Bringing a car from the US

[CDNPR2014]

Just to clarify: you brought your car into Canada and then initiated the import after it was in Canada for three months?

Does the paperwork have to be submitted at the US border by hand or can I fax/email it 72 hours beforehand?

We've already spoken to our insurance agency and they're cool with it, having put us in contact with their NS branch.

Thanks again for answering my poorly thought out questions. Have a +1!

yes, i landed in canada in august, and did not import my car until november. i happen to have already planned to go back to the states for thanksgiving, so i did the import on my way back from that trip. i'm pretty sure the border i went through allowed me to fax my forms over, otherwise i would have dropped them off on my way to the states. i'd suggest calling the us border office you plan to export through to see if they need the physical papers or if they will let you fax them. they may also give you advice about how to make the process smooth once there. the us border i went through only had 1 guy to process exports, and we ended up waiting over an hour for him to return from lunch because no one there had a clue about what to do.

 

[simpsol22]

Just to clarify: you brought your car into Canada and then initiated the import after it was in Canada for three months?

Does the paperwork have to be submitted at the US border by hand or can I fax/email it 72 hours beforehand?

We've already spoken to our insurance agency and they're cool with it, having put us in contact with their NS branch.

Thanks again for answering my poorly thought out questions. Have a +1!

Depending what crossing you are taking you can email. I emailed mine to the export place in Blaine, WA. Then had to leave my car in the US for the 72 hours and provide all of the paperwork when I did the export / import.

 

[Tinabuchan]

Depending what crossing you are taking you can email. I emailed mine to the export place in Blaine, WA. Then had to leave my car in the US for the 72 hours and provide all of the paperwork when I did the export / import.

I'm planning to do the export in Blaine as well. I understand I need to notify them 72 hours in advance that I'll be bringing the car for export. Why did you have to leave it there 72 hours? Did you fail to notify them? Curious, and hoping to avoid waiting there for 72 hours. Any input is appreciated to smooth this process. Thanks!

 

[simpsol22]

I'm planning to do the export in Blaine as well. I understand I need to notify them 72 hours in advance that I'll be bringing the car for export. Why did you have to leave it there 72 hours? Did you fail to notify them? Curious, and hoping to avoid waiting there for 72 hours. Any input is appreciated to smooth this process. Thanks!

It's a mandatory part of the process. You notify them 72 hours in advance and you have to keep the car in the USA during that time. You can email them and request the export packet - BLAINE-OFOEXPORT@cbp.dhs.gov

Here is a clip from the instruction page:
Once all of the required documents have been obtained, hand deliver, or scan and e-mail them to our office three days prior to actually exporting the vehicle to Canada. During the export process, which starts when the paperwork is submitted, the vehicle MUST remain inside the United States and may NOT be taken to Canada.

The 3 days are calculated from the time that we receive the export application. Applications received after 3:30pm will not be processed until the following business day.

Remember, the vehicle must be in the United States for the 3 days. There are no exceptions to this requirement. If it is discovered that the vehicle did not remain in the United States after the export application was submitted, the exporter is subject to penalty and monetary fines, as well as seizure of the vehicle. So do NOT take the vehicle outside of the United States once the application is submitted.

If the vehicle is already outside the United States and an export is required, the vehicle must be brought back to the United States prior to the application being submitted and it must remain inside the United States for the 3 days, plan accordingly. Weekends and holidays do count towards the 3 day requirement if we receive your application during hours of operation.

 

[DBHC]

I'm planning to do the export in Blaine as well. I understand I need to notify them 72 hours in advance that I'll be bringing the car for export. Why did you have to leave it there 72 hours? Did you fail to notify them? Curious, and hoping to avoid waiting there for 72 hours. Any input is appreciated to smooth this process. Thanks!

So, if you're already in the US, it isn't a problem. If you're in Canada, it's a pain in the bum. But them's the breaks and I found the Immigration Official eagerly combative at Blaine, so best to follow the instructions to the letter.

[Aside]
At Blaine, they ask that you park your car in a truck parking lot and then walk across several lanes of traffic to get to the office. (This is specified with a map and detailed instructions in the information they send you when you email them.) This seems daft – and it is – but it's the way they want it. I had the following weird conversation.

Immigration Official: And where's the car now?
DBHC: In the truck parking lot across the street.
IO: YOU PARKED IN THE TRUCK PARKING LOT?!!!
DBHC: Isn't that correct?
IO: Yeah, that's correct
DBHC: Okay...
[/Aside]

 

[Tinabuchan]

So, if you're already in the US, it isn't a problem. If you're in Canada, it's a pain in the bum. But them's the breaks and I found the Immigration Official eagerly combative at Blaine, so best to follow the instructions to the letter.

[Aside]
At Blaine, they ask that you park your car in a truck parking lot and then walk across several lanes of traffic to get to the office. (This is specified with a map and detailed instructions in the information they send you when you email them.) This seems daft – and it is – but it's the way they want it. I had the following weird conversation.

Immigration Official: And where's the car now?
DBHC: In the truck parking lot across the street.
IO: YOU PARKED IN THE TRUCK PARKING LOT?!!!
DBHC: Isn't that correct?
IO: Yeah, that's correct
DBHC: Okay...
[/Aside]

Thank you. I feel like I've read a ton on how to do this, but had somehow missed this 72 hour vehicle in US stipulation. Sigh...I suppose we will have to drive a second car down and get a hotel. This process and it's many steps is so disjointed between US, Canada, RIV, ICBC etc. But after the ease and speed of my PR, I have nothing to complain about. Again, thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

[simpsol22]

Thank you. I feel like I've read a ton on how to do this, but had somehow missed this 72 hour vehicle in US stipulation. Sigh...I suppose we will have to drive a second car down and get a hotel. This process and it's many steps is so disjointed between US, Canada, RIV, ICBC etc. But after the ease and speed of my PR, I have nothing to complain about. Again, thanks for taking the time to respond.

Yes during my experience I learned that csba and icbc are not on the same page. I was only allowed to temporarily import my car and was told by cbsa I'd need to pay duty and didn't need a riv inspection. Icbc said no duty, and that I still needed an inspection. Since riv was crossed out I got a provincial one and will later have to go for riv when I land as a pr.

 

[Stevin]

Yes during my experience I learned that csba and icbc are not on the same page. I was only allowed to temporarily import my car and was told by cbsa I'd need to pay duty and didn't need a riv inspection. Icbc said no duty, and that I still needed an inspection. Since riv was crossed out I got a provincial one and will later have to go for riv when I land as a pr.

Thank you to everyone that posted on this thread. My husband is just about approved for PR, and he is here in Alberta with me and so is his car. I am truly dreading this process. Thank you for you tips!

 

[CDNPR2014]

Thank you to everyone that posted on this thread. My husband is just about approved for PR, and he is here in Alberta with me and so is his car. I am truly dreading this process. Thank you for you tips!

if it helps, while the process has a lot of moving parts it IS relatively easy. just take it one step at a time. also, know you don't have to import the car on the same day he lands. he can add it as a conveyance on a goods to follow form, and import at a later date (assuming he can maintain his US insurance). if he has any somewhat future plans to go home to the US, it may be worth holding off until then. That way you take the 72 hour issue out of the equation.