Moving from Indonesia to the United Kingdom (2026): Relocation Guide
Key takeaways
- Start the pet process first. Indonesia is not a listed country for Great Britain, so a dog or cat needs a rabies antibody blood test (sample taken at least 30 days after vaccination, result 0.5 IU/ml or higher) and then a mandatory three-month wait before entering GB. Allow at least four months, and often four to five.
- Close out Indonesia cleanly. KITAS/KITAP holders process an Exit Permit Only (EPO) at Imigrasi, and household goods leave as an export via Bea Cukai.
- Apply for ToR1 before your goods arrive. HMRC’s Transfer of Residence relief gives you a Unique Reference Number (URN) that your shipping agent uses to release belongings free of import duty and 20% VAT.
- Sea freight from Jakarta (Tanjung Priok) to Felixstowe typically runs about 40-50 days, and can be longer in 2026 with Cape of Good Hope routing.
- On arrival, register the essentials: council tax with your local council, a GP for NHS healthcare, and a National Insurance number to work and be taxed correctly.
1. Leaving Indonesia: what to close out
If you have lived in Indonesia on a limited stay permit (KITAS) or permanent stay permit (KITAP), you must process an Exit Permit Only (EPO) before leaving for good. The EPO cancels your izin tinggal (ITAS/ITAP) so your residency status ends when you depart. It is handled through your local Imigrasi office, or by your sponsor, usually within about three working days. Departing without an EPO can create problems for any future Indonesian visa, so do not skip it. Because your permits are tied to your sponsor, align the cancellation timing with them and with your final working day.
Your household goods leave Indonesia as an export cleared through Bea Cukai (Customs and Excise). Your mover normally prepares the export declaration, but keep copies of your passport, KITAS/KITAP, EPO and a detailed valued inventory in English. Items that could be considered antiques, art or cultural property may need extra clearance, so identify these early.
Finish the local admin too: settle utilities and your Indonesian phone contract, recover your rental deposit, close local accounts once salary and deposits clear, and collect school, medical and vaccination records plus employment references. Get certified copies and translations of anything you may need to show UK authorities, landlords or employers.
2. How your household goods ship to the United Kingdom
Most Indonesia-to-UK moves go by sea freight from Tanjung Priok (Jakarta) or Tanjung Perak (Surabaya) to Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, or to Southampton or London Gateway. A full container (FCL) suits an entire home; shared groupage (LCL) is cheaper for smaller loads but slower because it waits for consolidation. Expect roughly 40-50 days port to port for the direct sea leg, with 2026 sailings often longer because many carriers still route around the Cape of Good Hope. Add time for door collection, both customs clearances and final delivery.
Air freight to Heathrow or Manchester takes days rather than weeks and is ideal for a small box of essentials, documents and valuables, but it costs several times more per cubic metre. A practical hybrid is a small air shipment to tide you over and a sea container for the bulk.
Whatever you choose, a clear, valued packing list matters: UK relief depends on the goods being demonstrably used personal effects, not new items, so every carton should map to an inventory line.
3. UK customs & transfer-of-residence relief
To bring your used belongings into the UK without paying import duty or the 20% import VAT, apply for Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief using the online ToR1 application to HMRC before your goods arrive. HMRC issues a Unique Reference Number (URN), which your shipping agent quotes on the import declaration to release your belongings under relief. Without the URN, HMRC has no basis to treat your shipment as anything other than a commercial import subject to duty and VAT.
To qualify you must have lived outside the UK for at least 12 consecutive months, be genuinely transferring your normal home to the UK, and have owned and used the goods for at least 6 months before the move. You must import the goods within 12 months of arriving; multiple shipments can run under one URN if you add them to the original application. Brand-new items still in packaging, or anything bought specifically to import, generally do not qualify, and certain goods such as tobacco are excluded. Apply in good time, as processing can take several weeks. Full guidance and the application are on the GOV.UK transfer of residence page.
4. Arriving: registration, residence, driving, healthcare
The UK has no single town-hall registration like some EU countries, so you register with several services separately.
Council tax. Contact the council for your new postcode as soon as you move in; they register you and issue a council tax bill. Use the council’s moving-home form with your address, move-in date and the names of adult residents.
National Insurance (NI) number. You need an NI number to work and be taxed correctly. Apply on GOV.UK once you are resident; you prove your identity online where possible, or at an appointment if not.
GP and healthcare. Register with a local NHS GP surgery as soon as you can. Anyone staying three months or longer can register, and registration is usually completed within a few days. Note that most visa holders pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of the visa application, which gives access to the NHS.
Residence and visa. As an Indonesian citizen you are a non-visa national for short visits but need the correct visa to live, work or study in the UK, arranged before travel (for example a Skilled Worker, family or Student visa). You will typically get a digital immigration status (eVisa) rather than a physical card, so set up your UKVI account and check your status can be shared with employers and landlords.
