If you need a shipping company from UAE to the USA that collects from your flat in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah and delivers in New York, Houston or Los Angeles, the route is by sea in a full or shared container to an East or West Coast port, or by air for light, urgent items. Al Basmah International Shipping collects from every emirate, packs and loads, prepares the US customs paperwork with you before departure, and follows the shipment through to your home, campus housing or warehouse in any state.
Stops in this guide14 sectionsShowHide
Most people who contact us for this lane are students accepted at US universities, families relocating for work or residence, and traders sending goods to a partner or warehouse there. Each group needs a different volume, set of documents and timeline, and this guide walks through all of them.
Before shipping to the USA
- Decide whether you are shipping used personal belongings or commercial goods; US Customs treats them differently.
- Non-US citizens should have a passport copy, visa or green card copy and the I-94 record ready; they are usually requested for personal effects.
- Write an English inventory for every box: contents, quantity and approximate value in US dollars.
- Sea shipments need an ISF security filing submitted at least 24 hours before the container is loaded on the vessel.
- A car is not booked until it is confirmed to meet US emissions and safety rules.
- Pick the arrival port nearest your city: the East Coast for New York, Virginia and Georgia, the West Coast for California and Washington.
Full container (FCL)
A 20 ft, 40 ft or 40 ft high-cube container loaded at your door and sealed; right for a flat or villa.
Shared container (LCL)
You pay per cubic metre; suits a student or anyone with one room, a few boxes and some furniture.
Air freight
For luggage, documents, samples and light electronics, arriving in days rather than weeks.
Car shipping
By RoRo or inside a container, only after the car is checked for US eligibility.
What we ship from the UAE to the USA
We ship what people moving for work or study need, and what traders need to get goods to market, as long as it is allowed into the United States. The real difference is not the type of item but its volume and how customs classifies it.
- Student belongings: books, winter clothes, a laptop, basic kitchenware and small furniture for an apartment near campus. A shared container or an air shipment usually does the job.
- Family furniture: bedrooms, living rooms, appliances, rugs, artwork and children’s things, in a 20 ft or 40 ft container depending on the number of rooms.
- Employee relocations: home-office items, papers and files travelling with a transferred employee’s family.
- Commercial goods: clothing, perfumes (usually by sea), packaging materials, spare parts, handmade products and re-export goods from free zone warehouses.
- Cars: once we confirm they were built to US specifications or qualify for an exemption.
Collection from every emirate
We collect from any emirate, so you never have to take your things to the port yourself. The packing crew comes to your address, and the container is either loaded outside your building or the goods are trucked to our warehouse for consolidation if the shipment is shared.
| Emirate | Collection notes |
|---|---|
| Dubai | Towers and apartment blocks usually need a service-lift booking and a building access permit; our Deira branch on Port Saeed Street is close to most areas. |
| Sharjah | Our Industrial Area 18 branch makes consolidation and packing easy before goods go to Jebel Ali or Khalid Port. |
| Abu Dhabi | Usually loaded via Khalifa Port; collection is booked ahead because distances are longer. |
| Ajman and Umm Al Quwain | Close to the Sharjah branch and easy to add to shared shipments. |
| Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah | Full containers are loaded at the door; Fujairah or Khor Fakkan may be used depending on the sailing schedule. |
| Al Ain | Goods are moved to Khalifa Port or Jebel Ali, with timing matched to the shipment size. |
Sea freight from the UAE to the USA: East Coast or West Coast?
