Moving back to the US
u/dhurlzzr/USCISNov 23, 2025
My process took around 25months, but I’ve heard of some peoples taking less then 10 months.
For your two-person, three-pet move, use about $25,000 as an illustrative starting cash reserve—not a quoted relocation price—plus pet airfare, any household shipment and any car purchase, and shortlist Texas, North Carolina and Arizona.
“I am a US citizen planning to move from the Netherlands to the US with my non-US partner, two cats, and a dog. Once his visa is sorted, what typical relocation costs should we budget for, and what are some warm-weather states with good job markets?”
Summary
You can make this manageable by separating one-time moving expenses from the cash you need while settling in. Your three pets deserve their own budget and confirmed travel arrangements, rather than being treated as ordinary extra baggage.
Your biggest controllable moving-cost choice is whether to travel light or ship your household belongings.
Travel light and furnish after arrivalLess freight
Bring the possessions you most need and treat replacement furnishings as a separate spending allowance. This avoids committing to an unpriced household shipment; moving providers explain that overseas freight charges depend on shipment volume and service level, so it is not possible to establish a guaranteed saving without comparing the belongings you would replace. [Schumacher Cargo international moving cost guidance]
Ship selected belongings or furnitureKeep belongings
A lets you pay for the space your belongings occupy rather than necessarily taking a whole container. Compare packing, collection, port handling, final delivery, storage and insurance as separate parts of the service. Household effects actually used abroad for at least one year and not intended for someone else or for sale may enter duty- and tax-free; claiming that exemption requires CBP Form 3299 or its electronic equivalent. Duty-free does not mean shipping is free. [Schumacher Cargo moving guidance; 19 CFR 148.52(a), (c)]
Neither option includes a quoted freight price, car purchase or shipping, or remaining immigration fees in the illustrative cash budget below.
Read the full explanationHide the full explanation
Watch out for
Three pets need confirmed transport spacesDo not assume that two passenger tickets accommodate all three pets in the cabin. KLM’s cabin allowance is one cat or dog, weighing no more than 8 kg together with its carrier; intercontinental Business and Premium Comfort do not allow cabin pets. KLM permits up to three pets in the hold, but not on its Boeing 787-9, Boeing 787-10 or Airbus A321neo aircraft. Coordinate the aircraft and all three animal reservations before committing to your itinerary. [KLM pet transport policy]
Your dog's travel history changes the rulesCase 1: If your dog has spent the entire previous six months in the Netherlands or other CDC low-risk countries, the simpler CDC entry requirements below apply. The Netherlands is not on CDC’s high-risk list. Case 2: If your dog visited a high-risk country during those six months, additional rabies and documentation requirements apply; the low-risk checklist is not enough, and that branch’s complete paperwork and costs remain unresolved here. [CDC low-risk dog requirements; CDC high-risk country list, updated April 15, 2026]
A visa does not always mean immediate incomeCase 1: If your partner enters with an immigrant visa and becomes a permanent resident, his properly endorsed immigrant visa in his passport can serve as employment-verification evidence; he need not wait for the plastic green card for that evidence. Case 2: If he enters on a K-1 fiancé visa, budget without assuming immediate earnings: USCIS describes applying for using Form I-765, and you must marry within 90 days of admission. Case 3: For another visa category, his work-start rules cannot be determined from the facts provided. [USCIS Temporary I-551 Stamps and MRIVs; USCIS Visas for Fiancé(e)s]
Federal pet rules are only one layerCDC does not require rabies-vaccination proof for cats entering the mainland United States, and USDA APHIS has no animal-health import requirements for pet cats. That does not establish compliance with your airline or destination’s requirements: APHIS expressly notes that receiving states set their own movement requirements. Obtain written housing permission covering both cats and the dog as part of your rental agreement; do not assume a property accepts all three. [CDC cat import rules; USDA APHIS pet-cat import guidance]
Rent benchmarks are not apartment offersThe HUD figures below are ZIP-specific housing-program reference amounts, not advertised apartments, guaranteed asking rents or a finding that you qualify for housing assistance. Use them to test your budget, not to assume that a particular three-pet rental is available at that price. [HUD FY 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent tables]
Next steps
These steps turn the move into a destination shortlist, a cash plan and the essential arrival arrangements.
