Moving from The US to Singapore

Planning a move from the West Coast to Singapore? Chipman Relocation & Logistics is the full-service moving company for you. Since 1939, we've helped thousands of families and executives relocate across the country and across the Pacific, and Singapore is one of the busiest international corridors we handle. Whether you're leaving California, Oregon, or Washington for a role in the financial district, a tech transfer to one-north, or a family relocation to the East Coast, Chipman coordinates every step. Our crews handle origin work directly, and our FIDI-accredited destination partner in Singapore handles customs clearance and final delivery. Request a quote to get started.

Why Choose Chipman for Your Move to Singapore?

• History of Success: dependable moving services since 1939.

• Licensed Mover in CA, OR, & WA: moving families since 1927, with the resources and coverage of the most trusted networks in North American relocation.

• FIDI-Accredited International Partner Network: your Singapore delivery is handled by a vetted FIDI destination agent, which means one accountable chain from your West Coast front door to your Singapore residence.

• Award-Winning Customer Service Coordination: your personal move concierge, dedicated to arranging every detail of your Singapore move from origin through delivery.

• Qualified and Safe Crews: every crew member is background checked, drug screened, and health checked prior to every move.

Your Trusted Movers for Singapore Relocations

Moving from the West Coast to Singapore isn't the same as moving across the country. It involves ocean freight (or air freight for smaller, faster shipments), customs clearance with Singapore Customs, potential Goods and Services Tax on the shipment's value, and coordinated final-mile delivery in one of the densest urban environments in the world. As a licensed West Coast mover and a FIDI-accredited international mover, Chipman taps a global network that reaches Singapore through partners who file the right paperwork the first time and understand the difference between an HDB, private-condo, and landed-property delivery.

Our local service centers handle origin work directly, so the crew who packs your home anywhere on the west coast is our trusted teammember, not a subcontractor. Transit time from a West Coast port to the Port of Singapore typically runs three to five weeks for FCL and four to six weeks for LCL. Air freight can compress that to a week or two for a partial shipment, at a premium.

Where Our Customers Are Moving in Singapore

Singapore is compact, but the neighborhoods our US-to-Singapore customers land in vary a lot depending on why they're moving. Below is a short guide to where relocators from the West Coast most often end up.

Orchard is central Singapore's traditional expat and shopping district, popular with professionals who want a short MRT ride to the CBD. High-rise condos dominate.

Tanglin sits just west of Orchard and skews quieter, with embassies, older low-rise condos, and a mix of expat families. A common landing spot for families who want central access without being on top of Orchard Road.

Bukit Timah stretches inland toward the nature reserve and is where a lot of American families settle, particularly those with school-age children. Close to the Singapore American School campus in Woodlands, with larger condos and some landed housing.

Holland Village is a smaller, walkable enclave popular with mid-career professionals who want a village feel with cafes and the Buona Vista MRT within reach. Short drive to the one-north tech and biomedical cluster.

River Valley hugs the Singapore River between Orchard and the CBD, with newer high-rise condos and strong walkability to the office and Robertson Quay's dining scene. Popular with couples and younger professionals on Employment Passes.

East Coast (Katong, Siglap, Marine Parade) offers a lower-density lifestyle with beach access, Peranakan-shophouse character, and more space for the money than the central districts.

Sentosa Cove is the island's only enclave where foreigners can buy landed property without additional government approval, and it draws senior executives who want a resort-style environment. Delivery on Sentosa requires additional access permits, which our destination partner handles up front. Whether the move is a River Valley condo, a Bukit Timah semi-detached, or a Sentosa Cove villa, Chipman plans delivery around the loading bay windows and elevator reservations most Singapore condos require. 

What to Know Before Moving to Singapore

Customs and GST. Singapore Customs allows used household articles and personal effects to be imported by individuals moving to Singapore, but Goods and Services Tax (currently 9%) applies to the CIF value of the shipment unless GST relief is granted. Relief is generally available to returning Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents, and to foreigners transferring their residence to Singapore under an Employment Pass who meet the eligibility conditions. The Singapore Customs "Moving to Singapore" page explains the relief criteria and permit workflow.

