Exporting Car at Lewiston Bridge

[CeeGee]

Hi Guys--I am putting this question on this thread and the Settlement Discussion. I am having to import/export my pickup truck in Buffalo next week. Ideally we would like to get there at around 6:00 p.m Thursday night, wait out the 72 hours back in the states, and then pass back through the Lewiston Bridge area at around 6:00 p.m. Sunday night. Is the Lewiston Bridge open 24 hours a day, seven days a week? Or are there only certain hours we can stop at the bridge and do the "import/export" paperwork?

This is all what I plan to do as "I land". We will go back down to the States to Ohio on Thursday night where I left my horse trailer with a bunch of furniture and clothes, and come back through with the car/horse trailer/furniture, etc. on Sunday night. This is just one load. I have 170 more boxes back in California, where I am from originally.

Also, am I right in understanding that I can list the goods I am passing through with, and then list all the other goods that are following? As I packed I made a detailed list of what is in every box. How much do they check or monitor goods when you are landing? I know I packed my computer, but I forgot to write the serial number down. Do I have to reopen that box and get that number? Can I make any amendments to my "Goods to Follow" list, once I get back to California and see exactly what I am bringing?

Any thoughts about this next step would be very helpful. This forum has always been amazing for me!

 

[AllisonVSC]

HI CeeGee,
The US export office at Lewiston is only open M-F normal working hours (8:30 to 4 pm or something like that). Friday seems to be there busiest day with lots of trucks carrying cars and individuals with RVs. So I suggest you revise your schedule a bit. I believe you can fax your documents to the office before exporting based on this website quoted below.

http://www.importcarcanada.com/main/index.php?page=8
For Queenston/Lewiston crossing...This is the only crossing on the Niagara River (between Ontario and New York) that can process both exports from the US and imports to Canada. The US side only processes cars Monday to Friday up to 4:00 P.M. local time. Canada Customs can process cars 24/7. US Customs will accept faxed documents 72 hours prior to export. The US export office is the first building on the left as you leave the US but requires you to cross 12 inspection lanes coming toward you. Google Maps view of US Customs export office at Queenston/Lewiston bridge

You do have to get out of the "normal" traffic pattern to get over to the export office. If you don't see how before you get to the border guard booth just tell the officer you need to go there and he will direct you. Once exported you can land at Lewiston any day any time. You can also pay your RIV fee if you haven't already. Have you checked to see if there is a fee for the trailer? (I assume you've checked to see that your truck is importable). And Yes, you can declare goods you have with you (from Ohio) and goods to follow (from California). You probably should get that serial number on your computer if possible before you arrive so you won't have to dig through your boxes at the border if they decide they need it. You can ask the customs officer about it when you land from Ohio. They didn't look at any of my goods (large uhaul trailer) but I wasn't claiming any electronics since my computer was already in Canada.

Everything you declare must be on the list at landing. I do not believe that you can amend the list after landing. Anything not listed is subject to import duty. You may want to list categories of things on your goods to follow (dishes, kitchen ware, clothing, books, etc) instead of actual items. That way if you forgot something that is covered by a category you'll be ok. I did have to separately list jewelry as one of my categories. I only brought one thing not listed on goods to follow but it's value was less than $50 CAD so they didn't charge me anything.

I have a long post about my experience importing my vehicle floating around the forum in several threads. If you want me to find it and post again (or PM it to you) let me know. There were quite a few costs involved and documents to acquire to complete the process. Make sure when you are back in the states to get the recall clearance work done and request the clearance letter from your US manufacturer's office since it is easier to do there!

Good luck landing. Allison

 

[CeeGee]

Gosh, Allison, your advice has been wonderful. Yes, I do have your post about exporting the car downloaded and in my file. One of my vehicles is over 15 years old and we don't need a recall letter. I am working on getting the other one from Mazda. Why is it better to get that letter in the U.S. than in Canada? What is the difference? We will only be back in the US briefly two times. I am not sure I will have time to get it in the US, but I could perhaps make time if I understood the problem.

Also, I talked to the export office in US to clarify the times, and she said something weird about if I was just coming into the US to "land" that I could not go down to Ohio to pick up my horse trailer. . . .

Huh? I'm a U.S. citizen. Granted I don't yet have my Permanent Resident card, but can't we pass through the border this one time, go down to Ohio, and come back in 72 hours to "land" in Canada. Do you have to "flagpole"? Can't I just make the one trip through until I get my Permanent Resident card?

