Looking for a shipping company from Umm Al Quwain to Egypt because you are leaving the UAE with suitcases and cartons that no airline allowance will cover? Al Basmah International Shipping sends a small van to your door in Umm Al Quwain, collects and wraps the bags and cartons, consolidates them at our warehouse with other Egypt shipments, and sends them by road and ferry to the Red Sea ports, then on to your flat in Alexandria, Cairo or any governorate. For urgent parcels, air freight arrives in days. Start with a WhatsApp message to +971524669941.
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This guide is for people moving their personal effects, not shipping goods: an employee whose contract has ended, a family returning to settle in Egypt, a student who has finished studying. The questions are different here: how to write the contents list so it does not get stuck at customs, how used and new items are treated at clearance, how to pack a suitcase so it arrives dry in a seaside flat in Alexandria, and when it is worth paying for air.
Your contents list
- Number every suitcase and carton, and write the same number on the list.
- Describe each carton in detail: “men’s winter clothes, 12 pieces”, not “clothes”.
- Keep new items separate from used ones, and declare new items openly with their invoice.
- Write the list in Arabic or English and keep a copy on your phone.
- Attach a passport copy, plus proof your residence abroad has ended if you are returning to settle in Egypt.
- Put what you need in the first week in a separate air parcel.
Who ships their belongings from Umm Al Quwain to Egypt?
Umm Al Quwain is a quiet emirate, home to many Egyptians working there and in the neighbouring emirates, and most of those leaving do not need a whole truck. A typical shipment is five suitcases to twenty cartons, perhaps a light piece of furniture or a small appliance. That size is exactly what shared shipping is for: you pay only for the space your things take, and they travel with other shipments on the same truck.
- Suitcases: large and medium travel bags, locked and wrapped.
- Cartons: clothes, shoes, kitchenware, books and papers, children’s toys, bedding and blankets.
- Light pieces: a child’s bike, a small desk, a chair, a rolled rug, a sewing machine.
- Small appliances: microwave, vacuum cleaner, screen, printer.
- If the load grows: we send a dyna instead of a van and ship a full home by road and ferry or in a container.
Collection from your home in Umm Al Quwain by small van
You do not need to carry your bags anywhere. Pick a time and a closed van arrives at your building with a crew that wraps and brings the items down, measures and weighs the cartons in front of you, then takes them to our warehouse in Sharjah Industrial Area 18, where they are consolidated with other Egypt-bound shipments. You get the number of pieces collected on WhatsApp so you can match it against your list.
We collect from every part of Umm Al Quwain, including:
- Residential districts: Al Salamah, Al Raudah, Al Ramlah, Al Humrah, Al Maidan, Al Raas, Al Riqqah, Al Khor, Al Dar Al Baida.
- Newer and outer areas: Al Salam City, Falaj Al Mualla, and the residential areas along Emirates Road.
- Industrial and free zones: Umm Al Thuoob, the Emirates Modern Industrial Area and the Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone, for anyone shipping from staff housing or an office.
If you live near the Ajman border, the Ajman to Egypt shipping guide may also help, as collection works the same way there.
How to write the contents list
The contents list is the first thing Egyptian customs looks at in a personal-effects shipment, and most delays come from a list that is too short or vague. A good list tells the officer what is in each carton without opening it, and if it is opened, the officer finds exactly what is written. This is how we suggest writing it:
| Piece no. | Contents | Qty | Condition | Approx. value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suitcase 1 | Women’s summer clothes | 30 pieces | Used | — |
| Carton 4 | Plates, cups and cooking pots | Household set | Used | — |
| Carton 7 | University books and personal papers | 25 books | Used | — |
| Carton 9 | Electric blender | 1 | New | As per invoice |
- Number, then write: the number on two sides of the carton, and the same number on the list.
- Avoid general words: “miscellaneous items” or “personal things” usually gets the carton opened.