Work passes. Most work-driven relocations go through the Ministry of Manpower's Employment Pass, EntrePass, or Personalised Employment Pass. Employment Pass candidates need to meet a minimum monthly salary and pass the points-based COMPASS framework, per the Ministry of Manpower Employment Pass page. Pass status also drives whether you qualify for GST relief, so confirm timelines with your employer before booking a move date.

Pets. Bringing a dog or cat from the US to Singapore requires an ISO-compliant microchip, current rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody titer test drawn at the right window before travel, an import license from the Animal and Veterinary Service, and a health certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS. The US is a Schedule I country for AVS purposes, which typically means no post-arrival quarantine when conditions are met. Full requirements are on the AVS importing dogs and cats page. Start the process at least four months out.

Vehicles. Almost no one imports a personal vehicle to Singapore. The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) required to register a vehicle can cost more than the car itself, and Singapore is a right-hand-drive market. Most relocators sell in the US and use public transit, ride-hailing, or lease locally.

Housing. Singapore's housing stock splits between HDB (public housing, generally not available to foreigners as tenants) and private housing (condos and landed property). Expats overwhelmingly rent private condos, and delivery day almost always involves a management-office moving permit, a specific loading bay window, and a padded service elevator reservation. Our destination partner books those slots as part of the delivery plan.

Long Distance and International Moving Services

Chipman provides complete international relocation services. Every move is unique, so we build a free quote around the specifics of your West Coast origin and your Singapore destination.

FCL, LCL, and Air Freight Options

You choose the mode. FCL gives you a dedicated container sealed at origin, typically loading out of Long Beach or the Port of Oakland. LCL consolidates your shipment with others and lowers cost for smaller loads. Air freight moves in days rather than weeks and works well when you need a subset of your belongings on arrival.

Origin-to-Destination Coordination

Chipman's international coordinators are your single point of contact from the first walkthrough on the West Coast to the last box unpacked in Singapore. Our FIDI partner handles customs filings, GST relief applications where applicable, delivery scheduling, and unpacking.

Storage and Full-Value Protection

If your Singapore housing isn't ready on arrival, Chipman can hold your goods in West Coast storage or coordinate short-term storage with our destination partner in Singapore. Our Full-Value Protection Plan covers your belongings if the unexpected happens during a multi-week ocean crossing.

Full-Service International Moves

A short list of what our team can handle on a West Coast to Singapore move:

• Appliance Disconnect at Origin: professional disconnection of washers, dryers, and refrigerators before departure. Most US appliances aren't voltage-compatible with Singapore's 230V/50Hz supply, so destination reconnect is typically skipped in favor of buying locally.

• Specialty Crating: export-grade crating for artwork, glass, chandeliers, wine collections, and other items that require special care over a multi-week ocean leg.

• TV Disconnect at Origin: removal of wall-mounted televisions before packing.

• Home Electronics Setup: disassembly at origin and reassembly at destination, with transformer sourcing coordinated by our Singapore partner where needed.

• Destination Unpacking: our FIDI destination partner unpacks, positions furniture, and removes packing materials from your Singapore residence.

• Auto Transport: door-to-door car shipping in the US portion of the move. Vehicle import to Singapore is generally not recommended given the COE cost structure.

International Moves Since 1939

Since 1939, Chipman Relocation & Logistics has been the trusted moving partner for US families relocating across the country and across the Pacific. Our Singapore moves have delivered families to Orchard high-rises, Tanglin condos, Bukit Timah houses near the Singapore American School, Holland Village walk-ups, River Valley towers, East Coast homes in Katong and Siglap, and Sentosa Cove villas. Every one of those moves is different, and we plan every one from the ground up.

If you're planning a move from the West Coast to Singapore, contact Chipman today. We'll build a plan around the specifics of your origin city, your Singapore neighborhood, and your work-pass timeline.

Ready to Plan Your Move to Singapore?

The right partner turns a West Coast to Singapore move from a logistical puzzle into a coordinated handoff between coasts. Chipman Relocation & Logistics has been helping West Coast families relocate since 1939, with the FIDI-accredited destination network and customs experience your Singapore move deserves. When you're ready to plan, request a quote and we'll build your move plan around your origin city and your Singapore neighborhood.