There is no road route to America, so large shipments go by sea from Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port, Sharjah and Khor Fakkan, or Fujairah. The question that decides time and cost is which coast is closer to your city. Vessels for the East Coast usually sail through the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean, then across the Atlantic, while the West Coast is generally served by Asian services crossing the Pacific with a transhipment at an intermediate port.
| Arrival port | Coast | Usually serves |
|---|---|---|
| New York and New Jersey | East | New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Boston |
| Norfolk and Baltimore | East | Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland |
| Savannah and Charleston | Southeast | Atlanta, Georgia, the Carolinas, north Florida |
| Houston | Gulf of Mexico | Texas: Houston, Dallas, Austin |
| Los Angeles and Long Beach | West | Southern California, Arizona, Nevada |
| Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma | West | San Francisco, Seattle, Portland |
After discharge, the container moves by truck or rail to inland cities such as Chicago, Detroit and Denver, and that leg is part of the timeline and the price. If you live in the Midwest, ask us which port gives the shortest inland haul; an East Coast arrival plus rail can work out cheaper than the West Coast, or the other way round.
Transit times from the UAE to the USA
The times below are approximate and change with the shipping line schedule and customs inspection. We tell you the expected time for your booking before loading and send you a WhatsApp update at each stage: loading, sailing, arrival, release and delivery.
| Method | Approximate time | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea FCL to the East Coast | About 25–35 days port to port | A full household | Add clearance and inland delivery, usually one to two weeks |
| Sea FCL to the West Coast or Houston | About 30–45 days port to port | Families in California and Texas | Often with a transhipment |
| Sea LCL (shared) | One to three weeks longer than FCL | Students and small loads | Time for consolidation in the UAE and unpacking at a US warehouse |
| Air | About 5–10 days door to door | Luggage, documents, samples | Charged on actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher |
Air freight from the UAE to the USA
Air freight is the right choice when time matters more than cost: a student who needs a laptop and clothes before term starts, a company sending samples to a waiting client, or original documents that cannot be delayed. Shipments leave Dubai International, Dubai World Central, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah for major cargo airports such as JFK in New York, Chicago O’Hare, Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta and Miami, and are then delivered by road to the address.
- How it is charged: volumetric weight = length × width × height in cm ÷ 6000, and the higher of volumetric and actual weight applies.
- Not for furniture: a sofa or wardrobe takes so much space that flying it costs far more than it is worth, so it goes by sea.
- Restrictions: loose lithium batteries, liquids, perfumes and liquid incense are restricted by air, and some are not accepted at all.
- A practical split for students: two or three bags by air for what you need right away, and the rest in a shared sea shipment that arrives after you settle in.
Packing for a long voyage and a changing climate
A container spends weeks at sea, goes from Gulf heat to ocean humidity, and may arrive in winter in states where temperatures drop below freezing, such as New York and Illinois. So we pack against condensation and impact at the same time:
- Double-wall cartons for books and kitchenware, with corrugated paper around every glass item.
- Sofas and mattresses wrapped in heavy polythene over a fabric blanket so moisture does not reach the upholstery.
- Beds and tables dismantled, screws numbered and bagged on the piece they belong to.
- Desiccant bags inside full containers, especially for the East Coast in summer.
- Heat-treated ISPM-15 wooden crates for valuable pieces, because untreated wood is refused or treated at the owner’s cost.
- Every box numbered to match the English inventory, which speeds up a customs examination if one is ordered.
Documents and US customs
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) separates used personal effects, commercial goods and vehicles. We review the paperwork with you before shipping, but the final decision on duty belongs to the officer at the port of arrival, so we never promise an exemption in advance.
Personal effects and used furniture
Used household goods are usually cleared with CBP Form 3299, the declaration for free entry of unaccompanied personal items. The usual rule for non-residents moving to the US is that the goods were owned and used in their household abroad for at least a year and are for personal use, not for sale. New goods or quantities that look commercial may be treated as merchandise and become dutiable. Typical documents:
- Passport copy, visa or green card copy, and the I-94 arrival record for non-citizens.
- CBP Form 3299 signed by the owner.
- A detailed English inventory with contents, quantities and values in US dollars.
- The ocean bill of lading or air waybill.
- The US delivery address and a local phone number if you have one.
A visitor-visa holder is not usually treated as someone taking up residence and is generally limited to simple personal effects. Students are advised to ship after arriving and receiving their I-94 record so the file is complete.
