The USA-to-Germany corridor is one of the busiest transatlantic relocation routes, carrying tech workers heading to Berlin and Munich, students, retirees, and Americans reuniting with family. A move like this has two halves that most guides get wrong by covering only one. On the U.S. departure side you deal with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an export filing in a federal system, and the reality that America never lets go of you for tax purposes. On the German arrival side you face a customs regime that grants generous duty relief for genuine relocations — but only if you meet strict residence and ownership tests and file the right form. This guide covers both ends, plus a short note on the reverse move, and links every rule to its official source. It is written for a resident of the USA moving to Germany.

Key takeaways

• Household goods shipped from the U.S. over $2,500 in value to a non-Canada destination require an Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing in the Automated Export System, using export code "HH"; below that value the 30.37(a) exemption applies.
• The U.S. export declaration is filed through ACE AESDirect / the Automated Export System, administered jointly by CBP and the Census Bureau.
• The U.S. taxes citizens and green-card holders on worldwide income regardless of where they live — moving abroad does not end your U.S. filing duty (IRS).
• Germany grants duty- and import-VAT-free entry for removal goods (Übersiedlungsgut) if you lived outside the EU for 12 months and owned/used the goods for 6 months, declared on Form 0350 (German Customs / Zoll).
• For stays over 90 days you need a residence permit in Germany. As a U.S. citizen you have a privilege most non-EU nationals lack: you may enter Germany visa-free and apply for the residence permit after arrival (within 90 days), or apply for a national (Type D) visa at a German mission before you travel (Germany.info; Auswärtiges Amt).
• You must register your German address (Anmeldung) within two weeks of moving in (Make it in Germany).
• Dogs and cats need an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, and a USDA-endorsed EU Animal Health Certificate, arriving within 10 days of endorsement (USDA APHIS).
• Returning to the U.S. with a dog requires a CDC Dog Import Form receipt; the dog must be at least 6 months old and microchipped (CDC).

1. Your German immigration status determines the customs treatment

Before anything ships, understand this: German customs relief for a move is tied to you transferring your normal place of residence into Germany, not merely sending boxes. Duty- and import-VAT-free entry of removal goods is only available where you actually establish your new normal residence in Germany, German Customs states. Practically, that means you need the legal right to live there.

Americans are third-country (non-EU) nationals, but they hold a specific privilege. While most non-EU nationals must obtain a national visa (Type D) before entering Germany for a long stay, U.S. passport holders may enter Germany visa-free and apply for their residence permit at the local immigration office after arrival — you must register your address within two weeks and obtain the residence permit within 90 days. You may alternatively apply for a national visa at a German mission in the U.S. before you travel (Germany.info; Auswärtiges Amt). Either way, if you cannot demonstrate you are genuinely moving your residence to Germany, your shipment is treated as an ordinary commercial import and becomes liable for customs duty and 19% import VAT. Your right to reside — the residence permit — is therefore not just an immigration document; it is the key that unlocks the customs exemption on your entire container.

2. The U.S. export side — CBP, the export declaration, and the tax that follows you

The U.S. customs authority is U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Unlike many countries, the U.S. has no population registry and no municipal "deregistration" — there is no town hall to sign out of. Your American exit is instead defined by two federal processes: the export declaration and your tax status.

The export declaration. International household-goods shipments are reported through the Automated Export System (AES), filed via ACE AESDirect, under rules set by CBP and the U.S. Census Bureau (CBP). An Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing is required when the goods exceed $2,500 in value and the destination is not Canada; for a move to Germany it will be. Household goods get a simplified treatment: you select export code "HH", which removes the need for Schedule B commodity numbers (Census Bureau). If the shipment is under $2,500, the 30.37(a) exemption applies and no EEI is needed. Personal effects and baggage not shipped as cargo under a bill of lading can also be exempt. In practice your moving company or freight forwarder, acting as the authorized agent, prepares and submits this filing (CBP guidance) — but the exporter (you) remains responsible for its accuracy.

