Exporting Car from USA or putting car on goods to follow list

[TreeLover]

Has anyone else who has been staying in Canada had to go back to the USA for 3 days before exporting their car?  I got information from the USA car export about exporting my car and they said you must send them the copy of your title and a filled out worksheet 72 hours before exporting AND the car MUST be in the USA during those 72 hours and if it is not and they find out it was in Canada, then they can seize your car or issue a fine. 

So my plan was that my partner and I were going to go back to the USA to get my stuff and land next thursday, but now it seems like I will have to take my car to WA on Monday and then stay there until Thursday and pack up my things on my own.  I called CBSA to see if I could avoid importing the car when I land, but they said it's not possible.  They also said they don't care if I export it or not from the USA.  But if I imported my car into Canada and did the export 2 weeks later, will they charge me a penalty or seize my car? 

I can do the move on my own, but it would be nice to have help with the packing stuff into the uhaul trailer.    My partner needs to be at work, so he can't just stay in WA for 3 days and he can't take his car into the US because he didn't export when he returned to Canada.  He didn't know he had to do that and just showed up at the border.  He imported his car, but never exported it.  It's really old and he doesn't want to bother with it and now won't take it back into the US because of that.  But we need to have my car able to go into the US as its' our main car.  I don't want to pay any fines or anything like that.

I have heard of other people on here putting their cars on a goods to follow list, but according to the guy I spoke to at CBSA, he said I couldn't do that if I was driving the car into Canada while landing.  The problem is, that I won't know if I can do that until I'm actually at the border trying to land, so if I don't do the export before that, then I'm kind of screwed.  I need my car into order to move my things into Canada.

[doctorkb]

What if you drove down early for those three days, did a bunch of packing, took care of loose ends and started the export process, then your partner could join you in the US a couple of days by taking either the bus or the Amtrak Cascades train?

Then you could drive back together and not risk the issue with his vehicle...

[TreeLover]

actually, that's exactly what we're going to do.  We just discussed it over lunch.  He'll take a bus to Blaine after I've been there 3 days and I'll pick him up.  If that somehow doesn't work, then I'll just pack a few things in my car and then we'll do a separate trip for the rest of the stuff later on.  I don't have to "pack" per se.  I just need to move the things in storage into the uhaul trailer and a few of them are a bit heavy for just me to move around.  That's all. 

It might work out to my advantage to stay the 3 days in WA, as my car should have daytime running lights.  The manufacturer said they were accidentally not turned on (sent me a letter about) and they were be activated free of charge.  I was supposed to have this done before I left the US last fall and I took my car into the dealer for that and an oil change.  They did the oil change and not the DRL and I didn't realize this until I left.  So I may be able to have this done at the dealer in WA instead of having it done in Canada and having to pay for it.

I was just freaked that I found out I had to stay in the US for 3 days to wait for this export thing.  But now I'm dealing with it.  I have friends in Seattle at least.

[Iamrobot85]

Is this accurate, though?  I've not heard this!  I was planning on landing next week...  Also, what's this worksheet you are talking about?  This is news to me!!  OMG.  I got a letter from my bank saying I am allowed to export and a recall clearance and I thought I was good to go!  This is distressing!

[TreeLover]

Well, this is what the information they sent me from Blaine, WA, which is where I'll cross.  Officially from the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Vehicle Export Enforcement Team.  If you call the number, then they give you an email to write to and then send you the information.  It's a worksheet to fill out and they need a copy of the title.  They explicitly say that the car MUST be in the USA for 3 days after you submit the paperwork (you can email a scan to them or fax it).  I am going to take it in person, as I am afraid if I email it to them while the car is still in Canada that they'll know somehow.  LOL

It actually is distressing and caught me by surprise as I wasn't expect to be staying in WA most of the week. 

From the document they sent me (some FAQ):

7.   What happens if I have already taken my car to Canada and need to export it?

You will have to bring the vehicle back to the United States and submit the application to export.  The vehicle must then stay inside the United States until the 72-business hours have elapsed and your vehicle has been cleared for export or the exporter is subject to an administrative penalty.

9.   Can I take my vehicle to Canada during the export process?

No.  You cannot take your vehicle to Canada until the 72-hour requirement has been met and you have presented the vehicle and original documents for inspection.  If you take your vehicle to Canada prior to getting the title stamped,  you will be subject to an administrative penalty and possibly the vehicle being seized.

