Packers & Movers from India to San Francisco

By sea, about 35–50 days door-to-door (indicative, Jul 2026): roughly 25–35 days port-to-port from Nhava Sheva (JNPT) or Mundra to the Port of Oakland via a transpacific transhipment hub (Singapore, Busan or Port Klang), plus packing time and US customs clearance. Sea transit to Oakland is comparable to the US East-Coast route. By air, roughly 7–14 days door-to-door via SFO. Transit times vary by carrier, routing and port congestion — ask your mover for a current sailing schedule.

Yes, if they qualify under CBP Form 3299 ("“Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles"”): the items must have been used abroad for at least one year, must be imported for your personal use, and must not be intended for sale. This generally extends to both returning US residents and non-immigrant visa holders (H-1B, L-1, etc.) who meet the one-year use threshold — verify your specific situation with CBP and your licensed customs broker. Your customs broker files the form on your behalf at the Port of Oakland.

Your goods leave from Nhava Sheva (JNPT) — India’s busiest container port, serving Mumbai and West India — or from Mundra, the main port for North and West India shippers (Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan). The shipment travels transpacific, typically transshipping at an East-Asian hub (Singapore, Busan or Port Klang), and arrives at the Port of Oakland, CA — the Bay Area’s container gateway handling ~99% of Northern California’s containerised cargo. Total sea transit is comparable to the US East-Coast route.

Yes. California’s CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture) operates a state agricultural inspection layer on top of the federal CBP/APHIS baseline, and it is stricter than the US national standard. Key concerns for India-origin household shipments: soil (including backyard or garden soil on potted plants or garden tools) is a key risk; wood furniture and packaging must meet ISPM-15 heat-treatment standards; and a fumigation certificate is standard practice for containers from India entering California. Your mover arranges the fumigation certificate at origin — confirm it is included in your moving contract before signing. Verify current CDFA requirements with your mover and licensed customs broker before packing, as regulations can change.

Fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, seeds, plants and soil are generally prohibited or restricted — declare all food items and have them inspected by CBP agriculture specialists. Ivory (including carvings and antique furniture inlays common in Indian households) is severely restricted: a narrow antique exception exists but in practice requires entry via a designated antique port, proof the item is pre-1973 and unmodified, AND a valid CITES export permit from India — rarely obtainable for existing household items. Assume ivory cannot be shipped and identify every ivory item to your broker before packing, or it may be seized. Certain CITES-listed timber species are also restricted. Alcohol in mover-shipped (unaccompanied) containers is generally NOT covered by the duty-free household-goods exemption (19 CFR §148.52) and may be subject to federal duty + excise tax; California State import rules apply independently — verify with your customs broker before packing any alcohol, as many movers advise excluding it entirely. See the full guide at /guides/us-customs-cbp-3299-household-goods/

The San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley represent the #1 tech-relocation destination in the US and one of the largest Indian-American communities in the country. Indians are the largest foreign-born group in Silicon Valley’s highly-educated tech workforce, and a large proportion of H-1B, L-1 and green-card moves from India are bound for companies in San Jose, Cupertino, Fremont, Sunnyvale and Palo Alto — with San Francisco itself a common corporate and residential destination. AssureShift connects tech professionals with verified international movers who specialise in this corridor.