The tax exit that isn’t. This is the single most misunderstood point for Americans abroad. The U.S. is one of the only countries that taxes on citizenship, not residence: U.S. citizens and green-card holders remain subject to U.S. income tax on their worldwide income even after permanently moving overseas (IRS). Moving to Germany does not "end" your U.S. filing obligation. You continue filing a federal return (with an automatic two-month extension for those living abroad), and you can typically avoid double taxation using the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion on Form 2555 and/or the foreign tax credit (IRS Form 2555). Separately, if your foreign financial accounts exceed $10,000 in aggregate at any point in the year, you must file an FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) with the Treasury (FinCEN; IRS). Plan for a German bank account to become a U.S. reporting item.

Beyond federal rules, handle the practical loose ends yourself: forward your mail, and settle state-level ties such as driver’s licenses and voter registration, since these vary by state.

3. Ports and transit — real U.S. gateways and honest timing

The U.S. has five dominant container ports — Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York/New Jersey, Savannah, and Houston — which together handle the bulk of the country’s containerized trade. For Europe-bound freight, East Coast ports (New York/New Jersey and Savannah) and Houston on the Gulf are the natural gateways, since they face the Atlantic. West Coast origins (California, the Pacific Northwest) route either overland to an East Coast port or by sea via the Panama Canal, adding time.

Transit times below are freight-industry estimates, not official government figures, and swing widely with sailing schedules, transshipment, port congestion, and season:

• Sea freight, U.S. East Coast → Northern Germany (Bremerhaven/Hamburg): roughly 2–4 weeks port-to-port for a direct or near-direct service, plus 1–3 weeks each side for pickup, consolidation, and customs. Door-to-door commonly runs 6–10 weeks.
• Sea freight, U.S. West Coast → Germany: typically 1–3 weeks longer owing to the extra distance and canal transit.
• Air freight: a few days in transit, but multiples of the cost — used for essentials, not full households.

Treat any single number a mover quotes as a planning estimate, and pack a separate air-shipped or checked-bag "first weeks" kit.

4. The German import side — Form 0350 and the removal-goods relief

Germany’s relief for a genuine move is generous but conditional. To bring your belongings in free of customs duty and import VAT as Übersiedlungsgut (removal goods), all of the following must hold (Zoll):

• Your normal residence was outside the EU for at least 12 months before the move (exceptions where an employment contract shows the intent).
• You owned and used the goods for at least 6 months before the transfer, and will keep using them for the same purpose.
• You establish your new normal residence in Germany.
• The goods are imported within 12 months of establishing that residence — they may arrive in several shipments.

You claim the relief by submitting a written customs declaration on Form 0350 ("customs declaration for the release of removal goods"), together with a detailed inventory and proof of the residence transfer (Germany.info). Two important limits: the relief covers import VAT but not excise duties, and several categories cannot enter as removal goods — notably alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and commercial-use vehicles/professional equipment. Finally, relieved goods stay under customs supervision for 12 months: selling, lending, or pledging them within that period retroactively triggers the duties you were spared. After arrival, remember your civic duty — register your address (Anmeldung) at the local Bürgeramt within two weeks of moving in, which you also need for your residence permit, bank account, and tax ID (Make it in Germany).

5. Pets — the rules at both ends

U.S. → Germany (dogs, cats, ferrets). Germany applies EU non-commercial movement rules. Your pet needs, in this order: an ISO-standard microchip, then a valid rabies vaccination (the chip must be in place before the shot), and a USDA-endorsed EU Animal Health Certificate in German/English. The pet must arrive in the EU within 10 days of USDA endorsement, and the standard rabies waiting period applies before travel (USDA APHIS). Because the U.S. is an EU-listed country, a rabies antibody titer test is not required — a real advantage over unlisted origins. Endorsement is handled through your USDA-accredited veterinarian and the APHIS Veterinary Services endorsement office. (Note: EU legislation updates its non-commercial health certificate in October 2026; confirm the current certificate version with APHIS before travel.)

Reverse (bringing a dog back to the U.S.). Every dog entering the United States now needs an online CDC Dog Import Form receipt; the dog must be at least 6 months old, microchipped, and healthy on arrival (CDC). Because Germany is a low-risk country for dog rabies, a dog that has only been in Germany typically needs only the CDC form receipt to return — no additional rabies documentation.

