Do you have to be in the US before you ship your goods?

[Brenda2010 1]

Hi all - I'm entering the US on a K1 visa and I'm trying to plan the move for December. I still have to sell my home and confirm the closing so dates are still tbd.

I'd like to ship my stuff before the closing date with the moving company, giving them a cc of my visa/passport and they could move it, my fiance could receive it in the US.

But, 2 separate moving companies have told me that I need to be in the US before I can move/ship my stuff. Is that really the case? Can anyone offer any advice?

[HeatDeath 430]

Something someone else here did in a similar situation was make all the moving arrangements in advance, drive down, and cross the border. Then the first thing they did was go to an import brokerage or Kinko's and fax their I-94 back to the shipping company, proving that they're now in the US and releasing the shipments.

Edited October 21, 2010 by HeatDeath

[Krikit 1,164]

Yes, you have to have done your POE before the moving company can ship your belongings. They should have given you the process. I can look back and see what I sent them but I believe I scanned and emailed a copy of the visa and the I-94. You'll also have to sign Form 3299 (I believe). But, again, your moving company will tell you everything they need.

[Flames9_RN 358]

As the others have said--yep--as they could always still deny one entry into the USA

[Krikit 1,164]

I hope she doesn't stop fretting about being denied now!

[Flames9_RN 358]

I hope she doesn't stop fretting about being denied now!

lol, only seen it once in the cdn forum!!

[Krikit 1,164]

Whoops! I meant to say I hope she doesn't START fretting about being denied. lol

[Brenda2010 1]

Thanks for the laugh guys! Nope, no longer worrying about being denied, instead I'm freaking out about moving logistics. That's really too bad I can't ship the stuff in advance - was hoping to stick my fiance with the unpacking!!

[Colleens 40]

I was in a similar situation. I was laid off from my job last Nov, and knew that I would be moving at some point soon so I decided to sell my house and head to the US to spend some time with my fiance before I had my visa interview. So I packed up my house and used ABF upack. Because I had so much stuff and where I was going to be living was far from a depot I had to use the moving truck rather then the relocubes so that they could do the move door to door. I had them store my stuff in the trailer at their depot in Ottawa from December until April when I did my POE. It cost a bit of money, but far less than paying my mortgage for those months. Once I got my visa and did my POE I just sent them a copy of my visa and I-94 and my stuff showed up about a week later. I think that most moving companies will store stuff for a short period if required.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Yes, the best plan will probably be to put your belongings into storage with the company you chose to move them. They can do that, then when you cross the border and have legal permission to live in the US, you fax them the copy of your I-94 and activated K-1 visa (everything else can be done before you cross the border) and they can then ship it to you. Your belongings can't enter the US until you have proof of legal permission to live in the US yourself.

[Brenda2010 1]

Thanks all, good advice, appreciate it. So i guess my dreams of my fiance doing all the unpacking have been dashed!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Oh, you can still have him do all the unpacking - you'll just be there to 'supervise' - yeah, that's it, supervise! "