- Give the count: the number of pieces, or “set” where counting is impractical, as with kitchenware.
- List electronics separately: name each device, since devices get asked about more than anything else.
- Language: Arabic or English, clearly handwritten or printed.
Used versus new items at Egyptian customs
Used personal effects in reasonable quantities, such as a family’s clothes, kitchenware and books, usually get customs facilitation in Egypt. New items, and quantities beyond what a person or family needs, are treated as goods and are dutiable. Ten new perfume boxes, six phones in their boxes, or twenty pieces of clothing in the same size with tags still on all look commercial, whatever the intention.
Used, reasonable quantity
Usually facilitated, with no promise of full exemption.
New, for personal use
Declared clearly on the list with its invoice; duty may apply.
Commercial-looking quantities
Treated as goods: duties, 14% VAT and possibly commercial documents.
Returning to settle
Proof that residence abroad has ended helps with clearance.
The practical advice: do not mix new and used items in one carton. Put the new things in one or two cartons with their invoices and list them as they are. Being open is faster than trying to hide anything, because a carton labelled “used clothes” that turns out to contain new items stops the whole shipment until it is reviewed.
Packing suitcases and cartons for a long, humid trip
Your things spend around two weeks between a closed truck, a ferry and a warehouse, then end up in Alexandria, where the coast is humid. So packing focuses on keeping out water and pressure more than on breakage:
- Clothes and bedding go in sealed plastic bags inside the carton, with silica gel sachets to absorb moisture.
- Each suitcase is locked, then fully wrapped in stretch film so the zips cannot open and it stays clean.
- Important papers and certificates go in a plastic folder in a small carton, or with you on the plane if they are originals.
- Double-wall cartons for books, and no carton heavier than one person can carry comfortably.
- Plates and cups are wrapped one by one in paper and packed on edge, with “Fragile” on the carton.
- No open liquids: oils, shampoo and detergents are taped shut and bagged, or left behind.
The route from Umm Al Quwain to Egypt
Your shipment does not travel alone, and the truck does not drive into Egypt overland. This is its path:
- Collection from your home in Umm Al Quwain to the warehouse in Sharjah.
- Consolidation with other shipments; the shared truck leaves when it is full.
- Exit from the UAE at Al Ghuwaifat and entry to Saudi Arabia at Al Batha.
- Transit across Saudi Arabia: the load is sealed and not cleared there.
- Arrival at a Red Sea port, mainly Duba and sometimes Jeddah, or through Jordan to Aqaba.
- The whole truck boards the ferry and comes off at Safaga, Hurghada or Nuweiba, where inspection and clearance take place.
- Transfer to our warehouse in Egypt, then delivery to each customer by a smaller vehicle.
At every stage our team sends you a WhatsApp update. For more on the Saudi leg of the route, see the Umm Al Quwain to Saudi Arabia shipping guide.
Transit times from Umm Al Quwain to Egypt
Times are approximate, door to door, including clearance, and count from when the truck leaves. A shared load waits for the truck to fill; a dedicated truck leaves on your date.
| Destination in Egypt | Road + ferry | Sea (container) | Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo and Giza | 10–15 days | 2–3 weeks sailing + handling and clearance | 2–5 days |
| 6th of October and Sheikh Zayed | 10–15 days | 2–3 weeks sailing + handling and clearance | 2–5 days |
| Alexandria | 12–17 days | 2–3 weeks sailing + handling and clearance | 2–5 days (via Borg El Arab or Cairo) |
| Delta (Mansoura, Tanta, Zagazig, Damanhour) | 12–17 days | 2–3 weeks sailing + handling and clearance | 2–5 days |
| Canal cities (Ismailia, Port Said, Suez) | 12–17 days | 2–3 weeks sailing + handling and clearance | 2–5 days |
| Red Sea (Hurghada, Safaga) | Can be quicker, near the arrival port | 2–3 weeks sailing + handling and clearance | 2–5 days |
| Upper Egypt (Assiut, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan) | 12–18 days | 2–3 weeks sailing + handling and clearance | 2–5 days |
A sea container leaves from Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port, Fujairah or Khor Fakkan and arrives at Alexandria, Port Said or Damietta via the Suez Canal, or at Ain Sokhna. It is the choice when you are moving a whole home rather than bags, and Alexandria port is right by the city for those who live there.
