Furniture Moving from Saudi Arabia to Iraq | 0568829975 Removals & Car Shipping

Furniture moving from Saudi Arabia to Iraq, as Gulf International Shipping runs it, goes by road through the Jadidat Arar border crossing: your furniture is dismantled and packed by our crew in whichever Saudi city you call home, a closed lorry carries it north to the frontier, and in the crossing yard the load is moved onto an Iraqi truck under our supervision for the last leg to Baghdad, Basra, Erbil or any other governorate

A household on a dedicated truck usually reaches its new door 4–6 working days after leaving Riyadh, Qassim or the Eastern Province, and 5–7 days when it sets off from the western and north-western cities, from Jeddah and Makkah up to Tabuk; Basra and the Kurdistan Region add a day or two. For a complete bedroom, dismantled, wrapped and reassembled, Gulf International Shipping’s price starts at SAR 2,300, rising to SAR 3,220 for a small flat of one or two rooms and SAR 4,140 for a whole apartment; a truck kept for your home alone starts at SAR 5,980, and one carton at SAR 137.

This page is written for people moving a home rather than posting a parcel: an Iraqi family whose years in the Kingdom have come to an end, a resident sending part of the household to a new place in Karbala or Sulaymaniyah, or parents furnishing a son’s or daughter’s flat in Iraq from the shops of Riyadh and Jeddah. Below you will find how each kind of item is packed, why packing works differently on this particular road, which papers the clearing agent at Arar asks for, and the prices and transit times from every Saudi city to every Iraqi governorate.

How does your furniture cross from Saudi Arabia into Iraq, and why does it change the packing?

Commercial road traffic between the Kingdom and Iraq uses a single gateway, the Jadidat Arar crossing, which reopened to trade after being shut for about thirty years. On the Iraqi side it faces the Arar crossing in Anbar Governorate, whose nearest town is Nukhayb, and from there the road heads to Karbala and Najaf and on to Baghdad and the rest of the country. Every household load that leaves Saudi Arabia for Iraq by truck passes through this one gate.

What many families do not realise is that the Saudi truck usually does not drive on to your street in Baghdad. The crossing works on a back-to-back basis: Saudi and Iraqi trucks park in a fenced yard, the goods change trucks, and both drivers turn back to their own side. So your furniture is unloaded and reloaded once more halfway through the trip, and that is exactly where mirrors crack and polished wood gets scratched when a mover has used the light wrapping meant for a cross-town job.

That is why we pack Iraq-bound furniture on the assumption that every piece will be handled at least twice by different hands. Items are numbered, each carton carries a room code, small things go into sealed cartons instead of travelling loose, and corners and glossy surfaces get several protective layers. One of our supervisors attends the transfer in the yard to make sure the Iraqi truck is loaded the way the Saudi one was: weight kept low, breakables high, and anything long held down with straps.

Approximate furniture moving prices, Saudi Arabia to Iraq

Each figure below is where Gulf International Shipping’s pricing begins, pitched under the cheapest rate we found published by other Iraq movers for the same item. They cover dismantling, packing, transport to your Iraqi governorate and unloading. Any Iraqi duty owed is settled directly with Iraqi customs and is not part of these prices. The same starting figures apply from Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah, though large loads shift with how far the collection city is and where in Iraq the load is going; Basra and the Kurdistan Region lie farther than Karbala and Najaf.

Note: a dedicated truck arrives in 4–6 working days from Riyadh or Dammam and in 5–7 days from Jeddah and the cities around it, while an air carton takes 2–4 days; all figures are before any Iraqi customs duty.

The lower number in each row is the starting price for a small volume over a normal distance, and the higher one is where most shipments of that kind end up. Three things usually push a quote towards the top: how many heavy pieces there are, such as large wardrobes and solid wood dining tables; stairs without a lift at either end; and how far the Iraqi governorate is from the border. For every item, including trade goods, pallets and cars by size, see shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Iraq (our full rate guide).

