ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan fiancee ship goods to US in advance?

So the issue isn't whether a person is immigrating or what their status is, but one declaresr the items being shipped and what the best way to do that is. In other words, if you are trying to ship house hold and/or personal items and don't want to pay duty based on those being personal items you already own and are keeping with you as you immmigrate, then your status has to match up with that to qualify.
But the bottom line is you could ship items and totally disocciate them from your citizen or immigration status and declare them in some other way and pay a duty if it applied.


I found official US government instructions on shipping household belongings to the US. They're in US Customs & Border Protection Publication # 0000-0518, "Moving Household Goods to the U.S.". A link to the document can be found at the following address:
http://www.cbp.gov/x...cations/travel/
I've attached a copy of the document to this posting. Thanks to everyone who participated in this discussion.
Regards, Stu Borman

Attached Files


sbormanMaleSouth Africa2010-11-16 21:00:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan fiancee ship goods to US in advance?

VJ guides are right, your fiance must only ship goods once a visa has been issued. The goods cannot cross before she does. Oh and shipping goods is not a right.

And yes, the US has the right to restrict import of good into their own country. Could you imagine if ANYONE at anytime could ship anything into the US?

Good luck


How would the postal service, a shipper, or US customs know anything about the immigration status of the person who is shipping the goods? Where are these shipping provisions described? If my fiancee sends me a birthday present before she arrives, is that unauthorized? So your statement, if true, still doesn't make any sense to me. Also, you say my fiancee "must only ship goods once a visa has been issued"; in our case the visa has been issued but just hasn't been used yet. Thanks. -- Stu
sbormanMaleSouth Africa2010-11-12 09:59:00
K-1 Fiance(e) Visa Process & ProceduresCan fiancee ship goods to US in advance?

I am a US citizen, and my fiancee's K1 visa was approved about a week ago by the US consulate in Hong Kong. Is it OK for my fiancee to ship some of her clothing and household goods to me in advance of her move to the US?

There is information on one of the VisaJourney FAQs that I don't understand, to the effect that the goods will not be able to pass through customs until my fiancee arrives. This doesn't make any sense to me, as it would seem that anyone in the world would have the right to ship ordinary clothing items and household goods to me if they wanted to do so. These are not new or valuable items that would tend to elicit customs duties.

If anyone can shed any light on the issue of how best to transport clothing and household goods to the US in advance of an immigration move, I would appreciate hearing from you about that. Thanks.

Stu Borman
sbormanMaleSouth Africa2010-11-12 08:00:00