Air freight for urgent parcels from Umm Al Quwain
Road carries the volume; air carries what cannot wait: the children’s school clothes, job papers, personal medicine allowed with a prescription, a work laptop, or gifts for a family occasion. We take the parcel to Sharjah, Dubai or Abu Dhabi airport, and it arrives at Cairo International Airport, or Borg El Arab for Alexandria, in roughly 2–5 days including clearance.
Air freight starts from 15 AED per kg, charged on the actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher; volumetric weight = length × width × height in cm ÷ 6000. A medium suitcase of 70 × 45 × 30 cm has a volumetric weight of about 15.75 kg, so if it is packed full of clothes and actually weighs 20 kg, the actual weight is charged. Pack an air parcel full and leave no empty space you would be paying for.
- Power banks, loose lithium batteries, perfumes and liquids are restricted by air; ask before packing them.
- Laptops and phones are listed by name on the contents list.
- The parcel needs a recipient name in Egypt and a working Egyptian phone number.
Delivery to Alexandria apartments and the other governorates
Many Umm Al Quwain shipments end in Alexandria. After clearance at the arrival port, the load goes to the warehouse in Egypt, and your shipment leaves in a small vehicle for its address: Smouha, Miami, Sidi Gaber, Agami, Borg El Arab or any other part of the city. The team calls before delivery to set a time with you or whoever is receiving on your behalf.
- Write the full address: district, street, building number, floor, and a nearby landmark.
- Floor and lift: many older Alexandria buildings have no lift or a narrow one; let us know in advance.
- Who receives: if you are not there, give the recipient’s name and Egyptian number.
- On delivery: count the pieces and match the numbers to your list before signing.
The same delivery covers Cairo (Nasr City, Heliopolis, Maadi, New Cairo, Shubra, Mokattam), Giza (Dokki, Mohandessin, Haram, Faisal), 6th of October, Sheikh Zayed, Obour and 10th of Ramadan, Mansoura, Tanta, Zagazig, Damanhour and Kafr El Sheikh, the Canal cities and Damietta, Hurghada and Safaga, and Minya, Beni Suef, Assiut, Sohag, Qena, Luxor and Aswan.
Documents required
Personal effects
- A copy of the passport.
- The numbered contents list in Arabic or English.
- Invoices for new items and recent electronics, where available.
- If returning to settle: proof that residence abroad has ended, such as a residence cancellation or end-of-service letter.
If the shipment includes commercial goods
Commercial goods need advance registration by the Egyptian importer on the NAFEZA platform to obtain an ACID number before shipping, plus a commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin. UAE-origin goods can benefit from the Arab free-trade customs-duty exemption, while the 14% VAT and other fees still apply. Food, medicines, cosmetics and many electrical products need extra approvals. Commercial goods are not mixed in with personal effects.
A car
Egypt’s conditions for bringing in personal cars are strict and change, so our team first checks that the car and its owner meet the current Egyptian conditions, and only then books shipping by container or ro-ro vessel.
What cannot be shipped to Egypt
- Prohibited: narcotics, weapons and ammunition, counterfeit goods, gambling equipment, used tyres for trade.
- Restricted or permit required: drones, radio and satellite transmitters, some medicines, and large quantities of mobile phones.
- Keep out of your cartons: gas cylinders, lighters and lighter fluid, flammable materials.
