import Taxes / fees when shipping personal items to US

[FastTrack 3]

I am jumping the gun here a little bit because my fiancees interview is not until next thursday... I have a question about shipping her things vs travelling with them..... My fiancee has a lot of expensive hand bags, shoes, and clothes due to working in the fashion industry.... I am wondering if she will be charged any extra fees for shipping those things to the US... Same thing goes for the items we plan to bring in our luggage to minimize shipping costs. Does the K-1 visa allow her to wave these taxes or???

Thanks

[islandgal 74]

I am jumping the gun here a little bit because my fiancees interview is not until next thursday... I have a question about shipping her things vs travelling with them..... My fiancee has a lot of expensive hand bags, shoes, and clothes due to working in the fashion industry.... I am wondering if she will be charged any extra fees for shipping those things to the US... Same thing goes for the items we plan to bring in our luggage to minimize shipping costs. Does the K-1 visa allow her to wave these taxes or???

Thanks

K1 doesn't grant any kind waiver for excess baggage charges or shipping. Airlines and cargo companies are separate entities from the US Government. She'll just have to pay the excess fees on her flight and/or pay for shipping via cargo.

[LeftCoastLady 441]

There's a shipping thread you should check out for info as well: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/128548-yes-its-another-shipping-thread/page__view__findpost__p__5720154__hl__shipping__fromsearch__1

[sara80 17]

Check out that thread that LeftCoastLady linked! I just had 6 boxes shipped full of my belongings and they were not even opened for inspection. I guess as long as it is personal belongings and they don't suspect she is importing them to sell them then it should be fine..

[FastTrack 3]

thanks guys... I was referring to import taxes/duty .... not about airline charges or shipping costs.... Just was wondering about tax or import fee's..... Thanks for the link... I will check it out for sure

[LeftCoastLady 441]

thanks guys... I was referring to import taxes/duty .... not about airline charges or shipping costs.... Just was wondering about tax or import fee's..... Thanks for the link... I will check it out for sure

Well, that's part of that thread as well. Depending on how you choose to ship everything, there will be associated paperwork to complete.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I am jumping the gun here a little bit because my fiancees interview is not until next thursday... I have a question about shipping her things vs travelling with them..... My fiancee has a lot of expensive hand bags, shoes, and clothes due to working in the fashion industry.... I am wondering if she will be charged any extra fees for shipping those things to the US... Same thing goes for the items we plan to bring in our luggage to minimize shipping costs. Does the K-1 visa allow her to wave these taxes or???

Thanks

Household goods and personal effects of an immigrant are not charged. Customs and Border Protection website is where you want to search. CBP.gov

If shipping, the customs form 3299 goes with the shipment. That's for unaccompanied goods. Tell her to inventory each box she packs. Her items are supposed to be owned by her more than one year. Most things will pass for that. Ten identical items with tags wouldn't, if you follow my drift. She has five years to bring her household goods so Mum can ship some later, or she can do a shipment next time back.

Stuff in your suitcase doesn't use that form. I called Houston airport CBP before we left the UK with six pieces of luggage between us to ask if there were any special rules, valuations, or inventories they would require. He said just to fill out one green form they hand out on the plane for both of us, and write "household goods" on the back. No list or values.

Of course if you buy something in the duty free shop or a teddybear at the Harrods airport shop, then those would be itemized and valued because they are new items. It would almost make you look more honest to add a couple of gifts so they know you know the rules, ya think?? I think it's $100 worth of gifts non-residents can bring and $800 worth for Americans before duty is imposed.

Look up all those specific numbers because I'm kinda going on memory to give you an idea of how it works.

[FastTrack 3]

Household goods and personal effects of an immigrant are not charged. Customs and Border Protection website is where you want to search. CBP.gov

If shipping, the customs form 3299 goes with the shipment. That's for unaccompanied goods. Tell her to inventory each box she packs. Her items are supposed to be owned by her more than one year. Most things will pass for that. Ten identical items with tags wouldn't, if you follow my drift. She has five years to bring her household goods so Mum can ship some later, or she can do a shipment next time back.

Stuff in your suitcase doesn't use that form. I called Houston airport CBP before we left the UK with six pieces of luggage between us to ask if there were any special rules, valuations, or inventories they would require. He said just to fill out one green form they hand out on the plane for both of us, and write "household goods" on the back. No list or values.

Of course if you buy something in the duty free shop or a teddybear at the Harrods airport shop, then those would be itemized and valued because they are new items. It would almost make you look more honest to add a couple of gifts so they know you know the rules, ya think?? I think it's $100 worth of gifts non-residents can bring and $800 worth for Americans before duty is imposed.

Look up all those specific numbers because I'm kinda going on memory to give you an idea of how it works.

Funny you should mention Harrods, as that is where my Fiancee has been working for over 2 years... I was there every day from july-october picking her up... If I never see that place again I will be fine with that ! haha.....

I will use the info from this thread when we pack our stuff and send it this way! thanks everyone

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Funny you should mention Harrods, as that is where my Fiancee has been working for over 2 years... I was there every day from july-october picking her up... If I never see that place again I will be fine with that ! haha.....

I will use the info from this thread when we pack our stuff and send it this way! thanks everyone

I mentioned Harrods airport store because a handsome bear in a Union jack sweater begged to go to Texas with me when I was leaving Heathrow. And so he did.

Harrods in London was also part of our original I-129F evidence of meeting in person. We had shopped their after Christmas sale and had charged purchases. So I sent a copy of each of our credit card statements, clearly marking the charges with highlighter, showing we were in the same country, city, and store on the same date.