrive
Timing matters most
Your relief application must be approved before the vessel docks — destination customs takes Transit time confirmed with your quote. Arrive without a reference number and full VAT and duty are assessed. We track the vessel and time the submission so approval is ready at port.
ToR does not cover
- Motor vehicles — separate import process
- New or unused goods bought for the move
- Alcohol & tobacco products
- Commercial goods or business assets
Unsure whether you qualify? Talk to a customs specialist before you ship — call +971 58 879 4825 or message us on WhatsApp.
The relief, in plain English
Transferring your home from the UAE to Greece means your used household goods enter free of customs duty and VAT under the EU transfer-of-residence framework, administered by the Greek tax authority (AADE). The two Greek anchors: your AFM (tax number — everything in Greece wants it) and evidence you genuinely lived outside the EU and are now settling in Greece. Claimed with documents, never automatic.
How it works with Fusion
- Survey flags relief risks and plans access (Athens balcony hoists are routine).
- Packing day produces the valued EN/EL inventory.
- Our Greek partner lodges the AADE relief file before the vessel docks.
- Delivery to room — Athens, Thessaloniki, or any island with the ferry leg included.
FAQ
Can you clear and deliver to the islands?
Yes — clearance at Piraeus or Thessaloniki, then a scheduled ferry leg to Crete, Rhodes, Corfu and beyond, priced door-to-door.
Is my car worth importing?
Usually only cherished or high-value cars — Greek registration tax is high, though transfer concessions can soften it. We’ll run your numbers first.
What’s excluded from the relief?
Alcohol, tobacco, new purchases and anything commercial — declared and taxed separately, always transparently quoted before shipping.
Moving from Dubai to Greece
Fusion Relocations has managed international household moves out of the UAE since 2010. A move to Greece is handled end to end by one coordinator: export packing at your home in Dubai, freight, customs formalities at both ends, and delivery and unpacking at your new address.
What the service covers
- Pre-move survey — the inventory we build at survey becomes the customs inventory Greek officers check, so it is worth getting right first time.
- Export packing — packed and itemised for inspection: every carton numbered against the manifest that accompanies your Greek import declaration.
- Freight — container sailings into Piraeus, or Thessaloniki for the north; the bill of lading forms part of your customs file.
- Customs — we prepare the Greek transfer-of-residence application alongside UAE export clearance, so qualifying used household goods enter without duty.
- Delivery — once Greek customs releases the shipment, delivery, unpacking and debris removal are scheduled to your door.
- Extras — pet relocation, vehicle shipping and storage at either end.
How the move runs
- Survey and quote. We look at what is moving and confirm a written, all-in price.
- Booking. We agree packing dates and the sailing or flight.
- Packing. Our crew packs and inventories everything at your home.
- Departure. UAE export clearance is lodged at Jebel Ali — Dubai International for air cargo — with the export declaration matched to your inventory.
- Arrival. Import clearance in Greece, then delivery to your door.
Piraeus and Thessaloniki entry procedures, current duty thresholds and document checklists change with Greek customs practice — request a written quote and we confirm what applies to your file today.
Where to go next
Let's plan your move
Tell us a little about your relocation and a specialist will come back within one business day — by WhatsApp, phone or email, whichever suits you.
Thank you — request received
A move specialist will WhatsApp you within one business day. Prefer to talk now? Call +971 58 879 4825.
Ready to move? Let's plan it together.
A free survey, a clear written quote within one business day, and one team from your door in Dubai to your door anywhere in the world.