Hello, Moving from Canada to US (Bay area) for Amazon. Graebel requires immigration status “approval/authorization” before they can even book any services for us, but we will be getting our visas at the border upon entry (I will get L-1S based on my wife’s L-1A — both issued upon entry). How the heck do I go about this? Obviously booking moving services once we are in the States makes no sense. And we have two kids and lots of crap so lump sum is not preferable. Has anybody experienced this?
You may be able to swing by a land border crossing and get your visas early. This is possible for TNs, not sure aboot L1
Legal counsel says don’t do it. You can’t get the Visa declaring an intention to work in the US and then turn around and go back. Plus wife needs to be working within 20 days of entry. We could potentially enter early, and then I go back to pack the house in a month, but that kinda defeats the whole purpose. How do we get the temporary housing, the rental car, etc? It makes no sense.
Yes, have them arrange for your goods to cross the border *after* you have arrived in the US. Their container trucks don’t have to sprint for the closest border crossing after picking up your possessions.
Yes, but in order for them to pack those goods in the truck they need to show up while we are in Canada. Which means Graebel needs to book them beforehand, which they say they can’t until we cross and get our visas. Seems kinda absurd, I don’t get it, don’t they encounter this problem often?
Whatever they are telling you…. that’s not what others have experienced. The key fact is that although Canadians do get their TN I-94 at the border but they usually use the company provided Immigration Services which are part of the relocation package to process the TN and provide the approved USCIS I-797A form to their home address in Canada before leaving. This means the TN is already adjudicated positively and can’t be rejected TN entry at border because someone did not get their frosted donut and coffee. A copy of this same form will be fine for your movers/shippers assigned by Graebel. This is how it always works…. unless you are a minimalist and only own dungarees and a toothbrush, your possessions gotta travel without you and need some paperwork for company.
Graebel changed this in Covid as a few people took lump-sum money but were not able to actually move. I am in same situation like you now, but my L1 application file is still with attorneys. Are u a Canadian resident or a Canadian citizen? How did your L1 approval go without stamping/consular appointment?
Citizen. Wife’s legal counsel is preparing a petition for an L-1A for her (internal company transfer from Canada to US) which we take to the port of entry at the time of entry. I get L-2S as a spouse. As I understood there is no such thing as consular appointment for Canadians. You simply get cleared at the airport before departure.
If you haven't relocated yet, DM me and I might be able to help guide you through this or even help you with this. I ran across this a lot of times helping Amazon folks relocate across the border and had the exact same situation as yours. pnwrelocations.com
Check with HR?
Got a reply from the onboarding specialist that I should coordinate between immigration counsel and relocation which is… confusing. Graebel says they are not allowed to book before approval and I don’t know what immigration counsel can do here — they tell me my options for Visa, relocation is not their problem. The way this is working out is that relocation services are basically impossible if you are getting visa at the border upon entry…