landing and importing car--totally confused, please help!

[abedelia]

I sent my passport off to NYC a couple of weeks ago and I'm hoping that I'll receive my PR visa in the mail in the next few days. I'm actually living in Canada now with a temporary resident visa (work permit) and I've brought all my worldly belongings from the US into Canada previously except for my car, which I still have registered and insured in the US. In case it matters, the other belongings were not brought in under any immigration-type exemption related to my work permit--we had already brought them over in increments when we would go to the states for a weekend or whatever at that point, under my husband's exemption as a resident of Canada (it wasn't much of any real value).

I have plans to make a trip to the US by car in a couple of weeks and assuming I get my passport back before then, I was going to land on my way back in. And export and import the car at the same time. Can anyone tell me what to expect for this process? Will there be a fee or is it included under an exemption as a newly landed immigrant? I know I need to make a list of the goods I'm bringing in--is is OK that it will only have one item on it (my car)? Anything I need to bring with me (other than the car)? I know there are some issues around updating the safety equipment, etc. on imported vehicles--this is a 2009 Toyota in case that makes a difference. Any other issues I need to be aware of?

Thank you!!!!

 

[AllisonVSC]

Hi Abedelia,

Check out my post in this thread (page 3). I've posted it in a couple other places as well. Feel free to PM me if you have questions. I found the process quite confusing. Hope I can help you. Allison

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/why-do-many-people-want-to-import-their-cars-from-the-states-to-canada-t21495.0.html;msg446227#msg446227

 

[wmaitner]

Well, a big thing is where you are planning to move. Each providence has a different set of rules.. Apparently Alberta can get very expensive as far as the inspections go. My wife is in the best place to answer this question, since she just had to do it. I'm guessing she'll see this post later, hopefully you can update the location by then.

 

[abedelia]

We're in Quebec. I am not so concerned about registering and inspecting the car though....my husband has been through that before. I'm more confused about importing it when I land. Thanks!!!!!

 

[heatherusa]

We're in Quebec. I am not so concerned about registering and inspecting the car though....my husband has been through that before. I'm more confused about importing it when I land. Thanks!!!!!

Well I imported the car as a returning resident and as a returning resident had a $10k per item exemption so if the car had been worth more I would have waited and let my husband claim it because the new PR doesnt have a limit - so if that is what you are asking... you wont have to pay a fee to import it, just to have it federally inspected and then provincially inspected and register it.

 

[can_usa_97]

Well I imported the car as a returning resident and as a returning resident had a $10k per item exemption so if the car had been worth more I would have waited and let my husband claim it because the new PR doesnt have a limit - so if that is what you are asking... you wont have to pay a fee to import it, just to have it federally inspected and then provincially inspected and register it.

Did you not have to pay the RIV fee at the border?
If not, perhaps hubby can bring back the one car we have that's for sure under 10K value and I think the other one just squeezes under if we use 'good' value.

 

[heatherusa]

Did you not have to pay the RIV fee at the border?
If not, perhaps hubby can bring back the one car we have that's for sure under 10K value and I think the other one just squeezes under if we use 'good' value.

They looked the car up in a book they had - -I am guessing Blue book or something similar... my car that I paid 7k for was worth 10k in the book.

They filled out some paperwork and then I had to go to the RIV website and enter information off of the paperwork they did for the car... that is when I paid for the Federal Check. That I did about a week later and was the easy part.

Then after that I got a sticker in the mail from RIV for the car.

Then in order to get Alberta plates I had to do the provincial check which in Alberta was more expensive than the Federal. But I hear that is not the case for all of the provinces... Alberta is just very strict and expensive.

 

[can_usa_97]

They looked the car up in a book they had - -I am guessing Blue book or something similar... my car that I paid 7k for was worth 10k in the book.

They filled out some paperwork and then I had to go to the RIV website and enter information off of the paperwork they did for the car... that is when I paid for the Federal Check. That I did about a week later and was the easy part.

Then after that I got a sticker in the mail from RIV for the car.

Then in order to get Alberta plates I had to do the provincial check which in Alberta was more expensive than the Federal. But I hear that is not the case for all of the provinces... Alberta is just very strict and expensive.

Wow! I did a search online for Kelly Blue Book Value - which is the most common one I know. If you still end up having to pay the RIV Fee (I think that's the federal fee?

Ontario has an A/C excess fee of $100 too I think. ?

 

[heatherusa]

Wow! I did a search online for Kelly Blue Book Value - which is the most common one I know. If you still end up having to pay the RIV Fee (I think that's the federal fee?

Ontario has an A/C excess fee of $100 too I think. ?

Yes the RIV is the federal inspection.

