I'm Confused...

[GlenAndLisa 0]

So, Glen is coming to the U.S. soon. He's got his Visa. But he can't ship his things over here ahead of time? Am I reading that right? That doesn't make any sense... is he going to have to make some sort of arrangements with a friend to get his things shipped after he's here?

[youtube 0]

don't see why he can't ship his things over before hand.

Use UPS, or FEDEX or postal service.

[Steve'sGirl 0]

Hi,

I assume with 'shipping things' you mean your fiance's personal belongings. If so, there is no restriction (at least not to my knowledge). I have started shipping clothes over to my fiance and I'm now planning to send other personal belongings over with a professional moving company. The value of the items needs to be declared on the documents and accordingly you/your fiance will have to pay customs. Don't worry about it. Your fiance will be alright shipping things over.

All the best!!!!!

[GlenAndLisa 0]

Hi,

I assume with 'shipping things' you mean your fiance's personal belongings. If so, there is no restriction (at least not to my knowledge). I have started shipping clothes over to my fiance and I'm now planning to send other personal belongings over with a professional moving company. The value of the items needs to be declared on the documents and accordingly you/your fiance will have to pay customs. Don't worry about it. Your fiance will be alright shipping things over.

All the best!!!!!

Thank you. That's what I thought, but I read something on here about how someone was unable to do that... but maybe they didn't have their Visa yet.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Actually, US customs states that your belongings are not allowed to precede you to the US. If you have been sending items over and they are getting through, you are lucky. It is not technically legal. As well, a moving company will not be able to transport your belongings to the US prior to your own arrival in the US. The transport will stop your shipment at the border unless they can provide border authorities with a copy of your approved Visa stamped with your entry and the I-94 that is stapled into your passport. You may be able to do something with a brokerage firm whereby your belongings will be held until customs inspects your documentation and release the items to you. You should check into that. I had to arrange for a friend to meet the movers when my belongings were shipped down. I faxed back copies of the activated visa and the I-94 to the moving company, and the movers informed me on their arrival that they did have to show them to the border for all 3 of the loads they were carrying . If they had lacked the necessary documentation for any one of those loads they would have had to remove that load from the van before being allowed to enter the US. That was moving from Canada to the US. It may be different if a broker can hold the belongings in a storage until they can be processed through customs after your arrival. Check with your movers.

Edited March 7, 2008 by Kathryn41

[Krikit 1,165]

Thank you. That's what I thought, but I read something on here about how someone was unable to do that... but maybe they didn't have their Visa yet.

It may have had something to do with Canada. I know the moving company I used couldn't bring my belongings until I sent them my POE documentation and a signed declaration so the items could come across duty-free.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

http://209.85.207.104/search?q=cache:_kQpE...;cd=5&gl=us

"Goods Shipped Separately

]Household effects entitled to duty-free entry do not need to accompany you to the United States; you may have them shipped to your U.S. address at a later time if you choose. Your shipment of personal and/or household goods must be cleared through Customs at its first port of arrival unless you have made arrangements with a foreign freight forwarder to have your effects sent in Customs custody in-bond from the port of arrival to a more convenient port of entry for clearance. (Ask your moving company if they offer this service.) Customs will not notify you that your goods have arrived. It is the responsibility of the shipper to notify you of the arrival of your goods. After receiving this notification you must enter the merchandise. Failure to enter the merchandise within 15 days after its arrival in port may result in the merchandise being moved to a general order warehouse. If merchandise is placed in a general order warehouse, storage charges will accrue and payment of those charges is the responsibility of the party importing the household goods. Failure to obtain that merchandise from the general order warehouse within six months may result in its sale. When you come to Customs to enter your goods, you must complete Customs Form 3299 “Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles,” to give to the Customs officer. If you cannot come to the Customs office yourself, you may designate a friend or relative to represent you in Customs matters. You must give that person a letter addressed to “Officer in Charge of Customs” authorizing that individual to represent you as your agent on a one-time basis to clear your shipment through Customs."

and

"Duty Exemptions for Household and Personnel Effects

You may import furniture, dishes, linens, libraries, artwork and similar household furnishings for your personal use free of duty. To be eligible for duty-free exemption, the articles must have either been available for your use or used in a household where you were a resident for one year. The year of use does not need to be continuous, nor does it need to be the year immediately before the date of importation. Personal and household effects entitled to duty-free entry need not accompany you to the United States; you may have them shipped to your U.S. address at a later time if you choose. Your shipment of personal and/or household goods must be cleared through Customs at its first port of arrival, unless you have made arrangements with a foreign freight forwarder to have your effects sent in Customs custody in-bond from the port of arrival to a more convenient port of entry for clearance. (Ask your moving company if they offer this service.)

Household effects from the country where these effects were used, and meeting the above criteria, may be entered into the United States duty-free within 10 years after your initial arrival in the United States as a legal resident.

Personal effects may be shipped or mailed to you at a later date. The package should be marked “Used Personal Effects” and must have been in your possession prior to your entry into the United States. Anything included in the package that is new may be dutiable."

[jess&andrew 0]

Hi,

I assume with 'shipping things' you mean your fiance's personal belongings. If so, there is no restriction (at least not to my knowledge). I have started shipping clothes over to my fiance and I'm now planning to send other personal belongings over with a professional moving company. The value of the items needs to be declared on the documents and accordingly you/your fiance will have to pay customs. Don't worry about it. Your fiance will be alright shipping things over.

All the best!!!!!

Thank you. That's what I thought, but I read something on here about how someone was unable to do that... but maybe they didn't have their Visa yet.

Hello,

That was me you're talking about probably!

What had happened was my fiance was visiting me, and I figured, on his way back he could bring some of my clothes (well, quite a bit actually). At the border, when they asked who all this stuff belonged to, he explained they were mine, and that I had a Visa, etc. They told him he couldn't bring the items without ME present. :| And he had to turn around, put my stuff in storage on the Canadian side and cross again, but w/out my clothes. (not before being questioned/detained for over an hour - my AMERICAN fiance...)

I suppose the border cops were following procedure by not allowing him to bring in my stuff before I go there myself. I wonder if my fiance had said a different story - things might have turned out differently...

[L & P 0]

Lisa,

I will be using Excess Bagage to ship my belongings when I move and as Katryn is saying I am not allowed to ship them over until I am actually in the States myself, but Excess Bagage can take the belongings in storage for free for up to 4 weeks prior to departure. If it exceed the 4 weeks you have to pay an extra £12 a week