Packing furniture for Iraq: how we handle each room

The road to Iraq is long, more than 1,000 km from Riyadh or Dammam and around 1,400 km from Jeddah to Arar alone, and most of it crosses desert that is fierce in summer. So we do not just wrap things in plastic; each room gets the method its contents need.

Bedrooms and wardrobes

Beds and wardrobes are taken apart piece by piece, and every piece’s screws and hinges are sealed in a numbered pouch fixed to its back, so nothing goes missing in the exchange yard. Doors and large panels are wrapped in moving blankets and then in heavy-duty film, and mattresses travel in sealed dust-proof covers. When the crew in Iraq reassembles them, every part goes back where its number says.

Sofas, majlis seating and rugs

Upholstered sofas are filmed and then given cardboard protection on the corners and legs, because wooden legs and edges are the first casualties of repeated handling. Rugs are shaken free of dust, rolled around a tube and covered, never folded, so they do not keep permanent creases. Majlis cushions and floor mattresses are gathered into large numbered bags.

Kitchen, crockery and glass

Kitchen cabinets come off the wall if they are designed to move, with every door numbered. Plates are wrapped one by one and stood on edge in small, reinforced cartons rather than big ones, since a heavy box gets dropped more often than it gets carried. For chandeliers, large mirrors, glass or marble table tops and ornaments we build made-to-measure wooden crates, the most reliable protection for fragile pieces facing two truck journeys and a transfer in between.

Appliances and air conditioners

Fridges are switched off the day before loading so they dry out completely, washing machine drums are locked with transit bolts where the model has them, and screens travel in cartons with side padding. Window and split AC units are removed by a technician, and split-unit pipes are sealed tight. We photograph every appliance and its serial number before closing it up; those photos help with the inventory and at the customs inspection.

How many days does furniture take to reach Iraq from your city?

Distance to the border drives the timing. From Riyadh the usual road runs through Qassim, Hail and Rafha to Arar, or through Al-Jouf depending on the load, not via Hafar Al-Batin as some adverts claim. From the Eastern Province the truck covers about 1,100 km to the crossing. Western cities head north through Madinah or Tabuk and then turn east. The table gives the approximate distance and door-to-door time as far as Karbala, Najaf and Baghdad:

These times include customs at the border, which normally takes from a few hours to one working day but can stretch over public holidays and in the Hajj and Umrah seasons, when coaches of pilgrims crowd the crossing. If your moving date is flexible, avoid the two weeks before Hajj and the days straight after it. A shared truck is slower because it waits to fill up with other customers’ goods, but it is far easier on the budget if you are moving just one or two rooms.

Documents needed to move furniture to Iraq

Paperwork for household goods going to Iraq is simpler than for commercial cargo, but one missing sheet can hold the truck at the border and add days of waiting charges. This is the list we usually ask for, which we check together before the truck is loaded:

• Owner’s identity: Iraqi passport or national ID card, plus a copy of the Saudi iqama for residents
• Proof of leaving the Kingdom: final exit visa or proof that the residency has ended, where the move is permanent
• Inventory: a detailed list of every carton and piece with its number, drawn up with you during packing, in Arabic and English if the destination is in the Kurdistan Region
• Used-goods declaration: signed by the owner and attached to the inventory
• Invoices for new items: for any new appliance or unused piece, since these are charged on their actual value
• Authorisations: a power of attorney for the clearing office at the border and an electronic authorisation through Saudi Arabia’s Fasah system
• Receiver details in Iraq: name and a working Iraqi mobile number, plus an owner’s authorisation letter if someone else receives the goods, which Erbil usually requires

We reserve the truck’s border appointment on Fasah, a mandatory step at Saudi land ports, so you never need to travel to Arar or attend the clearance. All that matters is that your phone and the receiver’s phone stay reachable in case the clearing agent has a question.

