From Silicon Valley tech contracts to family reunions, AMC turns moving from Ireland to the United States into a streamlined, one-stop service.
We export-pack your household goods, load them into secure lift-vans or containers, manage US customs, and deliver anywhere from Manhattan high-rises to Texas ranches.
Sea freight: 20 ft/40 ft containers sail weekly, reaching US East Coast ports in 12-15 days on water; allow 4-6 weeks door-to-door including customs. Air freight: ideal for personal essentials or corporate relocations needing 7-10 day door-to-door delivery (timings may vary).
Personal effects older than 12 months can enter duty-free under US Customs Form 3299. AMC pre-files the Importer Security Filing (ISF 10+2), negotiates any USDA inspections, and arranges delivery after CBP release. New items, alcohol, and restricted goods may attract duty. We will advise case-by-case.
The USA is a big country, and where you land shapes everything like cost of living, job market, visa options, and how settled you feel in the first year. Irish emigrants tend to cluster in a handful of cities, but the spread is wider than most people expect.
New York
New York has the largest Irish-born population of any US city. The Bronx, Queens (Woodside, Sunnyside, Rockaway), and New Jersey suburbs have had Irish communities for generations. New York is also the most expensive option: a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan runs $3,500–$5,500 per month. Outer boroughs and commuter suburbs bring that down considerably, but the cost of living is still high across the board.
The job market is deep with finance, construction, healthcare, hospitality, and tech all having strong demand. Many Irish arrive on an E-3 or L-1 visa tied to a specific employer, or on the J-1 for those eligible.
Shipping to the Port of New York and New Jersey is the most common route for Irish moves to the east coast. It's one of AMC's most frequently used lanes.
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston has a strong claim to being the most Irish city in America by cultural identity. Around 20% of the Boston metro population claims Irish ancestry, and the new Irish community in the suburbs (Quincy, Braintree, Canton) is sizeable. It's a good city for healthcare, biotech, education, and finance. Housing is expensive, second only to New York and San Francisco among major US cities.
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is often overlooked by Irish emigrants, but it's worth considering seriously. The cost of living is significantly lower than New York or Boston. The city has a large Irish-American community, particularly on the South Side (Beverly, Mount Greenwood, Bridgeport). The job market is strong in finance, tech, law, and healthcare. Winters are genuinely harsh. Temperatures below -15°C are not unusual in January and February.
Shipping to Chicago means inland delivery from East Coast ports (typically New York or Baltimore). Add 3–5 days to transit time.
San Francisco Bay Area, California
San Francisco and the wider Bay Area (Oakland, San Jose, the Peninsula) attract Irish emigrants with backgrounds in tech, engineering, and life sciences. The salaries are among the highest in the world, but so are the costs. A one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco runs $3,000–$4,500 per month. Many people live in the East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland) or South Bay (Sunnyvale, Mountain View) and commute. The weather is mild year-round, which helps.
Shipping to the west coast uses the Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach, or Oakland. Transit from Ireland runs 14–18 days on water.
Houston and Texas
Texas has become an increasingly popular destination for Irish emigrants, particularly those in engineering, energy, construction, and healthcare. Houston is the centre of the US energy industry; Dallas is a major finance and tech hub; Austin is fast-growing in tech and music. Texas has no state income tax, which makes a real difference to take-home pay.
The cost of living in Texas is well below New York or California. A three-bedroom house in Houston or Dallas suburbs runs $1,500–$2,500 per month in rent.
Houston (Port of Houston) is a direct call for some Atlantic shipping services, which can reduce transit time to 10–13 days door-to-door.
Sea freight is how most people move a full household to the USA. You share a 20ft or 40ft container with other shipments, or take an exclusive container if the volume warrants it. Air freight is an option for small volumes or urgent personal effects.
Here's a rough guide to sea freight costs from Ireland to US east coast ports (New York, Baltimore, Charleston):
1-bed flat (5–10 CBM), basics only: €2,800–€4,500
2–3 bed house, no bulky furniture (15–20 CBM): €5,000–€8,000
Full 3–4 bed house (25–35 CBM): €8,500–€13,000
Large 4-bed house (Full 20ft container (33 CBM): €10,000–€15,500
West coast ports (Los Angeles, Oakland) add roughly €500–€1,000 to the above due to longer transit and inland delivery costs. Texas (Houston) is similar to east coast pricing.
These are indicative ranges for door-to-door including export packing, sea freight, US Customs clearance, and delivery. Insurance, vehicle shipping, and storage all add to the final figure.
Air freight runs €10–€18 per kilogram for consolidated cargo. A 100kg personal effects shipment (think: packed boxes and suitcases) costs roughly €1,000–€2,000 door-to-door.
For urgent corporate relocations moving a small volume, it's practical. For a full house move, it's not.
Get a free survey from AMC and we'll give you a fixed quote based on actual volume.
The USA is the most difficult major destination for Irish emigrants from a visa perspective. There's no working holiday visa equivalent for Irish citizens. Every route requires either an employer, a family connection, or a very long wait.
The main options:
J-1 (Exchange Visitor)
The most accessible route for younger Irish. Internship and training J-1s allow 12–18 months of work experience. The Summer Work Travel J-1 (ages 18–30, full-time students) allows 4 months. Not a route for permanent relocation, but useful for getting started.
