Transition Center, Foreign Service Institute Washington, DC
Arrange with the U.S. Despatch Agent (DA) for shipment of your car. The DA will select a drive-away firm to drive your car to the port of Baltimore, or you can drive it yourself. Remove any loose equipment (tires or tools) for shipment in the household effects.
Do not plan to manage your pack-out alone. Enlist the help of family members or friends.
Decide which items will be packed in your suitcase, sent by air, shipped, or placed in storage. Pack your suitcases before the movers arrive and place them in an empty locked closet or at a neighbor's house. Make sure to include all passports, airline tickets, and other important documents so that they do not accidentally end up in the wrong place--one of the most common and easy-to-avoid moving day "disasters."
Plan unaccompanied air freight items that will meet your family's needs for the next few months, since your surface shipment could take two to five months to arrive. Verify whether post will offer a "Welcome Kit" in the interim.
Arrange with your assigned moving company for the packing of your air freight. Ask if the movers provide waterproof cartons. Request that the packers bring a scale so that you will know when your weight limit is reached, since exceeding the air allowance is costly. When your unaccompanied air freight shipment is picked up, be sure to get a receipt from the air carrier or the agent.
Arrange with your assigned moving company for the packing of your household effects (HHE) and storage items.
Advise the Transportation Operations Office of your travel plans and a telephone number and/or address where you can be reached prior to or en route to your destination.
Check with the Transportation Office before you leave town to ensure there are no overweight charges. Your effects will NOT be shipped until you pay the additional cost or remove items to bring your shipment within the allowed weight.