ISF security filing for sea shipments
Every ocean shipment to the United States needs an Importer Security Filing, also called 10+2, lodged electronically at least 24 hours before the container is loaded on the vessel. It covers the shipper, the consignee, a description of the goods and the place of loading. Filing late can lead to a penalty or a hold on the container, so we ask for your full details days before loading, not on the day.
Commercial goods
Goods sent for sale need a US Importer of Record with a tax ID or CBP importer number, and usually a customs bond. Duty is charged according to the product’s line in the US tariff schedule; there is no federal VAT, and sales tax is applied at state level when goods are sold. Food and cosmetics generally need prior notice to the Food and Drug Administration. You will typically need a commercial invoice, a packing list, a certificate of origin where required, and the importer’s full details.
Cars
This needs care. A car entering the US must meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions standards and Department of Transportation (DOT) safety standards, and EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7 are normally filed for it. A car originally built for the US market carries a compliance label that makes this straightforward; many GCC-specification cars do not, and converting them through a registered importer is expensive and may not be possible. Cars older than 25 years are usually exempt from the safety standards. So we ask for the VIN and a photo of the door-jamb label before any booking, and in the UAE we need the ownership card and an export certificate from the traffic authority.
Warning: Do not ship a car to the USA before its compliance is confirmed; a non-conforming car may have to be re-exported or destroyed at the owner’s cost, which can exceed the car’s value.
Prohibited and restricted items for the USA
Some things that look ordinary at home can stop a shipment at inspection. Keep them out of the boxes, or ask us before packing:
- Meat and meat products, fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds, plants and soil.
- Home-made food and loose spices; any food must be declared.
- Medicines without a prescription, and medicines banned in the US even if they are allowed in the UAE.
- Weapons, ammunition, fireworks and firearm parts.
- Counterfeit goods carrying brand names without a licence.
- Ivory, skins and products made from protected animals.
- Flammable liquids, gas cylinders, paints and strong cleaning chemicals.
Shipping prices from the UAE to the USA
A student sending ten boxes and a family shipping a 40 ft container to California pay very different amounts, so we do not publish a single number that would mislead you. Send the details on WhatsApp and get your price: what you are shipping, the number of rooms or boxes, the emirate, the US delivery city, and whether you want packing, clearance and delivery to the door. The price usually covers packing, loading, freight and clearance, and port charges and inland delivery are stated clearly before you confirm. Ask the team about optional insurance for the shipment.
What decides the price of shipping to the USA?
| Factor | Effect on price |
|---|---|
| Sea FCL, LCL or air | A full container is better value for large furniture, shared for small volumes, and air costs the most per kilo |
| Container size | 20 ft for roughly a two-bedroom flat, 40 ft or 40 ft high-cube for a villa or large house |
| Volume in cubic metres | The basis for a shared shipment; each extra metre adds cost |
| Delivery city | Coastal cities are closer; inland cities add a truck or rail leg |
| Packing | Wooden crates for valuable pieces add cost but protect them |
| Documents and clearance | Commercial loads need an importer and a bond; an ordered examination carries fees |
| Car | RoRo is usually cheaper than a container; a compliance check comes before booking |
How to ship from the UAE to the USA, step by step
- Send photos or a list of your items, the emirate and the delivery city on WhatsApp.
- We suggest the right method, a full container, shared, air or a mix, and send you the price.
- We check your documents: passport, visa and I-94 for personal effects, or importer details for goods.
- We set a collection date and book the service lift with your building management if needed.
- The crew packs, numbers the boxes and writes the English inventory.
- We lodge the ISF before loading, then the container sails or the goods fly.
- You get WhatsApp updates on arrival and clearance, and a delivery slot is arranged.
- Goods are delivered to the address, and dismantled furniture is reassembled if agreed.
Tips and warnings before you ship
- Start arranging at least three weeks before you travel; vessel space is not always available at short notice.