Choose the destination first
Shortlist cities using jobs and your definition of warm
Texas: start a job-led comparison with Dallas–Fort Worth; statewide employment rose by 159,400 jobs, or 1.1%, over the year, and unemployment was 4.4%. North Carolina: include Raleigh; statewide employment rose by 65,600, or 1.3%, and unemployment was 3.5%. Raleigh has hot summers, but it is not warm year-round: NWS early-January normal lows are around 32°F and early-July highs around 90–91°F. Arizona: include Phoenix if warmer winters matter most; its January normal average high is 67.6°F, but July's is 106.5°F, and Arizona unemployment was 4.9%. The employment figures are for August 2026, published September 18; the September release was scheduled for October 20, after your planning date. These state figures are a starting comparison, not a promise about either person's job prospects. [BLS August 2026 release; NWS climate normals]
Requirements
The occupations you and your partner want to pursue
Whether you want warm winters or simply hot summers
Illustrative amounts, not market quotes
Build separate moving and living-expense budgets
For a light move, here is a USD planning exercise using spending allowances chosen by SettleKit: $2,000 for two passenger flights and baggage; $1,000 for veterinary preparation and carriers; $2,500 for temporary accommodation and basic setup; $2,000 for the first month's rent; an assumed $2,000 housing deposit; and $12,000 for three additional months of household essentials at $4,000 a month. That totals $21,500; adding a 15% cushion of $3,225 gives $24,725, rounded to about $25,000. These are assumptions—not researched typical prices—and the deposit is not a statement of law or a landlord's terms. Add pet airfare separately: KLM publishes €70–€500 per pet per one-way flight, so three separately charged pets imply €210–€1,500 before veterinary work or carriers. Keep euros and dollars separate until you have an actual exchange rate. For housing context, FY 2027 examples for two bedrooms are $2,250 in Dallas-area ZIP 75001, $1,750 in Raleigh ZIP 27601 and $1,740 in Phoenix ZIP 85001. The example excludes household freight, car purchase or shipping, and remaining immigration costs; insurance premiums and any longer income gap need your own additional allowance. [KLM pet policy; HUD FY 2027 ZIP tables]
Requirements
Your choice of light move or household shipment
An assumed monthly household spending limit
A housing agreement expressly permitting all three pets
Before departure
Prepare your dog's entry receipt and the cats' travel records
For the low-risk dog case, your dog must be at least six months old, appear healthy and have a microchip readable with a universal scanner. Complete the free CDC Dog Import Form using the form linked at https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/dog-import-form-instructions.html, confirm your email address and save the receipt on your phone or print it. For the high-risk travel-history case, do not use this as the complete checklist: additional requirements and costs are unresolved above. For your cats, CDC requires that they appear healthy; an examination of an ill cat can be at your expense. Federal rabies-proof rules for cats do not establish compliance with airline or state requirements. [CDC dog requirements and form instructions; CDC cat rules; USDA APHIS cat guidance]
Requirements
Your dog's age, microchip details and six-month travel history
Healthy animals at arrival
Airline-accepted carriers
Before making firm travel commitments
Coordinate the aircraft, pet reservations and arrival home
With KLM, request the pet reservations as early as possible and no later than 48 hours before departure. If each cat and carrier is within the 8 kg cabin limit, cabin travel may be an option on an eligible Economy itinerary; your dog needs its own approved arrangement. Do not select a Boeing 787-9 or 787-10 itinerary expecting the dog to travel in the hold. Keep the actual pet booking charge, accommodation terms and any deposit or pet charges as separate lines in your budget. Route-specific acceptance and charges beyond KLM's published range have not been established here. [KLM pet transport policy]
Requirements
A flight operated with an aircraft that accepts the intended pet transport
Confirmed places for both cats and the dog
Written accommodation permission for all three animals
Only if you ship household effects
Declare belongings shipped separately
Use CBP Form 3299, Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles: https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/cbp_form_3299_0.pdf. Complete the applicable identification, article-list and certification sections. Under 19 CFR 148.52, qualifying household effects used abroad for at least one year and not intended for another person or for sale may enter free of duty and tax. The year of use need not be continuous or immediately before importation. Keep freight, handling, delivery, storage and insurance separate from the customs-duty question; no all-in shipment price is established here. [19 CFR 148.52(a)–(c); CBP Form 3299]
Requirements
A list of the shipped articles
Evidence of qualifying use abroad
Completed and signed CBP Form 3299 when claiming free entry
Around arrival
Arrange health coverage promptly after the move
A move from abroad can open a for Marketplace health insurance. HealthCare.gov says these enrollment windows usually extend 60 days following the qualifying event; begin the application promptly rather than treating that as spare time. CMS's January 2026 guidance exempts you from the usual prior-coverage requirement if you lived in a foreign country or US territory for at least one day during the 60 days before moving. The federal enrollment entry point is https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage-outside-open-enrollment/special-enrollment-period. Your premium and any financial assistance cannot be priced from the information provided, so do not treat the cash example as an insurance quote. [CMS Special Enrollment Period Tip Sheet; HealthCare.gov enrollment guidance]
Requirements
Your US residence and move details
Your household income information
Your partner's immigration status
Others who faced this
You are not the first to go through this. Here is how it went for others who asked the same thing.
