Customs & shipping your stuff
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Does anyone know what the proper way to send stuff to the US is? We have several boxes of personal items, clothed, office equipment, cameras -- all used -- that we would like shipped. I've searched the US customs site, and although it appears to be written in the english language, it is strangely difficult to figure it all out.
Do we mark our items as "household effects" or "used personal effects", or even "professional equipment"?
Can we send our stuff BEFORE we enter the US? Obviously we would like to have our stuff there when we arrive, not be rushing around the day before our flight. But the US Customs info strangely suggests you "may" send your items at a later date. So if we mark "used personal effects" and ship before we go, do they hold it until we arrive?
Thanks in advance
Do we mark our items as "household effects" or "used personal effects", or even "professional equipment"?
Can we send our stuff BEFORE we enter the US? Obviously we would like to have our stuff there when we arrive, not be rushing around the day before our flight. But the US Customs info strangely suggests you "may" send your items at a later date. So if we mark "used personal effects" and ship before we go, do they hold it until we arrive?
Thanks in advance
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There is actually a number to call the US customs at the American embassy on the embassy website. I called up and they told me what forms I would need to fill out and all that jazz. I ended up sending them royal mail as I decided to only take a few things, all I had to do was fill out the regular customs form and put personal items - relocation as the contents. Got them 4 days later.
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our movers sorted it all out for us - it did arrive before us but they try to avoid it. From memory you have to have had all items for over a year but aren't asked to prove it. Alot of ours was newer than that but we never got searched or anything.
Mate send over a box of DVDs which was searched and took ages - but they let it all through.
Mate send over a box of DVDs which was searched and took ages - but they let it all through.
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Originally Posted by Big D
our movers sorted it all out for us - it did arrive before us but they try to avoid it. From memory you have to have had all items for over a year but aren't asked to prove it. Alot of ours was newer than that but we never got searched or anything.
Mate send over a box of DVDs which was searched and took ages - but they let it all through.
Mate send over a box of DVDs which was searched and took ages - but they let it all through.
Still, when we put our taxes in for the year the accountant claimed for absolutely everything associated with moving - air fares, all the movers fees, customs fees, hotels - everything - we ended up getting more off the government than we paid them
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Ask the royal mail, there pretty good with this sort of thing, but if it's all old stuff, it isn't a problem, send it in the mail, the usual green customs sticky on it, with personal effects....no probs.
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Originally Posted by jim345
Does anyone know what the proper way to send stuff to the US is? We have several boxes of personal items, clothed, office equipment, cameras -- all used -- that we would like shipped. I've searched the US customs site, and although it appears to be written in the english language, it is strangely difficult to figure it all out.
Do we mark our items as "household effects" or "used personal effects", or even "professional equipment"?
Can we send our stuff BEFORE we enter the US? Obviously we would like to have our stuff there when we arrive, not be rushing around the day before our flight. But the US Customs info strangely suggests you "may" send your items at a later date. So if we mark "used personal effects" and ship before we go, do they hold it until we arrive?
Thanks in advance![Beer](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/beer.gif)
Do we mark our items as "household effects" or "used personal effects", or even "professional equipment"?
Can we send our stuff BEFORE we enter the US? Obviously we would like to have our stuff there when we arrive, not be rushing around the day before our flight. But the US Customs info strangely suggests you "may" send your items at a later date. So if we mark "used personal effects" and ship before we go, do they hold it until we arrive?
Thanks in advance
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I sent a load of household stuff through BA Cargo a week or so before I left the UK. I marked it as Used Houshold Items. You have to process the boxes through US immigration yourself upon arrival which is just filling out and signing various forms. Once this is complete they will release your cargo from their wharehouse.
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Originally Posted by jim345
Does anyone know what the proper way to send stuff to the US is? We have several boxes of personal items, clothed, office equipment, cameras -- all used -- that we would like shipped. I've searched the US customs site, and although it appears to be written in the english language, it is strangely difficult to figure it all out.
Do we mark our items as "household effects" or "used personal effects", or even "professional equipment"?
Can we send our stuff BEFORE we enter the US? Obviously we would like to have our stuff there when we arrive, not be rushing around the day before our flight. But the US Customs info strangely suggests you "may" send your items at a later date. So if we mark "used personal effects" and ship before we go, do they hold it until we arrive?
Thanks in advance![Beer](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/beer.gif)
Do we mark our items as "household effects" or "used personal effects", or even "professional equipment"?
Can we send our stuff BEFORE we enter the US? Obviously we would like to have our stuff there when we arrive, not be rushing around the day before our flight. But the US Customs info strangely suggests you "may" send your items at a later date. So if we mark "used personal effects" and ship before we go, do they hold it until we arrive?
Thanks in advance
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We were never told about import duty on goods under a year old.......?
Not worth worrying about now.......but I would of thought the packing company would of said something about it....??
Not worth worrying about now.......but I would of thought the packing company would of said something about it....??
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Originally Posted by krizzy
We were never told about import duty on goods under a year old.......
And remember at the current rate of immigration there are roughly a million people a year arriving in the US, or about 2,500 a day, and the chances of US customs showing any real interest in your worldly goods is virtually zip!
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Thanks for all the very helpful responses.
-We are mailing all of our stuff through the postal service.
-We wll mark it Used Personal Effects /Household Effects.
-We will keep a list of all the contents if need be. And since we are sending it by slow boat mail, it will get there roughly when we get there, give or take a week.
So do we have to tell the customs guy at the airport about our separately mailed goods and hand him the customs form CBP form 3299? (They also give you another form on the plane, but I think that is for stuff you are carrying on your person.) Or can we send them forms later by mail, or wait til asked? Or can we just do nothing and see if we get our packages anyway (the lazy way -- more my style)?
Have a nice weekend!
-We are mailing all of our stuff through the postal service.
-We wll mark it Used Personal Effects /Household Effects.
-We will keep a list of all the contents if need be. And since we are sending it by slow boat mail, it will get there roughly when we get there, give or take a week.
So do we have to tell the customs guy at the airport about our separately mailed goods and hand him the customs form CBP form 3299? (They also give you another form on the plane, but I think that is for stuff you are carrying on your person.) Or can we send them forms later by mail, or wait til asked? Or can we just do nothing and see if we get our packages anyway (the lazy way -- more my style)?
Have a nice weekend!
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Originally Posted by jim345
Thanks for all the very helpful responses.
-We are mailing all of our stuff through the postal service.
-We wll mark it Used Personal Effects /Household Effects.
-We will keep a list of all the contents if need be. And since we are sending it by slow boat mail, it will get there roughly when we get there, give or take a week.
So do we have to tell the customs guy at the airport about our separately mailed goods and hand him the customs form CBP form 3299? (They also give you another form on the plane, but I think that is for stuff you are carrying on your person.) Or can we send them forms later by mail, or wait til asked? Or can we just do nothing and see if we get our packages anyway (the lazy way -- more my style)?
Have a nice weekend!![Beer](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/beer.gif)
-We are mailing all of our stuff through the postal service.
-We wll mark it Used Personal Effects /Household Effects.
-We will keep a list of all the contents if need be. And since we are sending it by slow boat mail, it will get there roughly when we get there, give or take a week.
So do we have to tell the customs guy at the airport about our separately mailed goods and hand him the customs form CBP form 3299? (They also give you another form on the plane, but I think that is for stuff you are carrying on your person.) Or can we send them forms later by mail, or wait til asked? Or can we just do nothing and see if we get our packages anyway (the lazy way -- more my style)?
Have a nice weekend!
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