Customs on used furniture in Iraq: what Iraqi returnees pay

The short answer: an Iraqi national moving back for good pays no duty on personal belongings, tools and used household furniture as long as their assessed worth stays within the ceiling set by the General Commission of Customs, 500,000 Iraqi dinars at present, which is a modest sum. Specific groups of returnees enjoy wider exemptions under special decisions with their own conditions. Anything above the ceiling, and any new appliances or unused items, attracts duty based on what it is and what it is actually worth.

So do not trust adverts promising a 100% exemption on all used furniture, or those quoting articles from another country’s customs law. What really protects you is an accurate inventory, new items kept apart from used ones, invoices for anything new, and going through all of it with the clearing agent before the truck is loaded, not when it reaches the border. We explain the conditions, groups and paperwork in full in Iraq used household goods customs.

Will your Saudi appliances work in Iraq? A note on electricity

Iraq runs on 230 volts at 50 Hz, while the Saudi grid runs at 60 Hz. Most modern devices such as TVs, computers and chargers handle both frequencies without trouble, and the rating plate tells you: if it says “50/60Hz”, you are fine. Appliances with motors, such as some older washing machines and fridges, electric clocks and fans, may run at a different speed or get hotter if they were built for 60 Hz only.

Before you pay to ship a large fridge or an old air conditioner, check its plate and weigh the cost of shipping it plus any duty in Iraq against the price of a new one there. Many of our customers sell the big, older appliances in the Kingdom and ship only the wooden furniture, rugs and things they treasure, which shrinks the load and the bill.

Delivery across Iraq: Baghdad, Basra, Erbil and every governorate

Once across, the Iraqi truck heads from Arar to Nukhayb and then Karbala and Najaf, the nearest major cities to the border, on to Baghdad, and from there south to Basra or north to Kirkuk, Mosul and the Kurdistan Region. This table shows coverage and the approximate extra time after the cargo leaves the crossing:

Our delivery agent calls you or your receiver a day ahead to fix the time and check that the truck can get into the street. In the narrow old quarters of Baghdad, Najaf and Karbala the load is split onto a smaller van at the nearest point the truck can reach, and the crew carries everything to the door. After unloading, the team reassembles beds and wardrobes, hangs whatever was agreed and takes the packing materials away.

Air freight for urgent cartons to Iraq

Some things in a household cannot wait for the truck: school uniforms, work papers, the laptop, prescription medicines and what you need for the first week. For these, Gulf International Shipping offers air freight to Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil and Basra, depending on the flights available when you book. Direct services usually depart from Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah, and air cargo is priced by weight and volume, starting from SAR 41 per kg.

An air carton is usually delivered two to four days after booking, flight and clearance permitting. Because flight schedules to Iraq can change or be cut back, we confirm the flight and space at booking, and if no suitable flight is available we put the urgent cartons on the first truck heading for Arar. Air is not economical for heavy furniture, but it is ideal for the twenty or thirty kilos you need the moment you land. More on our air freight service.

Shipping cartons, suitcases and personal belongings to Iraq

If you are sending cartons of clothes, gifts and personal things rather than a whole home, shared road freight is the cheapest option: a carton costs from SAR 137, a 20 kg suitcase from SAR 184, a 30 kg personal parcel from SAR 230 and a consignment of up to 50 kg from SAR 414. These cartons travel with other customers’ goods on one truck, so the trip takes a little longer and costs a lot less.

Mark each carton clearly with the receiver’s name, Iraqi mobile number and governorate, and message us a contents list per box. Keep out large quantities of perfume, flammable liquids and wet-cell batteries; they are among the most common reasons a shared carton gets held at inspection.