[APPROVED] I-130 & I-485 | Interview Experience and Timeline | Providence Field Office
u/Happy-Sun-4178r/USCISAug 31, 2026
The interview went very smoothly. When we were first called up, they asked us for any new evidence. I handed over a big stack of new evidence, which they scanned.
Legal sources
The process rules come from CDC, USDA APHIS, CBP, USCIS and CMS; the planning benchmarks come from BLS, HUD, the National Weather Service and KLM.
BLS State Employment and Unemployment — August 2026
Texas and North Carolina had substantial annual job gains; the accompanying tables provide the state unemployment rates used in the shortlist.
BLS State Employment and Unemployment — August 2026
August 2026 summary and Tables A and E
The largest job gains occurred in Texas (+159,400), California (+138,500), and North Carolina (+65,600).
HUD FY 2027 Dallas-area Small Area FMRs
HUD lists a $2,250 two-bedroom reference amount for ZIP 75001 in the Dallas area.
HUD FY 2027 Dallas-area Small Area FMRs
FY 2027 Small Area FMR table, ZIP 75001, Two-Bedroom column
|[75001](https://www.huduser.gov/datasets/fmr/fmr2027/zip-calc?year=2027&zip=75001&cbsasub=METRO19100M19100) |$1,850 |$1,920 |$2,250 |$2,840 |$3,600 |
HUD FY 2027 Raleigh-Cary Small Area FMRs
HUD lists a $1,750 two-bedroom reference amount for Raleigh ZIP 27601.
HUD FY 2027 Raleigh-Cary Small Area FMRs
FY 2027 Small Area FMR table, ZIP 27601, Two-Bedroom column
|[27601](https://www.huduser.gov/datasets/fmr/fmr2027/zip-calc?year=2027&zip=27601&cbsasub=METRO39580M39580) |$1,540 |$1,610 |$1,750 |$2,180 |$2,930 |
HUD FY 2027 Phoenix-area Small Area FMRs
HUD lists a $1,740 two-bedroom reference amount for Phoenix ZIP 85001.
HUD FY 2027 Phoenix-area Small Area FMRs
FY 2027 Small Area FMR table, ZIP 85001, Two-Bedroom column
|[85001](https://www.huduser.gov/datasets/fmr/fmr2027/zip-calc?year=2027&zip=85001&cbsasub=METRO38060M38060) |$1,400 |$1,500 |$1,740 |$2,300 |$2,550 |
NWS Raleigh-Durham 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Raleigh-Durham has hot summers but normal early-January overnight temperatures around freezing.
NWS Raleigh-Durham 1991–2020 Climate Normals
January 1 and July 2 daily normal temperature rows; High and Low columns
01/01 52 32 42 0.11 0 23 0 07/02 91 69 80 0.14 0 0 15
NWS Phoenix January Climate Summary
Phoenix's January normal average high is 67.6°F; the other figure in this row is the observed January 2023 value.
NWS Phoenix January Climate Summary
Page 1, Phoenix Average High Temperature; Normal 1991–2020 column
**_Average High Temperature_** **63\.4 °F 67.6 °F**
NWS Phoenix July Climate Summary
Phoenix's July normal average high is 106.5°F, so its warmth comes with very hot summers.
NWS Phoenix July Climate Summary
Page 1, Phoenix Average High Temperature; Normal 1991–2020 column
**_Average High Temperature_** **114\.7 °F 106.5 °F**
KLM pet transport policy
KLM publishes a pet fee range, cabin and hold limits, aircraft exclusions and a 48-hour reservation deadline.
KLM pet transport policy
Reservations, Pets in the cabin, Pets in the hold, and Costs
The cost of traveling with your pet on KLM ranges from EUR 70 to EUR 500 per one-way flight. You can bring 1 cat or dog with you in the cabin when traveling in Economy Class, or when traveling in Business Class within Europe. Together with your pet, the travel bag or kennel can weigh no more than 8 kg (17.6 lb). You can bring up to 3 pets in the hold. Pets cannot travel in the hold of KLM flights with Boeing 787-9, Boeing 787-10, and Airbus A321neo aircraft, nor on German Airways flights. You cannot bring a pet in the cabin if you fly Premium Comfort Class or Business Class on an intercontinental route. Make the reservation no later than 48 hours before the departure of your flight.
CDC low-risk dog entry requirements
The simpler dog-entry process requires the free CDC form plus age, health and microchip conditions.
CDC low-risk dog entry requirements
Dogs from low-risk countries; Cost; Additional requirements
For dogs that have been only in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries in the 6 months before U.S. entry, this is the only form that is needed. Free Dogs must appear healthy upon arrival. Dogs must be at least 6 months old at time of entry or return to the U.S. Dogs must have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them.
