Shipping from Eastern Canada to West Coast USA

[LauraCz 7]

Hi everyone, I just recieved my physical K1 from the post today (  ) and would appreciate some advice for shipping household items from Canada to the US via air travel. I'd prefer to have my stuff sent ahead before I arrive. After some reserach, I have seen moving companies offer things like trucks, but my destination is way too far to drive. My fiancé and I discussed UPS as an option, but I'm not sure if customs would charge my fiancé for duty/taxes. I'm feel pretty confused about my options here, I thought I might try asking VJ before I go ahead to with asking UPS. I hope this is the right place to ask, and thanks in advance.

Edited January 10, 2017 by LauraCz

[ricnally 258]

How much stuff do you have, and is there furniture involved? I shipped 2 bunches of stuff from 2 different locations--one from BC, and one from Ontario. The load from BC was just boxes and ended up being 1 pallet, (so a pile of boxes about 4' x4' x 5' high). I used Shipsmart and was pretty happy with it. They only do boxes, though, no furniture. For my bigger load from  Ontario, I used UPack. This load had some furniture, but unfortunately I wasn't able to fill up even their minimum space, so that ended up being pretty expensive. For Upack, they come and park a truck at your place. You load it up yourself, and then they come and drive it to your destination where you unload it yourself. With either company, you, yourself, have to cross the border either before or with your belongings. Shipsmart came and got my stuff a few days before I crossed, and then just held on to it until I sent them the paperwork showing that I'd activated my visa. The stuff arrived within a week. Hope that helps!

Edited January 10, 2017 by ricnally

[NikLR 13,220]

Unfortunately your stuff can't cross the border until you've activated your visa. 

[LauraCz 7]

3 minutes ago, NikLR said:

Unfortunately your stuff can't cross the border until you've activated your visa. 

Thanks so much for the information! I was hoping that wouldn't have to be the case, but I'll just have to deal with it then.

[LauraCz 7]

6 minutes ago, ricnally said:

How much stuff do you have, and is there furniture involved? I shipped 2 bunches of stuff from 2 different locations--one from BC, and one from Ontario. The load from BC was just boxes and ended up being 1 pallet, (so a pile of boxes about 4' x4' x 5' high). I used Shipsmart and was pretty happy with it. They only do boxes, though, no furniture. For my bigger load from  Ontario, I used UPack. This load had some furniture, but unfortunately I wasn't able to fill up even their minimum space, so that ended up being pretty expensive. For Upack, they come and park a truck at your place. You load it up yourself, and then they come and drive it to your destination where you unload it yourself. With either company, you, yourself, have to cross the border either before or with your belongings. Shipsmart came and got my stuff a few days before I crossed, and then just held on to it until I sent them the paperwork showing that I'd activated my visa. The stuff arrived within a week. Hope that helps!

I won't be bringing any furniture. I have my wardrobe (perhaps two suitcases worth), my PC, a large printer, misc junk, and my books. I'll look into both companies, and see if Shipsmart will do Montreal to WA state. Thank you kindly!

[Ash.1101 1,755]

If you have family to help, you can give them power of attorney to sign for you.. If it's just you then you can send them off the day before ya leaves or the day ya leave. When it gets held up, UPS/whoever-the-shipper-is, will ask for proof that you are in the country which will cause there to be no duties placed. 

My husband, fiance-at-the-time, had his parents ship his stuff about a month into being here. He gave them power of attorney to sign for him and ship his things and gave them all the required documents. When it got held in customs, UPS contacted his parents, we sent them the visa stamp in his passport and a copy of the I-94 (unnecessary though), they emailed that to UPS and his package was released shortly after, with no duties charged and on it's way to us.


 

Edited January 10, 2017 by Ash.1101