Driving licence. You may drive in Great Britain on your Indonesian licence for up to 12 months after becoming resident. To keep driving after that you must obtain a UK licence, which for an Indonesian licence means applying for a provisional licence and passing the UK theory and practical tests, so start early.
5. Pets
The pet timeline is the longest single task in this move, so begin it before booking anything else. Because Indonesia is an unlisted country for Great Britain, GB applies its own version of the same strict regime the EU uses. Your dog or cat cannot simply arrive with a vaccination record; the sequence must run in order:
- Microchip (ISO-standard) first, so the rabies vaccination that follows is valid.
- Rabies vaccination after the microchip is in place.
- Rabies antibody blood test: a sample taken at least 30 days after vaccination, tested at an approved laboratory, showing 0.5 IU/ml or higher.
- A mandatory three-month wait from the date the successful blood sample was taken before the animal may enter GB.
- A GB pet health certificate completed before travel, plus, for dogs, tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) treatment 24-120 hours before arrival.
To leave Indonesia, your pet also needs an Agricultural Quarantine (Barantin / Balai Karantina Pertanian) export health certificate from a government-approved vet, along with the export recommendation and permit, and departure-airport quarantine must be notified in advance. Even if you live in a lower-risk part of Indonesia, GB still requires the blood test because Indonesia as a whole is unlisted. Counting vaccination, the 30-day minimum before the blood draw, the three-month wait and paperwork, allow around four to five months. Pets travelling from an unlisted country must enter GB through an approved route and are checked at the border, so confirm your airline and route carry live animals into the UK. GOV.UK confirms the current rules for unlisted countries; always check them before you book. See bringing your pet to Great Britain.
6. Money, banking & tax basics
Opening a UK bank account is easier once you have proof of a UK address, but many digital and international banks let you start before arrival. A UK account is needed for salary, rent and bills. Keep your Indonesian account open until final transfers settle, and use a reputable currency service for larger transfers rather than carrying cash.
On tax, once you are UK resident you are generally taxed on your income here, with the exact position depending on residence and domicile rules and on the UK-Indonesia double taxation agreement, which prevents the same income being taxed twice. Your exit year from Indonesia and your first UK tax year can overlap awkwardly, especially with severance or final salary, so take professional advice on both sides. Keep every customs, shipping, visa and residence document, as these support both your ToR relief and your tax position. Record asset values on your move date for good measure.
How Flyto handles your Indonesia to UK move
Flyto Relocation runs this corridor end to end: EPO and export coordination in Indonesia, sea or air freight from Tanjung Priok or Surabaya, and UK clearance with your ToR1 URN in place before the container lands so nothing is held for duty. We operate our own hubs across Northern, Central and Southern Europe, so your shipment is received, cleared and delivered by our own network rather than an anonymous chain of subcontractors. We also project-manage the pet timeline, which for an unlisted country such as Indonesia is the part most likely to delay a move if it starts late. Send us your dates and inventory and we will work the critical path back from your UK move-in day. Get a quote to begin.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the pet process take from Indonesia to the UK?
Allow about four to five months. After the microchip and rabies vaccination, the blood test can only be taken at least 30 days later, and then a three-month wait applies before entry to Great Britain, per GOV.UK.
Does my dog really need a rabies blood test for the UK?
Yes. Because Indonesia is unlisted for Great Britain, GB requires the rabies antibody blood test (0.5 IU/ml or higher) plus the three-month wait, in addition to microchip and vaccination. See GOV.UK bringing your pet to GB.
What is ToR1 and when should I apply?
ToR1 is HMRC’s Transfer of Residence application; apply before your goods arrive to get a URN your agent uses to release them free of duty and VAT. Guidance is on GOV.UK.
Do I need to process an EPO before leaving Indonesia?
Yes. KITAS/KITAP holders must obtain an Exit Permit Only to cancel their stay permit before leaving for good, or risk problems with future Indonesian applications. See Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi.
How long is shipping from Jakarta to the UK?
Direct sea freight to Felixstowe is typically around 40-50 days port to port, and often longer in 2026 due to Cape of Good Hope routing; air freight is far faster but much more expensive.
Can I drive on my Indonesian licence in the UK?
You can drive on it for up to 12 months after becoming resident; after that you must obtain a UK licence, which for an Indonesian licence means passing the UK theory and practical tests. See GOV.UK driving on a non-GB licence.
Related moves
Sources
- GOV.UK — Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain
- GOV.UK — Pet rabies vaccination, boosters and blood tests
- GOV.UK — Transfer of residence to Great Britain (ToR1)
- Direktorat Jenderal Imigrasi (Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration) — Exit Permit Only
- GOV.UK — Apply for a National Insurance number
- GOV.UK / NHS — Register with a GP surgery
- GOV.UK — Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB licence
- Embassy of Indonesia — Animal quarantine requirements and procedure
Hiring an international mover? See our full International removals to Indonesia service — Flyto’s own European hubs, vetted local partners and one English-speaking coordinator, door to door.