upack and photo albums

[tdotca 41]

Hi there, Just did a reservation/quote from UPack for a Relocube from Toronto to San Jose. Josh was very helpful and attentive.

After I got off the phone, I read some of the stuff he sent which includes what can be shipped or not.

I am shaking my head at photo /photo albums on the can't be shipped. I can understand no explosive type things but albums???

Anyone used them and was able to ship photo albums? Did they reject those if you listed or did you not list them?

[ricnally 258]

I used upack from Ottawa to California and shipped photo albums, one-of-a-kind artwork and antiques among other things. Obviously, those things are on the list cuz they're not replaceable and upack is just covering themselves. The container has your own locks on it and the keys will be with you, and it's highly unlikely that they will go to the trouble of breaking the locks so they can examine your stuff, so they'll never see your photo albums anyway. I didn't list the photo albums cuz you don't need that much detail. They were just in a box listed as "personal items" and my art work was just listed as "art". Furniture doesn't need to be itemized.

[SuzieQTpi 54]

Having worked for a large corporation that did numerous domestic and international moves, I have seen too many instances where personal (family treasures) items have gone missing, even had a few cases where the truck crashed and burned and everything was lost. Every day things like furniture etc can be replaced, but photos etc cannot. I always advised the people being transferred to take either the photos or the negatives with them so if something happened to one, they would have the other. If it's something that insurance cannot replace, take it with you

[ricnally 258]

Can't speak about fire or other catastrophes, but as far as stuff getting stolen, I repeat, you put your own locks on at one end and take them off at the other. I asked them how often they cut the locks off at the border to examine the stuff coming from Canada to US in these kinds of cases, and the reply was "never". (That's probably unless you list that you've packed explosives or something).

[NikLR 13,220]

Heck even when you cross with a Uhaul they rarely look inside the truck! We even announced we had 3 apples and he was like "sure whatever".

[tdotca 41]

ricnally, good to hear that you were able to ship photo albums with UPACK . I too will be shipping one-of-a-kind art as well.

Yes, I will be putting my own lock on the relocube. I did ask UPACK if I needed to give them a key just in case customs wanted to look inside.. he said no as it would be hard to keep track of the key. If Customs wants to look inside, they will simply cut the lock and if so, they should be putting a notification inside like they do when they open your luggage. I said great and if that happens and no paper, they will be hearing from me.

BTW.. Josh/ UPACK told me that they don't need the copy of the I94 before they can start to move/ship my belongings - as long as they have copy of my passport page/ copy of the K1 Visa and form 3299, they are good. Did you guys give them the I94?

[ricnally 258]

ricnally, good to hear that you were able to ship photo albums with UPACK . I too will be shipping one-of-a-kind art as well.

Yes, I will be putting my own lock on the relocube. I did ask UPACK if I needed to give them a key just in case customs wanted to look inside.. he said no as it would be hard to keep track of the key. If Customs wants to look inside, they will simply cut the lock and if so, they should be putting a notification inside like they do when they open your luggage. I said great and if that happens and no paper, they will be hearing from me.

BTW.. Josh/ UPACK told me that they don't need the copy of the I94 before they can start to move/ship my belongings - as long as they have copy of my passport page/ copy of the K1 Visa and form 3299, they are good. Did you guys give them the I94?

i did 2 moves. The first was a small amount of stuff (no furniture) that went with a company called Smartship. They picked it up a couple days before I POEd on K1. I THINK I had to give them a copy of the visa in my passport when they picked up (or before), and then I had to send them a copy of the stamped visa (after I POEd) before they would cross the border with my stuff. I did the second move, with Upack, 18 months later and was able to give them a photocopy of my green card. (BTW, you have 10 years to move all your stuff).

[gad33 47]

They need a copy of your visa/passport to show that you can legally live in the US and a copy of the i94 after you have crossed to shw that you are in the US because your belongings cannot enter before you do.