Not sure what the penalty is, but I certainly don't want my car to be seized! 

Iamrobot, you may want to contact the office where you will cross, but I can't imagine they would have different rules.  This is the email I used for the Blaine office:  Blaine-OFOEXPORT @ dhs.gov   If you write to them, they'll send you the documents (worksheet and info). 

You can find your office where you will cross here:  http://www.riv.ca/USCustoms.aspx  It'll give you the office number.  Keep in mind that these offices are not open on the weekends either.  The one I am using is only open 8-3:30pm M-F.  So you can't export your car at other times.  So if you call or email them, then they'll probably not get back to you until monday now.

The recall clearance is something the Canadian side wants, the US side doesn't need that.  They'll just need the letter from your bank and that worksheet. 

[Iamrobot85]

O man, what a headache!! I will try to call them Monday.  Can you only import your car at certain ports?  My husband and I were going to do a little trip to this town in the states and land when we came back, but the only port that the website lists on the border between Alberta and Montana (where we're going) is two hours out of the way.

[TreeLover]

Sorry, I don't know if you can only import cars at certain ports.  The one I wanted to use was on the website.  I guess, because it's a major one next to Vancouver.  When I called the office in Blaine, there was a recording which said you could leave a message with your fax number or email and they would send you info.  Or they also gave an email which you could send to them to request your info.  I emailed and got the info the next day.  I wasn't able to speak with a human. 

When I'm in their office on Monday morning. I can ask if there are only certain ports you can use to export cars and I'll send you a PM after they tell me (as soon as I get to the internet).  Just in case you don't get that info before that.

Good luck! 

[KazInAz]

I would like to know as well if its just certain points where you can import into Canada.  I had heard that somewhere but now I cant find it.

Kaz

[KazInAz]

I am also having a hard time getting a recall clearance letter.  How did you get yours?

Kaz

[Iamrobot85]

http://www.riv.ca/RecallClearance.aspx

You just look up your info on here and give them a call, they can mail you a recall clearance, it was actually super easy to get.  You just need your VIN. Also, you could probably have them fax it to you if you wanted, so you don't have to wait for the mail.

[mommyk]

KazInAz,

I would just call the border crossing you want to use to make sure but I exported/imported my vehicles at a tiny little border crossing on the Sask/N.D. border and they were able to do it.

[TreeLover]

Well, I crossed the border into the USA and dropped off my documents at the export office.  Funny enough, they were going to do the export right away and said I wouldn't have to wait!  After all that in the information they sent that was so strict about the timeline.  He was friendly and joking and said he would "bend the rules for me" so I wouldn't have to wait 3 days.  But I couldn't do it as I don't have my stuff with me and didn't want to cross back into Canada and land without anything and then have to go back and get my stuff later and I also didn't have the recall clearance printout (as soon as you export you have to take the car into Canada).  So I just decided to go through with my little stay in the USA and move everything and land on thursday as planned.  Also funny is where I parked to go to the export office doesn't allow you to turn around to stay in the USA.  I had asked a guard and he said that I had to go into Canada and I said I couldn't do that.  So he suggested I cross over to the duty free shops and then drive backwards down the street a bit and then u-turn to go back  out (which is what I did). I was glad that no one was alarmed at what I did.  Guess they didn't notice me driving backwards at the border.  LOL

[Iamrobot85]

OMG this is what's infuriating about this process!  I wish I could just cross the border, export my car, turn around and land, but I can't depend on them being willing to waive that 72 hour waiting period.  What a pain in the neck!  I'm glad it was easy for you, though.  Hopefully when I land (next week, most likely) it will be as pleasant an experience. 

[AllisonVSC]

I wish I could just cross the border, export my car, turn around and land, but I can't depend on them being willing to waive that 72 hour waiting period. 

That is exactly what I did last spring. They already had my title (actually they'd had it for several months and couldn't find it). I drove down from Canada exported, u turned, imported (I had already landed...importing my car was my last step) and drove back home to Mississauga. I don't know exactly when they started the 72 hours in the US BS, but it had to have been recently and clearly not evenly enforced.

I don't see how they are going to know whether the car was in the US for any time prior to exporting.