When you land...and you need to import the car you are driving..

[Eric Parker]

I have read about the RIV and the process I have to go through at the border when I (hopefully) land.

My car is admissable under the many sites that tell me about what I can bring into Canada. I plan to have a Recall Clearence letter and the history (by way of the VIN number) of the car with me.

When I do get to the border to land, I know that I have to declare the car with my goods with me and the goods to follow. Do the border agents actually process the car through so I can drive it to my new residence? or do they keep it there at the border until i get everything situated at me new address to pick it up? Do they inspect it for modification requirements there at the border or is that done after clearing the border at an inspection site?

[muppala]

Hello Parker,

I gone through this process for my 2008 volvo c70.

1. First you need to send the paper work required to us customs office and confirm it.

When you come to the border for doing right of landing, you need to first go to us customs office, officer will check and sign the papers and stamp ( like 15 to 30 mins )

2. When you reach the Canadian border, Canadian officer will do the rest of paper work. If it is business hours, you can pay riv fees at border itself, if not you got pay it online / mail / person latter at riv office.

Rest of the process is in the papers send by the RIV.

site for RIV is http://www.riv.ca/Home.aspx

Hope this helps.

Pramod

[cchabert]

I know that US Customs require that the papers have to be there 3 days before you export the car to Canada, the question I have is do you need to be there at the 3 rd. day? what happens if you arrive 5 days later?

[Eric Parker]

Let me get this correctly...I have to be at the border for three days when I land just to import my car? That doesn't make any sense. I actually have to be there on day one to clear US customs, then wait to land on the third day? I do not think Kingsgate, BC has any hotels/motels to accomodate this.

[cchabert]

# Exportation at land border crossing points. For those vehicles exported by rail, highway, or under their own power.

   1. The required documentation must be submitted to Customs at least 72 hours prior to export; and

   2. The vehicle must be presented to Customs at the time of exportation.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/basic_trade/export_docs/motor_vehicle.xml

[Eric Parker]

So...If I come to the border with my car, and my documents, and I present the documents to them at that time, and not 72 hours before, will they have a hissy fit about it??? Will they tell me to wait 72 hours and upset my family who will be driving down to help me move up to Canada?

Maybe it isn't worth the trouble. Unless they will allow me to send to them the documents to them to arrive, maybe, 4 days before, i do not see myself spending 3 unessesary days just for a car.

[cchabert]

The info said that the documentation has to be there 72 hrs. before not the car