Extra suitcases?

[summerangel 2]

I am going to ship a lot of my stuff at a later date as I live at home with my parents and can leave it with them for now but I wanted to take 2-3 suitcases with me when I leave. I know i have to pay extra for each suitcase and that's okay but I was wondering what happens at immigration and customs? Do I have to declare all my stuff as I am emigrating to the US on a K1 visa? and will I have to pay import duty on my stuff.

Also with having so much luggage when I pick it up in Chicago I will struggle at the carousel without a trolly cart thing to put them on. I just wondered in the UK we have to put a £1 coin in, is this the same in the US/Chicago? Just so I can make sure I have the coin ready, thanks so much for all your help.

[Inky 1,110]

Never had to use a coin when I was in chicago airport. Though it was pretty hard to find a cart generally they were all being used!

[jingo 38]

You'll have to pay extra for each suitcase but you can do that on the airline's website when you book your flight ticket and it will tell you how much extra you'll have to pay.

Yeah at the airport you'll probably need to find one of those carts!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I know i have to pay extra for each suitcase and that's okay but I was wondering what happens at immigration and customs? Do I have to declare all my stuff as I am emigrating to the US on a K1 visa? and will I have to pay import duty on my stuff.

Immigration/brown envelope stuff is before you pick up luggage.

Customs: You get a form on the plane. Write household goods on it, no list and no value. That's what CBP told me to do. We had six bags between us. There is no duty bringing your possessions when you immigrate.

If you are bringing gifts, liquor, cigarettes, duty free shop purchases, etc then itemize and value them because they are new items.

[JoannaV 173]

One thing you might want to find out, is how customs works when you ship the rest of your stuff later. You can ship all your household goods when you immigrate without paying any duty/tax. But I don't know how long you have to ship them until that would no longer apply. So something to find out!

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

One thing you might want to find out, is how customs works when you ship the rest of your stuff later. You can ship all your household goods when you immigrate without paying any duty/tax. But I don't know how long you have to ship them until that would no longer apply. So something to find out!

I know it's at least a year, but something in my foggy brain is saying 3 or 5 years. LOL It's an odd number, so not 2 or 4, says brain. Too lazy to confirm it.

[summerangel 2]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I am finishing packing as quickly as possible now but my 3rd suitcase is nearly full and I wonder if I should just squash it as best I can or leave stuff because I'm moving to Michigan and I only got my super winter coat last year and I really wanted to pack it. Do you think 4 cases would be overkill or okay?

I will look into how long I have to ship my stuff without having to pay import duty and I will have to get a move on with that. I can at least get the main important stuff shipped that I have boxed already shipped and worry about the old stuff kept for memories and stuff at a later date. I'm sure that's of less issue to them when charging me than the rest of my clothes, shoes, books etc that I have mostly boxed up. Hopefully there is a couple of years on that though so we can get totally sorted with a house or I'll be looking for a storage unit hehe.

Thanks for all the help. Fingers crossed for finding a cart

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Weigh your bags before you overstuff. Look on your airline website to see the weight limits or you could get slapped with an overweight charge too. I had to sit on the floor at Gatwick once and repack and redistribute weight.

[summerangel 2]

Yeah I am keeping them under, thanks for the advice though, last time I had to take a couple of items out and had a random shoe in my hand luggage. Did you fly american airlines btw? I was just looking and I think it seems my 3rd bag will be twice the cost of the 2nd eek. Think I will have to pass on the 4th.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Yeah I am keeping them under, thanks for the advice though, last time I had to take a couple of items out and had a random shoe in my hand luggage. Did you fly american airlines btw? I was just looking and I think it seems my 3rd bag will be twice the cost of the 2nd eek. Think I will have to pass on the 4th.

I was on BA when I had to re-pack because it was too heavy. They actually gave me a big BA zipper bag and luggage tag and told me to repack. That was in the days when they weren't so picky about charging for checked luggage.

Looking at American, flights from Europe it says--

One bag carry-on: No charge

One bag checked: No charge

One personal item: No charge

So are you counting your free carry on and personal item in your bags? And your first checked bag is free. I'd use a backpack or HUGE handbag for my personal item and stuff it full. And wear the coat to keep it from taking up luggage space. Then stuff it in the top bin or use it as a pillow. Weird in summer, but if it saves money....be eccentric. LOL

[Susan&Daniel 0]

If I'm bringing items of clothing, a few baby bottles and some baby toys, do I need to declare this as household goods? I'm bringing two suitcases & two carry-on bags, so not much as all of my stuff got shipped out months ago.

Also, can't you pay for extra luggage on the day of the flight or do you have to pay in advance? I'm flying with AA.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Susan&Daniel

[jingo 38]

Not sure how useful this will be, but after moving back to London after my J1 year, BA didn't care that my suitcase was about 20 pounds overweight!

If I'm bringing items of clothing, a few baby bottles and some baby toys, do I need to declare this as household goods? I'm bringing two suitcases & two carry-on bags, so not much as all of my stuff got shipped out months ago.

Also, can't you pay for extra luggage on the day of the flight or do you have to pay in advance? I'm flying with AA.

AA will have all that information on their website or an easy link to it in your booking section. You can pay for extra luggage either in advance or on the day but I know some airlines charge more if you have to pay on the day because its last minute.

[qwerty1974 11]

I'm hoping to take six bags/suitcases between three of us...and REALLY hoping it doesn't work out massively expensive!! Rather meet the expense and the agro though than have to leave things behind....oh, and one cat, but that's a whole other forum post!

[Chris921 13]

for MAD1974, since you have 3 people you'll be taking 3 extra bags, 1 per person i would definately pay for the extra baggage online then at an airport since they jack up the prices there since they know you cannot just leave them, so flying with aa and ua the charges were about 35 pound per bag so woul comes to 135 total, from my experience at least. it does depend on the airline