Corporate & Office Relocation to the USA
Office and business relocation from India to the USA — Indian commercial export handled, US CBP commercial import managed, your American operation live on schedule.
Indian technology and professional-services companies establishing a US presence — opening an office in San Jose, setting up a sales function in New York, expanding a development team into Austin — face a corporate relocation that has more moving parts than it first appears. Commercial goods exported from India carry different documentation requirements from household effects. US CBP distinguishes clearly between personal effects and commercial goods, and business equipment imported without the correct commercial classification attracts duties and delays that derail an office opening. Seemleius corporate and office relocation from India to the USA is managed as a commercial project, with those distinctions built into the plan from day one.
Indian commercial export: what distinguishes it from a household move
A company relocating its office from Bengaluru or Hyderabad to a US city is not exporting personal effects — it is exporting commercial goods, and the Indian customs treatment reflects that. Commercial goods require classification under India’s export schedule, a commercial invoice prepared to Indian customs standards, and a shipping bill filed through ICEGATE that accurately describes the commercial nature of the export. An Authorised Dealer (AD) bank code must be linked to the exporter and reflected in the shipping bill. Equipment that was originally imported into India on a duty-exemption or EPCG licence may require additional compliance steps before it can be re-exported, and movements between bonded and domestic-tariff areas need to be reconciled. For Indian GST purposes, an LUT (Letter of Undertaking) is normally executed so that the export can move without IGST being paid upfront; this is a simple filing but it must be in place before dispatch. We identify and manage all of this at the planning stage.
US CBP: commercial goods classification matters
US CBP draws a clear line between household effects and commercial goods. Office equipment, IT infrastructure and commercial assets imported into the US are assessed under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule; duties apply at the commercial rate unless a specific exemption applies. ISF (Importer Security Filing) — the 10+2 requirement — must be filed at least 24 hours before the goods are loaded on a vessel in India. Missing or inaccurate ISF filing attracts a USD 5,000 penalty per violation, regardless of whether the underlying cargo is straightforward. We manage both the ISF filing and the full commercial import entry, prepared accurately before the goods leave India.
The IT-services pattern is well established. The largest Indian technology companies — TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL and Cognizant (now US-headquartered) — have run this corridor for decades, and the playbook for an Indian company opening a US subsidiary is mature: incorporate the US entity in Delaware or the operating state, obtain an EIN from the IRS, register for state-level corporate tax, secure the lease, and import the operational kit. We slot the relocation cleanly into that timeline.
What a US corporate relocation from India includes
IT infrastructure and servers
Powered down in the correct sequence at the Indian office; transported, cleared through CBP and reconnected at the US premises, with software-licensing and asset-register notes carried through.
Office furniture and fit-out
Workstations, meeting rooms and storage disassembled in India, shipped and reassembled to your US floor plan; weekend and out-of-hours works permits secured where the US building requires them.
Indian commercial export
HS classification, commercial invoice, shipping bill via ICEGATE, AD code, GST LUT, ISF data preparation and export compliance managed at the India end.
US commercial import clearance
HTS classification, commercial entry and duty assessment prepared accurately before arrival at the US port; partner-government-agency clearances handled where applicable.
Common corporate origin cities and US destinations
US-bound corporate relocations from India originate predominantly from the technology corridor: Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune are the largest sources. Financial and professional services bring Mumbai and Delhi NCR into the mix. Healthcare and pharmaceutical companies from Ahmedabad and Hyderabad are also significant. On the US side, the destinations cluster around well-defined corridors — New York and New Jersey for financial services and consulting, the Bay Area and Seattle for technology, Houston and Dallas for energy and IT services, Atlanta for the south-east hub, and Chicago for the Midwest. We cover all of these departure cities and route through the most efficient Indian gateway — Nhava Sheva for Mumbai/Pune, Mundra for Ahmedabad, Chennai for Bengaluru and Hyderabad — matched to the right US port for the destination.
H-1B-aware crew planning at both ends
An office relocation rarely lands the senior team in the US on the same week the kit does. We plan the crew sequencing so the people who need to be on-site at the US end — for unpacking, IT recommissioning and floor sign-off — align with visa activation and arrival dates. If a key engineer is travelling on an H-1B that activates a fortnight after the container clears CBP, we set the schedule so that final commissioning waits for them rather than completing without them and creating rework.
How a US corporate move runs
- Project scoping. We establish the US go-live date, assess both the Indian and US premises, and map the access and infrastructure requirements at each end.
- Classification and ISF preparation. Commercial goods are classified for Indian export and US import; ISF data is prepared and scheduled for timely filing.
- Pack, ship and track. Equipment is packed in the correct operational sequence, exported through the Indian gateway, and monitored across the transit.
- US clearance and setup. CBP commercial clearance is managed; goods are delivered to the US premises and assembled to plan, ready for the team on the go-live date.
The ISF requirement and the sea transit together mean the planning window for an India–USA corporate move is real — compress it and you create risk. Talk to us early and we will build a schedule that protects your US go-live date.
Common questions about this move
Anything specific to your situation? A specialist for this corridor is happy to help.
Contact usHow long does a move to the USA take?
Transit time depends on the freight mode and the volume. Your coordinator gives you a realistic window when quoting — sea freight is slower and more economical, air freight is faster for time-sensitive moves.
Do you handle customs at both ends?
Yes. Export and import documentation is prepared and submitted on your behalf, and clearance is coordinated at both origin and destination.
Is my shipment insured in transit?
Transit insurance is available on every corridor. Your coordinator explains the cover options when quoting so you can choose what suits the shipment.
How far ahead should I book?
Two to four weeks is comfortable for most international moves, but we regularly handle urgent relocations. The earlier you reach out, the more flexibility you have on dates and freight space.
Will I have one point of contact?
Always — a dedicated coordinator owns your move from first quote to final delivery, including the customs and freight handovers in between.