 

[can_usa_97]

Yes the RIV is the federal inspection.

Haha, I never finished my thought - we just spent 2 hours in the grocery store and my kids who are usually very good were not so much today.
what I meant- If you still pay the Riv, then I might as well do them and not chance it. Thanks!

 

[chuchay21]

Hi! I'm just glad to have found this thread.

We just landed in Ontario on sunday and at the border we registered our car. The officer informed us that we are not going to pay any fees for all our stuff including the car because as first time settlers we are excempt from import fees (unlike those returning residents whose limit is 10K). The border officer then told us to wait for the inspection letter from RIV in the mail within 10 days.

When I checked for the case status online we are being requested to pay 195+tax for the RIV inspection papers to be sent in. This is the same amount we should be paying at the border if we were not first time settlers. We are totally confused now. Should we pay?

Hope someone could clear this for us. Thanks a million!

 

[heatherusa]

Hi! I'm just glad to have found this thread.

We just landed in Ontario on sunday and at the border we registered our car. The officer informed us that we are not going to pay any fees for all our stuff including the car because as first time settlers we are excempt from import fees (unlike those returning residents whose limit is 10K). The border officer then told us to wait for the inspection letter from RIV in the mail within 10 days.

When I checked for the case status online we are being requested to pay 195+tax for the RIV inspection papers to be sent in. This is the same amount we should be paying at the border if we were not first time settlers. We are totally confused now. Should we pay?

Hope someone could clear this for us. Thanks a million!

The 195 +tax - 204 something, is the fee to have the Federal inspection performed. If you were a returning resident you would pay TAXES on the car for any amount over 10k. Because you are new settlers you are exempt from the taxes that a resident would pay but still need to pay the fees to have the inspection done on the car which is the 204.

You will also need to pay for a provincial inspection in order to get your car registered in Ontario.

You will have to pay the fee to RIV in order to move forward.

 

[chuchay21]

The 195 +tax - 204 something, is the fee to have the Federal inspection performed. If you were a returning resident you would pay TAXES on the car for any amount over 10k. Because you are new settlers you are exempt from the taxes that a resident would pay but still need to pay the fees to have the inspection done on the car which is the 204.

You will also need to pay for a provincial inspection in order to get your car registered in Ontario.

You will have to pay the fee to RIV in order to move forward.

Thank you for enlightening me about this. I just got confused. Then the office told me to wait for a letter from the RIV within 10 days for the inspection form. She didn't tell me about the RIV fee. It's confusing .

I have another question... when I checked online for the list of cars importable and the corresponding modifications, our car doesn't need to have any modifications done although we need to present the recall document. Is it ok to get this document from the US dealer? we are planning on going back to the US in a week. Can we cross the border to the US and back to Canada with the US plates still? also the car is listed under the goods to follow list we submitted.

 

[heatherusa]

Thank you for enlightening me about this. I just got confused. Then the office told me to wait for a letter from the RIV within 10 days for the inspection form. She didn't tell me about the RIV fee. It's confusing .

I have another question... when I checked online for the list of cars importable and the corresponding modifications, our car doesn't need to have any modifications done although we need to present the recall document. Is it ok to get this document from the US dealer? we are planning on going back to the US in a week. Can we cross the border to the US and back to Canada with the US plates still? also the car is listed under the goods to follow list we submitted.

I believe that is fine to get from the US dealer. It is very confusing the whole process of importing the car. Also, you wont get the letter until the fee is paid - I think mine came in about 3 or 4 days. You need daytime running lights on the car before doing the inspection (just in case you dont already have them).

As for crossing the border... I am not sure... I think that as long as you take all the paperwork to prove you are in the process you should be fine bringing it back in again. The letter from RIV will contain a date by which you must have the Federal inspection done so make sure you look at that. I think that it was about 45 days from the date of import but dont quote me on that.

 

[chuchay21]

I believe that is fine to get from the US dealer. It is very confusing the whole process of importing the car. Also, you wont get the letter until the fee is paid - I think mine came in about 3 or 4 days. You need daytime running lights on the car before doing the inspection (just in case you dont already have them).

As for crossing the border... I am not sure... I think that as long as you take all the paperwork to prove you are in the process you should be fine bringing it back in again. The letter from RIV will contain a date by which you must have the Federal inspection done so make sure you look at that. I think that it was about 45 days from the date of import but dont quote me on that.

Thank you for your patience in answering my questions. I just made the payment to RIV.

I'm just curious though. When i complete the registration/inspections process, aside from the insurance, should I also present an Ontario drivers license or does is matter? if ever, can I use my US DL as proof? I read somewhere that the US license can be used for 90 days so I haven't exchanged my license just yet.