I still have my Visitor Record which expires October 3, 2010, but I have my Canadian visa, waiting for Permanent Resident card, and I am a U.S. citizen travelling with my Canadian husband. Isn't that good enough to enter the US?

 

[CeeGee]

Also, do we stop at the U.S. export office on Friday when we are coming into the US from Canada?

Or, do we stop at it on Monday, when we are returning from the US and going into Canada?

We are faxing all the car papers today.

And, as far as I can tell, I don't need to "export" my horse trailer; I just have to put it on the "landing goods form".

Okay, anyone with experiences about moving their stuff, vehicles, travel trailers, landing via an auto--I need some help before it gets too late to rearrange our plans. Thanks everyone, and how did the flagpoling go?

 

[heatherusa]

Hi,

I just found your thread and wondered how the whole process went for you. Can you comment on your experience?

Thanks

Heather

 

[CeeGee]

Well, one thing I can tell you is to make sure and tell them you are bringing the car in from the US even if you are coming with it from Canada. I had been here in Canada visiting my husband for six months, and was coming with the car from Ontario, and they had a 'fit' about the car being in Canada. I had faxed them the paperwork over a week earlier--you fax a copy of the title with a cover sheet listing the VIN number. Also, bring a second copy and the original with you. But, when I told them the car had been in Canada--they started telling me, "Don't you know, the car can't have been in Canada for 72 hours?"

When I pointed out, that all their paperwork indicates that the title/papers have to come 72 hours before, but nothing in their forms says anything about the car being in the US for 72 hours beforehand. Anyhow, they took us outside, and very nicely said everything was fine, but not until the two lower echelon people refused to handle "my problem vehicle".

They are very busy with truckers showing up right and left with cars to bring across the border. We got there at 2:30 pm on a Friday, and we were there about an hour. There is, by the way, no way they could know where the car was before, and it made it a lot easier to come into the office from Canada because the office is over nearer the customs site of Canada on the righthand side of the road vs. crossing eight to ten lanes of traffic from the US side.

As far as Canada went, lots and lots of stamping of all the documents concerned with the vehicles as I also had a horse trailer as well to bring in. We came across at ten p.m. and we were out of there by midnihgt. Now I'm trying to get them registered, new drivers license, etc. I'll let you know how that goes.

 

[AllisonVSC]

I still have my Visitor Record which expires October 3, 2010, but I have my Canadian visa, waiting for Permanent Resident card, and I am a U.S. citizen travelling with my Canadian husband. Isn't that good enough to enter the US?

They were supposed to take your VR out of your passport when you landed. Did they or do you still have it?

I don't know what the big deal was about your car being in Canada. Mine was here for like 9 months before I exported it, and like you I found nothing in the export instructions saying anything to the contrary.

Any other problems with getting the cars inspected and registered?

 

[can_usa_97]

I'm not sure if this is the case or not, but if they were confused - I thought I'd seen several other posts about it being 'illegal' to drive a US plated vehicle in Canada after you become a PR in the sense you've taken up residence in Canada... IE: that they were confused about your 'just visiting' when they heard you say you'd been there. If that makes sense.

Unless I'm misunderstanding the post.

 

[AllisonVSC]

That is now my understanding. If you RESIDE in Canada you may not drive a US plated vehicle into Canada, an exception being made for cars in the importation process. Ceegee at that point was not yet a resident of Canada, just a visitor, on her way to picking up her belongings in Ohio (I think) and returning to land. So it should not have been an issue, especially for the US export office.

What I'm not yet sure about is whether it is illegal for a Canadian resident to drive a US plated vehicle that is already in Canada. For example, was it illegal for my Canadian sponsor to drive my vehicle while I was here visiting before I landed? I don't know. And what temporary workers? Must they go through importation even if they only reside here for a short time? And what about all the uhaul trucks we've rented in the last year? We drove one into Canada and rented several for moves within Canada. They are all US plated vehicles (Arizona) too. Surely that wasn't illegal or uhaul would not have rented them to us. But I'm not exactly sure how the law works for that.

I'm also curious about other rental vehicles. If a Canadian resident rented one, say at the Buffalo airport, is it illegal to drive it into Canada even if you plan to return it to the US? If yes, then why can you do it with uhaul trucks? Can you rent a Canadian tagged vehicle on the US side of the border?

hmm...consistency and logic in Canadian legislation is, well,...not quite there, is it?

 

[can_usa_97]

That is now my understanding. If you RESIDE in Canada you may not drive a US plated vehicle into Canada, an exception being made for cars in the importation process. Ceegee at that point was not yet a resident of Canada, just a visitor, on her way to picking up her belongings in Ohio (I think) and returning to land. So it should not have been an issue, especially for the US export office.