CDC Dog Import Form instructions
You must confirm the email address after submitting the dog form to obtain its receipt.
CDC Dog Import Form instructions
What to know
After you submit the form, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your email address. Once you have confirmed your email, you will receive a receipt. You can print the receipt or show it on your phone.
CDC high-risk countries for dog rabies
A dog's recent travel history, not just its departure country, determines whether the additional high-risk rules apply.
CDC high-risk countries for dog rabies
Country classification and high-risk entry requirements
The countries and political units listed below are considered high risk for importing dog rabies into the United States. Dogs that have been in any of these countries within the past 6 months are required to be vaccinated against rabies in order to enter the U.S. They must also meet additional requirements such as age, microchip, rabies serology titer, health, and documentation requirements.
CDC cat import requirements
CDC requires healthy cats at entry but does not require rabies-vaccination proof for mainland-US importation.
CDC cat import requirements
Cats
CDC requires that cats appear healthy upon arrival to the United States. If a cat appears to be ill, further examination by a licensed veterinarian at the owner's expense might be required before the cat is allowed to enter the United States. Cats are not required to have proof of rabies vaccination for importation into the United States.
USDA APHIS pet-cat import guidance
APHIS imposes no pet-cat animal-health import conditions, but receiving-state requirements remain separate.
USDA APHIS pet-cat import guidance
Pet cats; State requirements
APHIS Veterinary Services does not have any animal health requirements related to bringing (importing) a pet cat into the United States from a foreign country. Domestic movement requirements are set by the receiving State or Territory.
19 CFR 148.52
Qualifying used household effects may enter duty-free, supported by Form 3299.
19 CFR 148.52
(a) and (c)
Furniture, carpets, paintings, tableware, books, libraries, and other usual household furnishings and effects actually used abroad for not less than 1 year by resident or nonresidents, and not intended for any other person or for sale may be allowed entry free of duty and tax under subheading 9804.00.05, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (19 U.S.C. 1202). When household effects are claimed to be free of duty a declaration of the owner on Customs Form 3299, or its electronic equivalent, shall be required to support the claim for free entry.
CBP Form 3299
This is the official declaration for claiming free entry of belongings shipped separately.
CBP Form 3299
Page 1; Parts I, IV and VI
**DECLARATION FOR FREE ENTRY OF UNACCOMPANIED ARTICLES** 19 CFR 148.6, 148.52, 148.53, 148.77
CMS Special Enrollment Period Tip Sheet
Recent residence abroad creates an exception to the usual previous-health-coverage requirement for moving-based enrollment.
CMS Special Enrollment Period Tip Sheet
Change in primary place of living
Generally, you only qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you had qualifying health coverage for at least 1 day in the 60 days before your move. But, this doesn’t apply if: You were living in a foreign country or a U.S. territory for at least 1 day in the 60 days before the move.
HealthCare.gov Special Enrollment Period
Moving can create a special enrollment opportunity, whose enrollment window is usually 60 days.
HealthCare.gov Special Enrollment Period
You qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you’ve had certain life events, including losing health coverage, moving, getting married, having a baby, or adopting a child. Depending on your Special Enrollment Period type, you usually have 60 days before or 60 days following the event to enroll in a plan.
USCIS Temporary I-551 Stamps and MRIVs
An appropriately endorsed immigrant visa can provide employment-verification evidence before the physical green card arrives.
USCIS Temporary I-551 Stamps and MRIVs
Machine-readable immigrant visas
The employee’s foreign passport with the MRIV is evidence the employee has permanent residence status for 1 year from the date of admission. Even if the MRIV is issued without the statement “FOR 1 YEAR,” employers should treat the MRIV as an acceptable List A document valid for 1 year from the date of admission.
USCIS Visas for Fiancé(e)s of U.S. Citizens
K-1 entry has different work-permission arrangements and a 90-day marriage deadline.
USCIS Visas for Fiancé(e)s of U.S. Citizens
Permission to Work; Step 4: Marriage
After being admitted to the U.S. on a K-1 nonimmigrant visa, your fiancé(e) may immediately apply for evidence of work authorization by filing Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. If your fiancé(e) is admitted as a K-1 nonimmigrant, you and your fiancé(e) have 90 days to marry each other.
Schumacher Cargo international moving guidance
The mover explains why shipment volume and service scope determine freight costs, rather than publishing a universal relocation price.
Schumacher Cargo international moving guidance
International moving costs
As with any relocation, international moving costs are based on multiple factors. These include the type of service, volume of your shipment, origin location, and final destination country. This makes using a shared service cost effective because you only pay for the space you need.
These are the official rules and published benchmarks on the cited dates; rules, carrier policies and prices can change.
This is general information about official processes, not legal advice, and SettleKit is not a law firm.
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