Can I ship belongings to spouse before entry?

[Armenia 18]

I'm the beneficiary (husband is the US citizen) and I'm living in Canada right now. I'm planning on staying in the Philippines for the 3-4 mos I have to wait for the medicals/interview and spend that time visiting with my mom. I'm having items shipped (freight cargo) to the Philippines and would like to have a box or two sent (as parcels) to the US to my husband as well. I thought I cannot send my stuff over to the US yet since they're "personal effects" and so I should already have my visa when they are sent over. My husband says I should be able to just mail them to him. I'm not sure how to declare the contents though.

Has anyone mailed/shipped their personal belongings to their USC spouse before entering/moving to the US themselves? How did you declare the contents of your parcels/boxes?

[Kirsten UK 2]

I looked into it and decided not to as you have to pay taxes/duty if your belongings arrive before you do. I used an international shipping company and they took care of everything, it was far simpler, but there still was alot of paperwork involved. If money is not an issue go for it.

[Krikit 1,164]

It sounds like you're shipping from Canada? There are members in the Canada regional forum with experience on this. Basically, if they are going through the mail it's not been a problem. Anything being brought across the land border has had varying success. I'm going to move your thread from Moving Here to the Canada forum so you can get country-specific responses.

[Carlawarla 1]

I'm the beneficiary (husband is the US citizen) and I'm living in Canada right now. I'm planning on staying in the Philippines for the 3-4 mos I have to wait for the medicals/interview and spend that time visiting with my mom. I'm having items shipped (freight cargo) to the Philippines and would like to have a box or two sent (as parcels) to the US to my husband as well. I thought I cannot send my stuff over to the US yet since they're "personal effects" and so I should already have my visa when they are sent over. My husband says I should be able to just mail them to him. I'm not sure how to declare the contents though.

Has anyone mailed/shipped their personal belongings to their USC spouse before entering/moving to the US themselves? How did you declare the contents of your parcels/boxes?

Most people that shipped their goods before they entered had some difficulty. Yes, you'll have to fill out a customs document, and if you put personal effects, they need to see a copy of your visa to allow them in without taxation and duty. Your goods are really not to come in before you. I don't know what you're sending, but even if you put "gift" on the Custom's declaration form you have to list the contents, and their is an allowable amount for gifts arriving.

There was one person here who once sent a box of things, fairly big in fact, ahead of their entry, and it was held up in Customs until they could send the paperwork indicating they had already arrived in the U.S., which they couldn't, and the items ended up being sent back.

Best to wait until you've entered. If you can, leave your goods you want sent in Canada, and then it'll be cheaper then sending them from the Philippines.

[Krikit 1,164]

Weren't there a few people who mailed their items without a problem? I'm sure I read that somewhere.

OMG, remember the guy who tried to cross with a U-Haul of his fiancee's items? They turned him back and he had to find storage late at night because it would have been a two-hour drive back to her house. Then he had to get home, get to work, then drive back up to Canada to pick up the items, return them to the fiancee, then bring the U-Haul back.

[birdnerd 5]

Damn, something else for me to look into.

Husband is USC, just got a job offer back in U.S., that's why we're starting this process, but he's going to start work in April (while I'm waiting for DCF to finish), the company that hired him is sending a relocation company who are going to pack up everything in our house, ship it down and put it in storage.

Is this going to cause massive customs issues?

Edited January 28, 2010 by birdnerd

[Krikit 1,164]

I don't believe you'll have a problem, birdnerd. The relocation/moving company takes care of all the documentation. They'll know what to do.

[birdnerd 5]

I don't believe you'll have a problem, birdnerd. The relocation/moving company takes care of all the documentation. They'll know what to do.

Thanks, Krikit. That's (one) load off my mind.

[Carlawarla 1]

Damn, something else for me to look into.

Husband is USC, just got a job offer back in U.S., that's why we're starting this process, but he's going to start work in April (while I'm waiting for DCF to finish), the company that hired him is sending a relocation company who are going to pack up everything in our house, ship it down and put it in storage.

Is this going to cause massive customs issues?

He would be allowed to bring back everything and or anything though. He's a USC returning to the US with "his" goods....This won't be a problem at all for you guys.

[TimandJoyce 1]

Hi there,

Just to let you know I mailed for medium sized boxes from Canada with my personal effects in them. Book, pictures, clothes, scrapbook goodies, etc. The first two I sent down with just gift written, ( and what's basically in the box) and fragile stickers on them. They were all about 50 lbs or so. After I moved, I sent my son a copy of my visa and I-94 to put on the other two, ( important numbers blacked out) and he sent them. I got all of them no problem, and I probably could have mailed the other two myself.

I'm sure if your parcels aren't too big, you should have no problems.

[Armenia 18]

Hi there,

Just to let you know I mailed for medium sized boxes from Canada with my personal effects in them. Book, pictures, clothes, scrapbook goodies, etc. The first two I sent down with just gift written, ( and what's basically in the box) and fragile stickers on them. They were all about 50 lbs or so. After I moved, I sent my son a copy of my visa and I-94 to put on the other two, ( important numbers blacked out) and he sent them. I got all of them no problem, and I probably could have mailed the other two myself.

I'm sure if your parcels aren't too big, you should have no problems.

Thank you for everyone's input. They're very helpful.

I'm donating most of my stuff and trying to trim everything down to just what I need (+ stuff with sentimental value!). I'll try sending a couple of boxes as gifts.

@TimandJoyce - What is the size of a medium box?

When one declares the value of the items in the Customs forms, do you declare the purchase value, the depreciated value or the replacement value? If say, a pair of hiking boots was $200 but are 3 years old, what would be their declared value? When US Customs decides to inspect contents, do they assess the value of used goods as if they're new?

I'll think about the alternative option of storing my boxes in a friend's (no family here in Canada; I am here only for studies) basement and having her ship them to me when I'm in the US already.

[SunDrop 59]

Thank you for everyone's input. They're very helpful.

I'm donating most of my stuff and trying to trim everything down to just what I need (+ stuff with sentimental value!). I'll try sending a couple of boxes as gifts.

@TimandJoyce - What is the size of a medium box?

When one declares the value of the items in the Customs forms, do you declare the purchase value, the depreciated value or the replacement value? If say, a pair of hiking boots was $200 but are 3 years old, what would be their declared value? When US Customs decides to inspect contents, do they assess the value of used goods as if they're new?

I'll think about the alternative option of storing my boxes in a friend's (no family here in Canada; I am here only for studies) basement and having her ship them to me when I'm in the US already.

Just a thought, but unless you're sending boxes full of dresses and make-up, if you addressed them to your USC and listed them as personal effects, how are they going to ask the USC to prove that he owns them?

[trailmix 77]

You should claim the depreciated value - if those boots are now worth around $10.00 to you then just state Used hiking boots - value $10.00

[Armenia 18]

Just a thought, but unless you're sending boxes full of dresses and make-up, if you addressed them to your USC and listed them as personal effects, how are they going to ask the USC to prove that he owns them?

That's a good question.

I was thinking of that too because my USC husband does have a lot of stuff here with me too. He keeps clothes and shoes/etc here for when he comes over to visit.

If I mail them to him, they're not gifts, right? So do I declare them as "personal effects of recipient"?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

We didn't have a problem. We lived together for a little over a year so all of our stuff was mixed together...ie there was no longer a divide in who owned what any longer so the items were all addressed from me to me. We shipped our books, electronics etc. Her clothes were not shipped as they are obviously not mine.

And yes you can write personal effects. Also books and paperwork can never be charged a duty so for those you can just write "printed materials" or similar.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Sousuke