6. Vehicles, money, and things people forget

Vehicles. A car can enter Germany with your household move, but note that motor vehicles are subject to German motor-vehicle tax immediately upon registration and are treated distinctly from ordinary removal goods (Zoll); a U.S.-spec car will usually also need technical/type approval to be road-legal. For the reverse direction, importing a car into the U.S. means it must meet EPA emissions and DOT/FMVSS safety standards, declared on EPA Form 3520-1 and DOT Form HS-7, with a general exemption only for vehicles 25 years or older (CBP). Most people find shipping a mainstream car in either direction costs more than replacing it locally.

Money. Carrying $10,000 or more in cash or monetary instruments out of the U.S. must be reported to CBP; Germany/EU applies the same €10,000 threshold on entry. And, as above, your German bank account is an FBAR reporting item once balances cross $10,000.

Commonly forgotten. Prescription medication rules differ — bring documentation. Alcohol and tobacco cannot ride along as removal goods. And keep a complete, valued inventory: it doubles as your AES packing list on the U.S. side and your Form 0350 attachment on the German side.

How Flyto handles your USA-to-Germany move

Flyto runs strong in-house European operations — our own offices, warehouses, teams, and vehicles across Northern, Central, and Southern Europe — which we combine with a carefully chosen network of partners and subcontractors for the transatlantic leg and trusted local partners in Germany for the last mile. We coordinate the U.S. export filing, ocean or air freight, and German customs clearance end to end, so you deal with one team rather than a chain of strangers. We do not claim to do every mile ourselves; we own the parts we are strongest at and choose reliable local partners for the rest.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay German customs duty on my used furniture?
Generally no, if you qualify for removal-goods relief: 12 months’ residence outside the EU, 6 months’ ownership and use of the goods, and a genuine transfer of residence to Germany, declared on Form 0350 (Zoll).

Can I ship my wine collection or cigars with my household goods?
No. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products are explicitly excluded from duty-free removal goods and would be taxed separately, if allowed at all (Zoll).

Will I still owe U.S. taxes after moving to Germany?
You will still have to file. The U.S. taxes citizens and green-card holders on worldwide income wherever they live, though the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and foreign tax credit usually prevent double taxation (IRS).

Do I need a visa before flying to Germany?
As a U.S. citizen, no — you may enter Germany visa-free and apply for your residence permit at the local immigration office within 90 days of arrival, provided you register your address within two weeks. You may instead apply for a national (Type D) visa before travel if you prefer (Germany.info).

Who files the U.S. export declaration for my move?
Your mover or forwarder normally files the EEI in AES as your authorized agent when the shipment exceeds $2,500, using household-goods code "HH" (CBP).

How long before my belongings arrive?
Plan on roughly 6–10 weeks door-to-door by sea from the U.S. East Coast, longer from the West Coast. These are freight-industry estimates, not guarantees — ship a small air kit for your first weeks.

Do I need a titer test for my dog going to Germany?
No. Because the U.S. is an EU-listed country, a microchip, valid rabies vaccination, and USDA-endorsed EU health certificate are sufficient — no rabies antibody titer test (USDA APHIS).

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau — Relocating Abroad (AES/EEI for household goods)
• eCFR — 15 CFR Part 30 Subpart D, Exemptions from EEI filing
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection — Foreign Trade Regulations / AES Requirements
• CBP — How to submit Electronic Export Information (EEI)
• IRS — U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad
• IRS — About Form 2555, Foreign Earned Income
• FinCEN — Report Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
• IRS — Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
• CBP — Importing a Motor Vehicle
• CDC — Dog Import Form and Instructions
• German Customs (Zoll) — Transferring residence / removal goods
• Germany.info (Federal Foreign Office) — Moving to Germany, Customs
• Germany.info — Residence Visa / Long Stay Visa
• Auswärtiges Amt — Visa for Germany (FAQ)
• Make it in Germany — Housing and registration (Anmeldung)
• USDA APHIS — Pet Travel from the United States to Germany