Question about landing in Windsor by own car

[tanginang_yan]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and wated to get feedback from the group about landing by car from Detroit to Windsor.

My wife and I are driving over to Windsor to land as immigrants and since we are importing our car we were told we need to stop at the US side customs to authorize release of our car to Canada. We will have our title, fees, etc ready. Will the US customs check our US Visa status when we present our car, or are they mostly interested in just processing the automobile papers? Are we supposed to give them our i-94's?

Once we land on the Canada side, with Canadian immigration ask our US status, or I-94 papers? I am asking this question since although we have received our Canada Immigrant visas, our H1-B's are now expired/out of status since our interview date was past our HIB exiration and we chose to wait it out. Will they care about our being out of status in USA?

Just wondering if anyone can share their experience or can give advice.

thanks!
HarryY

[dacoru]

I landed in Alberta Sweetgrass/Coutts.  I went directly to the Canadian side, and the officer started my paperwork, but he asked to return to the US side in order to stamp the title. There, I handled the title to the US custom officer, and asked him to stamp it, but he  asked me for my Passport and documents. I explained him that I only wanted to stamp the title of my car, because I was leaving the country. he sent the title and my documents inside the office, and asked me to go inside for the stamp. there, they started questioning my stay in the US. I needed to show them all my I-20's, and my F-1 visa, and previous visas to prove them that I never was out of status. After few hours checking my papers in the computer, they were convinced that I was not out of status, stamped the title, and allowed me to go.
In the Canadian side they didn't ask anything about my US paperwork nor my status. They only want to process the residency list of goods, and give you a welcome.
I hope you don't have any problemin the US side. Sometimes depends in the Officer.

[canada2007]

dacoru,
Did you send the title to the US customs in advance (72 hrs)? This process  allows the US customs to clear the title. Based on the post, you went directly to Canada customs. Was this the reason you were sent back to US customs??
Thanks!

[dacoru]

No, I faxed my title to the Sweetgrass border 72 hours before my trip, and confirmed with them that everything was fine before leaving Texas. I went to the US side because the Title must be stamped from the US customs in order to export the car. Sweetgrass is an small port, and doesn't have access to the US building if you are heading north, them people go to the canadian side make the U turn and go south to reach the US building

[tanginang_yan]

Thanks for your replies.  Based on the feedback here it's probably not a good idea for us to stop at US Customs to have car imported to Canada, then cross the border by car.

We'll probably just have a car moving company ship it for us.

thanks
HarryY