H-1B (Specialty Occupation)
Requires a US employer to sponsor you for a specific skilled role. Applications are capped each year and awarded by lottery. There's no guarantee of getting one even with a valid sponsorship. Processing takes 3–6 months minimum once selected.
L-1 (Intracompany Transfer)
If you work for a multinational company with a US office and have been employed for at least 12 months, your employer can transfer you to the US. L-1A is for managers and executives; L-1B is for workers with specialised knowledge. This is the most reliable route for corporate relocations.
O-1 (Extraordinary Ability)
For people who can demonstrate exceptional achievement in their field: arts, science, sport, business, education. High bar, but no lottery and no cap.
EB-1 / EB-2 / EB-3 (Employment-Based Green Cards)
Permanent residence routes. EB-1 is for priority workers (extraordinary ability, outstanding professors, multinational managers). EB-2 and EB-3 require PERM labour certification: a lengthy process. Irish nationals currently face relatively short wait times for employment-based green cards compared to Indian or Chinese nationals.
Family-Based Green Card
If you have a US citizen spouse, parent, or adult sibling, you may qualify. Spousal petitions for immediate relatives of US citizens are currently processed in 12–18 months. Sibling petitions can take 10–15 years due to per-country caps.
The Diversity Visa Lottery (DV Lottery) is a popular option: 55,000 green cards are issued annually to applicants from countries with low immigration to the USA. Ireland has been eligible in recent years. Applications open each October for the following year. It's free to enter and genuinely random.
Start your visa process before you start packing. Some routes take 6–18 months before you can legally work in the USA.
Tax and finances
Notify Revenue that you're leaving Ireland. If you've paid PAYE for the year and are emigrating mid-year, you may be entitled to a refund.
Opening a US bank account from Ireland is harder than it sounds. Most US banks require a US address and Social Security Number. The practical solution: use a multi-currency account (Wise, Revolut) to bridge the gap until you have a US address, then open a local account. Some credit unions with Irish-American links (Emigrant Bank, for example) have historically been more flexible for new arrivals.
Driving licence
An Irish driving licence is not automatically valid in the USA beyond a short grace period, and the rules vary by state. Most states allow you to drive on a foreign licence for 30–90 days, then require a state-issued licence. Converting usually involves a written test and sometimes a practical test. Bring your Irish licence, passport, and proof of address to the relevant state DMV.
Healthcare
The USA has no public healthcare system equivalent to the Irish HSE. If your employer isn't providing health insurance (which most US employers do for full-time staff), private cover is expensive. Marketplace plans under the Affordable Care Act vary significantly in cost and coverage by state. Budget $300–$600 per month for an individual plan with reasonable coverage. Do not arrive without health insurance in place.
12+ months before
- Research visa options. Start the process early, especially for H-1B or employer-sponsored routes
- Declutter before you get quotes. Volume determines cost
- Enter the DV Lottery if your visa situation is unclear (applications open each October)
6 months before
- Book your free pre-move survey with AMC
- Confirm your destination city and address
- Research health insurance options for your arrival state
3 months before
- Confirm shipping date and service level with AMC
- Notify Revenue you're leaving Ireland
- Arrange multi-currency banking for the transition period
- Book flights
6–8 weeks before
- AMC delivers packing materials to your door
- Begin packing non-essentials
- Prepare documents for US Customs (CBP Form 3299. AMC will assist)
Moving week
- AMC crew packs and loads
- You receive a full inventory and bill of lading
- Tracking access through AMC staff.
On arrival in the USA
- Get a US SIM card immediately. Nearly everything requires a local number
- Open a bank account as soon as you have a US address
- Apply for a Social Security Number (required for employment and most financial accounts)
- AMC's US partner crew delivers after CBP clearance. Typically within 1–2 days of container arrival
AMC has been moving Irish families and corporate clients to the USA for over 25 years. FIDI and FAIM accreditation mean our processes are independently audited. not all removal companies operating this route hold both.
We pre-file the Importer Security Filing (ISF 10+2) 24 hours before your container departs Ireland, a US Customs requirement that, if missed, results in fines and shipment delays. We prepare your CBP Form 3299 and inventory list. Our US partner crews cover all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.
One coordinator handles your move from survey to delivery. If something needs sorting 7,000 kilometres away, we handle it.
Book your free pre-move survey to get a fixed quote based on your actual volume.
Shipping a car or motorbike? Our Vehicle Transport team loads vehicles in your container or RORO service and guides you through EPA/DOT compliance, ISF, and state-level registration. Need storage before or after shipping? We offer secure Naas warehousing and partner facilities in USA. See storage for more info.
Q. How much does it cost to move to the USA?
A. Costs depend on volume, origin/destination, and service level. Get an exact quote with our free survey.
Q. How long will my shipment take?
A. Sea freight averages 4–6 weeks door-to-door; air freight 7–10 days.
Q. Do I pay U-S customs duty?
A. Used household goods owned 12 months+ are duty-free. Duty may apply to new items and high-value electronics.
Q. Can I pack myself?
A. You can, but self-packed cartons are subject to CBP inspection and limited insurance. Professional packing speeds clearance and gives full cover.
Q. What documents are required?
A. Passport, visa (if applicable), completed CBP 3299, inventory list, and ISF info. We prepare and submit these for you.
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