Moving personal effects from Russia to the US?

[Larry and Maria 0]

Maria has her interview in a couple months.

Has anyone dealt with moving personal effects from Russia to the US?

I've tried to contact international movers via the internet and no response.

I'm not looking for moving furniture, just items like clothing, books, etc.

I've personally shipped several times via Western European local postal mail in the past when I was a student. I've also moved a whole house when I worked in Western Europe. That worked well from Western Europe. However, it was to myself.

In this case, there's a matter of customs; I can't get her stuff out claiming it's mine since it won't be plus she's not a USC shipping to herself a USC and we're not married yet so I can't be spouse to spouse.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Larry

[slim 1,525]

No experience yet, but we've talked it over a few times. Luckily, Elena doesn't have much stuff, so she's going to bring what she can carry and that's about it. She may ship a box or two (of clothes and books as well) via the post office or DHL or something like that, but it's looking like she's going to have two big bags on the plane with her.

We joke about "70 pounds on the plane" (That's about the maximum allowable baggage per passenger on most international flights.) and she always says that one bag will be for shoes and boots, the other for hair and make-up, and various other "girly" products.

I've advised her to bring keep-sakes and important things from her home that she's going to want here, but she says it is much more important to be beautiful. (Only joking.... I hope!)

[Satellite 1]

No experience with this. My wife came here with just one bag. Besides a few keep sakes items there was really nothing worth taking from Russia.

[Neonred 3,562]

No experience yet, but we've talked it over a few times. Luckily, Elena doesn't have much stuff, so she's going to bring what she can carry and that's about it. She may ship a box or two (of clothes and books as well) via the post office or DHL or something like that, but it's looking like she's going to have two big bags on the plane with her.

We joke about "70 pounds on the plane" (That's about the maximum allowable baggage per passenger on most international flights.) and she always says that one bag will be for shoes and boots, the other for hair and make-up, and various other "girly" products.

I've advised her to bring keep-sakes and important things from her home that she's going to want here, but she says it is much more important to be beautiful. (Only joking.... I hope!)

Slim, on my last flight using Delta I noticed they had changed the baggage allowance on international flights to 50 pounds. Anything over that you paid extra. Shouldn't be too much however. I think it is the same with most other airlines now also. My wife had just one bag, and a few things thrown in my bag. She left many things with her daughter in Russia.

[dmhweb 0]

Try Meest... I used them once before with success. Sent a package to the far east.

http://www.meest.net/

Not sure if this is the same company...

http://www.meestboston.com/default.htm

cheers,

Dave

[slim 1,525]

Probably has something to do with the fuel surcharge... less weight, less fuel.

[baklan 0]

Normally whole families from former Soviet Union coming to US with 70 lb bags only. No need to bring anything to US... She might bring love and couple dollars:). Also there are russian shipping companies in the US....Try 1-800-361-7345 - they ship from US to Russia, maybe You could arrange opposite. Good luck!

[akdiver 3]

On my last trip back from visiting my (then) fiancee, i brought back two big suitcases of her stuff (I didn't have any checked luggage of my own). She was able to bring the rest of her stuff with her when she came in her own luggage.

She didn't have much, just clothes, books, photos, a few small nicknacks, etc. She sold off all her furniture, computer, electronics, and so forth.

Cheers!

AKDiver

[IrinaNMike 0]

I took flew back to the States on Delta in December, from Moscow, with over 200 pounds of luggage. I had two cabin bags, one carry-on and one 'briefcase', totaling 40 pounds, which Delta allows, and three suitcases, one of which was well over 50 lbs. Delta said "don't do it again" to the overweight suitcase and charged me $50 for the third (unauthorized) suitcase. So, for an extra $50, I was able to bring most of Irina's possessions into the US.

The important thing to remember is that if you choose this method, then when you or your fiancee books the ticket, it must be a single ticket, not two, and it must terminate in the United States. If you book a ticket from almost any city other than Moscow or St Petersburg, you cannot use Delta -- to do so would require purchasing a domestic ticket to Moscow and would make you subject to domestic luggage restrictions. From most Russian cities, this means you will be purchasing a ticket on Aeroflot.

Aeroflot is also generous with transatlantic baggage allowances (56 kilos free including cabin luggage on an economy ticket); up to 74 kilos for an additional $50). I flew Aeroflot from Novosibirsk to Seattle last fall and carried back another 100 pounds for no additional charge.

Here is the URL that will have the current regulations for Aeroflot. Double-check this page before flying. because it can change suddenly and without notice. Delta and all the other airlines have similar pages.

http://www.aeroflot.aero/eng/info.asp?ob_no=774

[slim 1,525]

Thanks, Mike!