moving my belongings on a K1 visa

[ricnally 258]

hi all: just waiting for NOA2 and thinking about future move to the U.S. I'm planning to have my stuff professionally moved when I finally get the K1. My question is, since the K1 is technically a non-immigrant visa, is it OK to have my stuff "follow" me in shortly after I arrive, or do I have to keep it in storage in Canada until we're actually married and I've applied for AOS?

Thanks!

[Inky 1,110]

hi all: just waiting for NOA2 and thinking about future move to the U.S. I'm planning to have my stuff professionally moved when I finally get the K1. My question is, since the K1 is technically a non-immigrant visa, is it OK to have my stuff "follow" me in shortly after I arrive, or do I have to keep it in storage in Canada until we're actually married and I've applied for AOS?

Thanks!

Bring it with you the same day you cross - no issues

Bring it over after you already crossed - no issues

Cannot bring it before you go - you will have issues.

Getting married/filing AOS has nothing to do with bringing your stuff.

[baron555 934]

hi all: just waiting for NOA2 and thinking about future move to the U.S. I'm planning to have my stuff professionally moved when I finally get the K1. My question is, since the K1 is technically a non-immigrant visa, is it OK to have my stuff "follow" me in shortly after I arrive, or do I have to keep it in storage in Canada until we're actually married and I've applied for AOS?

Thanks!

You stuff can be moved any time during this process. It is not part of it.

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

You stuff can be moved any time during this process. It is not part of it.

It cannot. It has to be at the same time or after, not before.

[Hope6 0]

Actually, once you have been approved and have the K-1 Visa, your stuff can go. There is a form the movers require with copies of your Visa, but your stuff can indeed go ahead of you.

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

Actually, once you have been approved and have the K-1 Visa, your stuff can go. There is a form the movers require with copies of your Visa, but your stuff can indeed go ahead of you.

Can someone else back this up? Everything I have read and researched says that even though you're approved and have your visa, your stuff cannot go ahead of you. It can go at the same time or after, but not before.

[Hope6 0]

I'm using AMJ Campbell for my move. The Fortune 500 corporation I work for uses them for all international/cross-country moves, so they know what they're talking about. Here's a link to the instructions for filling out the 3299 form - for shipping "unaccompanied" goods across the border.

http://www.amj-international.com/pdf/International_Moving_US_3299_instructions.pdf

[C-ma'am 684]

**Post moved from K1 main to Canada forum. Question is not about a K1 process or procedure and may best addressed in this part of the forum, where other fellow Canadians can advise on best logistics from there to the US.

[VeeNDee 44]

From what I heard, the moving company needs an copy of your I-94 to move your stuff and you won't receive that until you actually POE yourself. You might want to double check with others but that is what is ringing a bell for me.

[pocheros 101]

UPS wouldn't deliver my boxes until I provided them with a copy of my I-94 which you get when you POE. Some moving companies are ill-informed about the process though (for example, requesting I-94s from IR1/CR1 holders).

Edited February 26, 2013 by pocheros

[Krikit 1,163]

Actually, once you have been approved and have the K-1 Visa, your stuff can go. There is a form the movers require with copies of your Visa, but your stuff can indeed go ahead of you.

Nope, not true. Once you cross there is a letter you have to send back to the movers. It needs to include a copy of the I-94, both front and back; the endorsed visa; and something else which I can't recall at the moment. A signed release form, I think it was.

Edited to add that they require a copy of the bio page of your passport as well.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Krikit

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I booked through AJM Campbell as well and they ended up using United VanLines for my move back in 2004. They did a great job and everything arrived on time and in the same condition in which it was shipped

You need to provide them with a copy of your I-94 and the stamped K-1 visa in your passport after you have cleared immigration before your belongings can cross the border. The moving company is familiar with bringing in unaccompanied belongings so all you need to do is fax them a copy of those two items and you will be fine. You can provide them with a copy of your biographical page from your passport before you actually leave the country- they can pick it up when they pick up your belongings - but the other two will need to be sent to them after you cross the border. When the delivery van arrived the movers told me they were glad they had my documents because they were requested at the border and it would have caused them problems if they had been denied entry with my goods as they had the belongings of two other individuals on board as well to make up a full load.