What I'm not yet sure about is whether it is illegal for a Canadian resident to drive a US plated vehicle that is already in Canada. For example, was it illegal for my Canadian sponsor to drive my vehicle while I was here visiting before I landed? I don't know. And what temporary workers? Must they go through importation even if they only reside here for a short time? And what about all the uhaul trucks we've rented in the last year? We drove one into Canada and rented several for moves within Canada. They are all US plated vehicles (Arizona) too. Surely that wasn't illegal or uhaul would not have rented them to us. But I'm not exactly sure how the law works for that.

I'm also curious about other rental vehicles. If a Canadian resident rented one, say at the Buffalo airport, is it illegal to drive it into Canada even if you plan to return it to the US? If yes, then why can you do it with uhaul trucks? Can you rent a Canadian tagged vehicle on the US side of the border?

hmm...consistency and logic in Canadian legislation is, well,...not quite there, is it?

Right, I was saying if the first people that Ceegee talked to, didn't put together that she wasn't yet a PR -and thusly jumped the gun on it not being OK.

I'd imagine that in the case of Uhaul/rentals -they are OK to drive across given their terms/use with their 'owners' (Ie: Uhaul/rental agency). You aren't intending on importing them or using them in a day to day process for an extended period of time. Their purpose is temporary.

Yeah my understanding is the same, in regards to where you consider your 'home/reside'. So I guess, technically your sponsor shouldn't have (I think) I think it has something to do with insurance and taxes as a bottom line. And completely subjective to the person you come across.

Very open holes and logic indeed, lol.

 

[heatherusa]

Right, I was saying if the first people that Ceegee talked to, didn't put together that she wasn't yet a PR -and thusly jumped the gun on it not being OK.

I'd imagine that in the case of Uhaul/rentals -they are OK to drive across given their terms/use with their 'owners' (Ie: Uhaul/rental agency). You aren't intending on importing them or using them in a day to day process for an extended period of time. Their purpose is temporary.

Yeah my understanding is the same, in regards to where you consider your 'home/reside'. So I guess, technically your sponsor shouldn't have (I think) I think it has something to do with insurance and taxes as a bottom line. And completely subjective to the person you come across.

Very open holes and logic indeed, lol.

I dont know if this factors in, but I was told by the registry office and everyone else that I had 90 days, or three months to take care of everything....

so at some points I had the Alberta license, US insurance, RIV approval, Provincial approval...

I finally obtained Alberta insurance and went to the registry to get my plates but I was also told by registry that they dont check how long you have been there.

 

[AllisonVSC]

I know once the RIV process is started you have 90 days to complete it. I suppose residents also have 90 days to get license, inspections, and plates etc if moving from another province. What I was unclear about was what I should do about my vehicle while I was here visiting. So I just took a chance. I really didn't drive much anyway. After I landed I really shouldn't have waited to start the import process, but you know how life is...and things came up. I landed driving a uhaul, not my car. Two weeks later my brother died unexpectedly and I had to fly home. I came back to Canada just before a planned trip to France with my partner and ended up staying a month instead of 10 days as planned. So 4-5 months after landing (3 after bringing my goods) I finally started the process.

How much was your Alberta insurance? I about keeled over when I started getting quotes in Ontario!

 

[can_usa_97]

How much was your Alberta insurance? I about keeled over when I started getting quotes in Ontario!

I dread it, enough to be considering selling one of our vehicles before moving. My SIL said she pays 167 a month for one vehicle. That's 2004 a year. It is a sportier car so I'm not sure how that effects it honestly. I remember seeing you post somewhere that yours was like 1700? What type of vehicle. We have a VUE and Echo to bring over, it's the Echo we are considering selling. Don't really want to - but we'll see.

 

[heatherusa]

How much was your Alberta insurance? I about keeled over when I started getting quotes in Ontario!

I am paying about 100 a month which is right around what I paid in Mi. They told me AB insurance is based on good driving record but that not all the other provinces do that... for example.. BC is a government run program which is very expensive...

 

[AllisonVSC]

I dread it, enough to be considering selling one of our vehicles before moving. My SIL said she pays 167 a month for one vehicle. That's 2004 a year. It is a sportier car so I'm not sure how that effects it honestly. I remember seeing you post somewhere that yours was like 1700? What type of vehicle. We have a VUE and Echo to bring over, it's the Echo we are considering selling. Don't really want to - but we'll see.

I drive a hyundai elantra and have a clean driving history. $1740 a year...