- Do not mix goods for sale with personal belongings in the same boxes; it turns the whole shipment commercial.
- Photograph appliances and valuable furniture before packing, and note the serial numbers of electronics.
- Keep original documents, medicines and gold in your hand luggage, not in the container.
- Check that your appliances run on 110 volts or plan for transformers; some large appliances are not worth shipping for that reason.
A tip from the field: many students ship a full set of furniture and then find their university housing is furnished. Ask the university first and send only books, clothes and electronics; the volume drops and so does the price.
Delivery inside the USA: cities, suburbs and buildings
Most families arriving from the UAE live in the suburbs of big cities rather than downtown, around Houston and Dallas, in Northern Virginia, or in New Jersey. Delivering to a suburban house is not the same as delivering to a Manhattan apartment: detached homes usually let the truck park outside, while apartment buildings require a freight-elevator booking and a fixed time slot, and homeowners’ associations (HOA) may need advance notice for large trucks.
| City | Usual arrival port | Delivery note |
|---|---|---|
| New York | New York and New Jersey | Smaller truck for Manhattan streets; elevator booking is essential |
| Washington and Virginia | Norfolk or Baltimore | Wide suburbs make truck parking easier |
| Atlanta | Savannah | A relatively short road leg from the port |
| Houston and Dallas | Houston | A longer inland leg to Dallas |
| Chicago and Detroit | East Coast then rail | Harsh winters, so cold-weather packing matters |
| Los Angeles and San Diego | Los Angeles and Long Beach | Traffic shapes delivery times |
| San Francisco and Seattle | Oakland or Seattle and Tacoma | Hilly streets may need a smaller truck |
If your home is not ready when the shipment lands, temporary storage can be arranged at a warehouse near your city at extra cost, with delivery once you have the keys.
If your plans include other destinations, see our guide to shipping from the UAE to Canada for families heading north, shipping from the UAE to the UK, shipping from the UAE to Europe, or shipping from the UAE to China for traders.
FAQ: shipping from the UAE to the USA
How long does a furniture shipment from Dubai to the USA take?
In a full container, about 25–35 days to the East Coast and about 30–45 days to the West Coast port to port, then one to two weeks for clearance and delivery. A shared container takes a little longer.
Will I pay duty on my used furniture?
Used personal effects usually enter duty-free if they have been owned and used long enough and are not for sale, filed on CBP Form 3299. The final decision belongs to customs at the port of arrival, and we prepare the paperwork to reduce the chance of charges.
I am a student. What is the best way to ship my things?
Urgent items such as your laptop and clothes by air, and books, kitchenware and the rest in a shared sea shipment. Ship after you arrive and get your I-94 record so your file is complete.
What is ISF and who files it?
A US electronic security filing required for every ocean shipment at least 24 hours before loading. We or our US agent file it once you give us your full details.
Can I ship my GCC-spec car to the USA?
Only if it meets EPA and DOT standards, is over 25 years old, or can be converted through a registered importer. We check the VIN and the door-jamb label before any booking.
Do you collect from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah?
Yes, we collect from every emirate and choose the nearest or best-scheduled loading port.
How will I know where my shipment is?
The team sends you a WhatsApp update at each stage: loading, sailing, arrival, customs release and the delivery slot.
Can my things be stored in the US until I find a home?
Yes, temporary storage near the delivery city can be arranged at extra cost, and we deliver when you are ready.
Ready to ship your belongings to the USA?
Send your list of items and the delivery city, and the team will reply with the right method and the price.
Tags: shipping from UAE to USA, shipping company Dubai to USA, furniture moving to USA, student shipping to USA, car shipping to USA, sea freight to New York, shipping to Houston, shipping to Los Angeles, air freight UAE to USA, 40 ft container to USA, shared container to USA, US customs personal effects, CBP Form 3299, ISF filing, shipping from Abu Dhabi to USA, shipping from Sharjah to USA