Shipping prices from Umm Al Quwain to Egypt
The final price depends on volume, weight, city, packing and documents. These are the starting points:
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Air freight for parcels | Starts from 15 AED per kg (actual or volumetric, whichever is higher) |
| 20 ft container | Starts from 4,050 AED port to port |
| 40 ft container | Starts from 6,750 AED port to port |
| Suitcases and cartons, shared road + ferry | Send the details on WhatsApp and get the price |
| Full home contents or dedicated truck | Send the details on WhatsApp and get the price |
| Cars | Send the details on WhatsApp and get the price |
For containers, door delivery, clearance and duties are quoted separately from the port price.
What decides the cost of shipping your belongings?
- Number and size of pieces: shared shipping is charged by space, so one full suitcase costs less than two half-empty ones.
- City: Alexandria and far Upper Egypt are further from the arrival port than Cairo.
- Method: road for volume, air for urgency, a container for a whole home.
- Packing: new cartons, stretch film and moisture sachets if you ask us to supply them.
- Access at the address: a high floor with no lift needs extra labour.
- Duties: on new items or commercial-looking quantities.
Steps to ship your belongings from Umm Al Quwain to Egypt
- Message +971524669941 on WhatsApp with the rough number of suitcases and cartons and your city in Egypt.
- You get the price and the right method, and choose a collection time.
- Prepare the numbered contents list and a passport copy.
- The van arrives at your home in Umm Al Quwain, wraps, measures and loads, and you get the number of pieces collected.
- Your belongings are consolidated at the warehouse and travel with the shared shipment.
- A WhatsApp update at every stage up to clearance in Egypt.
- Delivery to your flat, where you match the pieces to your list.
Tips for anyone leaving the UAE
Book the collection a few days before your flight, not on the day. When your things are collected while you are still here, you can check the count, sign the list and answer any question yourself, instead of leaving it to a friend who does not know what is in the cartons.
- Start packing two weeks ahead, and do not leave the kitchen to the last day.
- Photograph every carton open before you seal it; a photo beats memory at customs.
- Original documents, gold and cash stay with you on the plane.
- If your flight is close, put what you need first in an air parcel and send the rest by road.
Warning: Do not ship other people’s things in your cartons or anything whose contents you do not know; you are responsible to customs for everything on the list in your name.
FAQ: shipping from Umm Al Quwain to Egypt
Do you collect just two or three suitcases from Umm Al Quwain?
Yes. A small shipment travels on the shared truck and is priced by its volume. Send the number of pieces and rough sizes on WhatsApp.
How long do belongings take from Umm Al Quwain to Alexandria?
About 12–17 days door to door by road and ferry including clearance, an approximate time counted from when the truck leaves. An air parcel takes roughly 2–5 days.
How do I write the contents list for Egyptian customs?
Number every suitcase and carton, and next to each number write the contents, the quantity and whether it is used or new, in Arabic or English. Avoid phrases like “miscellaneous items”.
Do used clothes and personal items pay customs duty?
Used items in reasonable quantities usually get facilitation, while new items or commercial quantities are dutiable. Full exemption cannot be promised; the decision belongs to Egyptian customs.
Can a relative receive the shipment in Egypt instead of me?
Yes. Give their name and Egyptian phone number when booking, and the team will contact them before delivery.
What should I keep out of an air parcel?
Loose lithium batteries, power banks, perfumes and liquids are restricted by air, so ask the team before packing.
How do I follow my shipment after I fly?
The team sends you a WhatsApp update at each stage: collection, leaving the UAE, the ferry, clearance, and before delivery.
Do I need to be in the UAE on collection day?
It is best to be there to check the count and sign the list; if you cannot, someone you trust can stand in for you with the list.
For every shipping route from the country, see the UAE to Egypt shipping guide; if your things are in Dubai, the Dubai to Egypt shipping guide; or request a price from the quote page.
Bags packed in Umm Al Quwain?
Send the number of pieces and your city in Egypt, and we will set the collection time with you on WhatsApp.
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