Prohibited and restricted items in Iraq-bound household goods

We go through the contents with you before sealing, because one prohibited item can hold up the whole load. These are the main bans and restrictions Iraqi customs usually applies, and we confirm any special case before shipping:

• Prohibited: firearms and ammunition, knives and swords, decorative or toy guns, and military uniforms and equipment.
• Prohibited: wireless communication devices such as walkie-talkies, some telescopes, narcotics, ivory and products of endangered species, counterfeit money and gambling equipment.
• Prohibited: religiously or politically offensive printed matter and statues, pornography, and alcohol or tobacco in commercial quantities.
• Needs approval: medicines (Ministry of Health), drones, e-cigarettes and perishable food (relevant authorities), and live animals.
• Subject to censorship: books, films, discs and software may be reviewed, which can take time.

Your move to Iraq with Gulf International Shipping, step by step

1. 1
   Get in touch and survey
   Call 0568829975 or send photos of the rooms on WhatsApp, and we size up the move at your home or over a video call.
2. 2
   Choose how to ship
   We suggest a shared or dedicated truck to suit the volume, budget and travel date, and send an itemised cost.
3. 3
   Paperwork
   We send the document list, draw up the inventory and separate new items from used ones.
4. 4
   Dismantle, pack and number
   Our crew arrives on the agreed day, dismantles, wraps and labels each item and crates the fragile ones.
5. 5
   Load and export
   The closed truck is loaded, we book the border slot on Fasah and complete the export declaration.
6. 6
   Cross at Jadidat Arar
   Our team oversees the transfer to the Iraqi truck and the clearance on the Iraqi side.
7. 7
   Deliver and assemble
   The truck reaches your governorate, we unload, reassemble and check the inventory with you piece by piece.

What decides the cost of a household move to Iraq?

The cost has five ingredients: the volume or weight of the furniture, a shared or dedicated truck, the level of packing including wooden crates, stairs and access at both ends, and the Iraqi governorate. Iraqi customs duty sits outside the moving price; it is zero or small when the furniture is used and within the exemption ceiling, and higher if new items are included.

A worked example: a family in Riyadh moving two bedrooms, a majlis, a small kitchen and about twenty cartons to Baghdad. That is roughly a full apartment, so the price starts from SAR 4,140 on a shared truck and may approach the upper end if the home is on a high floor with no lift or includes a large wardrobe that needs a crate. If the family wants a truck of its own to arrive sooner, prices start from SAR 5,980.

The cheapest way to move furniture to Iraq

• Share the truck: if your arrival date is not tight, sharing space with other loads saves a large part of the cost.
• Shrink the load: sell heavy old appliances in the Kingdom and ship what is hard to replace in Iraq.
• Avoid peak seasons: Hajj, Umrah and school holidays raise demand and waiting times at the border.
• Keep a precise inventory: a clear list speeds up inspection and lowers the chance of a high valuation.
• Combine moves: if relatives are moving to the same governorate at the same time, one truck for both beats two.

Common mistakes when moving furniture to Iraq

• Banking on a “full exemption” promise: the exemption has a ceiling and conditions, and the surprise comes at the border.
• Mixing new and used items without invoices: the inspector treats the load more cautiously and may value it higher.
• Light packing: cross-town wrapping will not survive a long haul with a truck change in the middle.
• An unreachable receiver: the clearing agent and driver need an Iraqi number that answers, or delivery slips.
• Innocently packing banned items: a hunting knife or a small two-way radio can stop the whole truck.
• Burying the essentials: keep important papers and medicines with you or send them by air, not deep in the truck.

Moving furniture from Iraq to Saudi Arabia, and short-term storage

The same road works in reverse: we move furniture and belongings from Baghdad, Najaf, Basra and every other governorate to Saudi cities through Arar, meeting Saudi import requirements and handling the clearance. And if you have to leave before your home in Iraq is ready, we can store your packed furniture in the Kingdom until you are ready to ship, so you are not forced to sell it in a hurry or leave it with relatives.

Reasons families pick Gulf International Shipping for Iraq

Related Iraq guides

• Land freight from Saudi Arabia to Iraq and the Jadidat Arar border crossing
• Car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Iraq and shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Iraq
• Iraq used household goods customs
• International furniture moving, land freight, customs clearance and all destinations

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