Do I have to get my visa before I ship my stuff?

Hey there Stoatula!!
I was in the same sittuation as you--- nearly homeless and still no visa approval!  BUT- i shipped my stuff anyhow!   I used a company out of Jersey- and it was DIRT cheap!  I, like you, didn't have enought to fill a container, so, i just paid for the dimentions of my pallets.  I didn't have any furnature, so it was only two pallets (and appreantly the guy taking up the rest of the container had a Benz and a Porche... I'm still trying to find him )
Anyhow- I didn;t have to give them a fully itomized list, just a rough idea... So, as I packed, I numbered all the boxes (1of20, 2of20, 3of20...etc) and then made a cooresponding pack list.  (This was also REALLY reassuring to me because when I picked them up here, I could make sure they were all there!!! Never know!)
Two things : 1)I adressed the entire shipment to my (now) husband, just incase there was any confusion 2)DO NOT send anything 'new' or you will have to pay HORRIBLE customs/VAT fees here!!!!  So- wash, dust, and fingerprint everything!   I wanted to bring a few things new for cooking and that, so the night before packing up the last of the boxes, I had a major kitchen party to break it all in!!

Going by sea was the best way ever!  Dead cheap- and very worth it!  I don't think I could have replaced even 1/2 my stuff here!!  And whenever my husband and I have guests- they are always like 'oh I LOVE your dishes/furnishings/spices...'!

Anyhow, if you need any more help- just ask!  I still have the shipping sticker from my pallets!  I hung it up as a trophy! : (The pick up was a bit of an ordeal for my husband and I as we live in Wiltshire, and the ship came in in Suffolk!!)

I think I only paid $800-$900 for my upakweship shipment of 100 cubic feet.  The price depends on where you are shipping it from.  I was very happy with them--so much cheaper than UPS and USPS and the service was very good.  They take care of any fees or taxes at the port, so you don't have to worry about it (unless you choose to pick it up at the port yourself).  She was very quick to reply to any questions or worries I had, and of my 35 or so very heavy boxes, I only had one dish broken, which was due to my own packing.  I highly recommend them if you have a large amount.

Going by sea was the best way ever!  Dead cheap- and very worth it!  I don't think I could have replaced even 1/2 my stuff here!!  And whenever my husband and I have guests- they are always like 'oh I LOVE your dishes/furnishings/spices...'!

Anyhow, if you need any more help- just ask!  I still have the shipping sticker from my pallets!  I hung it up as a trophy! : (The pick up was a bit of an ordeal for my husband and I as we live in Wiltshire, and the ship came in in Suffolk!!)

Spices! I can bring spices? I was avoiding bringing any foodstuff, on the fear that might...I don't know...red flag somehow. I'd love to bring my own spices, though (DF is one of those "you have put green flakes of some kind on my food" guys, so he hasn't any spices).

Wiltshire! Lovely! I *so* have to walk the Ridgeway before I get too old and decrepit.

Wow- ok- so you have confused me on so many levels!  I am still new here- what's "DF"??  And where's the 'Ridgeway'!!?!  I used to think I knew quite a bit about this area!   LOL!  I need to get out more!

As for spices and such--- i brought LOADS (as in like two full boxes) of spices and food stuff.  The only thing, you have to watch for updates on what kinds of foods you can bring!  There are some OBVIOUS stuff to steer clear of (i.e. meat, veg, dairy!!) but last year when i came, you still had loads of freedom on dry items, preserves... I packed my favorite Ghirardelli brownie mixes, McCormick Steak seasoning (which people RAVE about!), loads of corse black pepper, ajus mix, mac and cheese(!!), those tubs of frosting, pumpkin (but not enough!!!! Should have brought more!!), loads of gravy mixes, tons of oriental food items (grew up on them in Seattle- and knew I'd never find some of it here!  I was right!!), etc!

My list could go on all night!  Luckily when I run out of stuff I call mom!  TGFM (Thank God for MOM!)

Oh and my husband hadn't a clue what pepper and salt was for before I came here-- and now he is addicted!!  He actually tells other people about how good all my 'magical-American-potions' are!

Wow- ok- so you have confused me on so many levels!  I am still new here- what's "DF"??  And where's the 'Ridgeway'!!?!  I used to think I knew quite a bit about this area!   LOL!  I need to get out more!

DF is "dear fiancee"...part of a set with DH, DS and DD (husband, son and daughter, respectively). I don't know that I've ever seen DW

Ohhh...the Ridgeway is the oldest continuously-used path in Britain. In the stone age, it probably went along the ridge forever, but only 85 miles of it remain. Though they've linked it up with other, similar ancient footpaths to form a Greater Ridgeway. It passes near (sometimes very near) many wonderful old archeological sites, like Avebury and the White Horse. I've walked it as far as Wayland's Smithy, which isn't very far at all.

If you like walking and you like ancient history, Wiltshire is heaven. We're in Sussex, but we've visit Wiltshire often. Also, it's a very fun place to visit from Google Maps (the satellite version) because you can see lots of ancient mounds and embankments you can't see from the ground.

Here's Wikipedia on the Ridgeway. Google will give you more.

As for spices and such--- i brought LOADS (as in like two full boxes) of spices and food stuff.  The only thing, you have to watch for updates on what kinds of foods you can bring!  There are some OBVIOUS stuff to steer clear of (i.e. meat, veg, dairy!!) but last year when i came, you still had loads of freedom on dry items, preserves... I packed my favorite Ghirardelli brownie mixes, McCormick Steak seasoning (which people RAVE about!), loads of corse black pepper, ajus mix, mac and cheese(!!), those tubs of frosting, pumpkin (but not enough!!!! Should have brought more!!), loads of gravy mixes, tons of oriental food items (grew up on them in Seattle- and knew I'd never find some of it here!  I was right!!), etc!

Did everything have to be new (aka unopened) or was it okay to just pack up the spice rack?  I'm wanting to bring spices and also some "necessities" like grape jam, cranberry sauce and canned pumpkin.  Our shipper told us it was okay, but I still just...worry.  I'd hate to be delayed or fined over some oregano.