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Car export requirement when crossing US-Canada border

gprawtap

Full Member
Feb 3, 2021
34
2
Hello,

I looked up on car export threads on these forums and elsewhere but thought my question is rather peculiar. Any help is appreciated.

We are considering driving across the US-Canada border for the first landing/entry in our own car.
We may drive back to the US after receiving our first PR card. The current processing time seems to be roughly ~4 months.
So basically there will be roughly 3-4 months of time period when we'll be using our own car from the US in Canada.

1) In this case is there a need for me to export our car from the US and import it in Canada? In other words, is there a maximum no. of days beyond which you have to export the car when driving into Canada from the US?

2) If it is not necessary to export the car, and if we end up NOT driving back to the US then can we initiate the export process while in Canada?

3) If we export the car and want to drive back to the US after 3-4 months and spend 3-4 months in the US, do we have to re-export the car from Canada and import in the US?

4) If there are any other tips or gotchas that we should keep in mind when doing a land crossing that would be great - e.g. choosing the time of the day to do the land crossing etc.

Thanks
 

harirajmohan

VIP Member
Mar 3, 2015
6,149
1,660
Category........
Visa Office......
Sydney, NS
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
29-May-2015
Doc's Request.
30-Dec-2015 ReminderEmail(PCCs, NewPassport via cse 31-Dec-2015)
Nomination.....
SK 22-Apr-2015
AOR Received.
11-Aug-2015
Med's Request
23-Dec-2015
Med's Done....
20-Jan-2016
Passport Req..
26-May-2016 (BGC In Progress 25-May-2016)
VISA ISSUED...
PP Reached Ottawa:27-May-2016, Received:10-Jun-2016
LANDED..........
PR: 09-Jul-2016, PR Card: 17-Aug-2016
Hello,

I looked up on car export threads on these forums and elsewhere but thought my question is rather peculiar. Any help is appreciated.

We are considering driving across the US-Canada border for the first landing/entry in our own car.
We may drive back to the US after receiving our first PR card. The current processing time seems to be roughly ~4 months.
So basically there will be roughly 3-4 months of time period when we'll be using our own car from the US in Canada.

1) In this case is there a need for me to export our car from the US and import it in Canada? In other words, is there a maximum no. of days beyond which you have to export the car when driving into Canada from the US?

2) If it is not necessary to export the car, and if we end up NOT driving back to the US then can we initiate the export process while in Canada?

3) If we export the car and want to drive back to the US after 3-4 months and spend 3-4 months in the US, do we have to re-export the car from Canada and import in the US?

4) If there are any other tips or gotchas that we should keep in mind when doing a land crossing that would be great - e.g. choosing the time of the day to do the land crossing etc.

Thanks
For soft landing you can take your car without importing. For permanent move, you need to import it.

Why do you want to be in Canada for 3-4 months to just get the PR card? You can just avoid applying for PR card or give your friend's address to get your card.
You dont need PR card to reenter as you can travel back via road without PR card later

Not sure if cbsa will think that 3-4 months as a short stay. Usual soft landing is just few days or couple of week but not months. As the length of stay is more, i dont know if some officer will allow you to take the car without importing.

I dont know if you will qualify for temporary import. https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/importing-vehicle/temporarily-importing-vehicles

If you import to Canada then you should be registering the car within 45 days.
https://driving.ca/auto-news/news/how-to-import-a-car-from-the-u-s-into-canada
https://www.riv.ca/HelpFAQs.aspx

You dont need to reimport again.
 
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gprawtap

Full Member
Feb 3, 2021
34
2
For soft landing you can take your car without importing. For permanent move, you need to import it.

Why do you want to be in Canada for 3-4 months to just get the PR card? You can just avoid applying for PR card or give your friend's address to get your card.
You dont need PR card to reenter as you can travel back via road without PR card later

Not sure if cbsa will think that 3-4 months as a short stay. Usual soft landing is just few days or couple of week but not months. As the length of stay is more, i dont know if some officer will allow you to take the car without importing.

I dont know if you will qualify for temporary import. https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/importing-vehicle/temporarily-importing-vehicles

If you import to Canada then you should be registering the car within 45 days.
https://driving.ca/auto-news/news/how-to-import-a-car-from-the-u-s-into-canada
https://www.riv.ca/HelpFAQs.aspx

You dont need to reimport again.
Thanks harirajmohan on your detailed reply and the links. I'll take a look

Yes, the idea is to get the PR card before traveling outside of Canada and to the US as I'm not sure if we can travel via road in a private vehicle without PR card.
Can one re-enter with just the CoPR or does one need PRTD? If yes, is it applicable to those who are residing in the US on H-1B status? Has anyone done it very recently?
 

harirajmohan

VIP Member
Mar 3, 2015
6,149
1,660
Category........
Visa Office......
Sydney, NS
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
29-May-2015
Doc's Request.
30-Dec-2015 ReminderEmail(PCCs, NewPassport via cse 31-Dec-2015)
Nomination.....
SK 22-Apr-2015
AOR Received.
11-Aug-2015
Med's Request
23-Dec-2015
Med's Done....
20-Jan-2016
Passport Req..
26-May-2016 (BGC In Progress 25-May-2016)
VISA ISSUED...
PP Reached Ottawa:27-May-2016, Received:10-Jun-2016
LANDED..........
PR: 09-Jul-2016, PR Card: 17-Aug-2016
Thanks harirajmohan on your detailed reply and the links. I'll take a look

Yes, the idea is to get the PR card before traveling outside of Canada and to the US as I'm not sure if we can travel via road in a private vehicle without PR card.
Can one re-enter with just the CoPR or does one need PRTD? If yes, is it applicable to those who are residing in the US on H-1B status? Has anyone done it very recently?
prtd and PR card is needed only for boarding commercial vehicles such as bus, plane etc.
Via road using private/rental, you can travel n number of times using COPR+passport. Doesnt matter what status one holds in US. These are the existing rules for travel which dont change often. Check cbsa website or call them and they can confirm. These are not like pandemic rules that changes.
 

sowsiv

Star Member
Nov 30, 2020
101
38
NOC Code......
2174
App. Filed.......
18-06-2020
AOR Received.
18-06-2020
Passport Req..
19-11-2020
prtd and PR card is needed only for boarding commercial vehicles such as bus, plane etc.
Via road using private/rental, you can travel n number of times using COPR+passport. Doesnt matter what status one holds in US. These are the existing rules for travel which dont change often. Check cbsa website or call them and they can confirm. These are not like pandemic rules that changes.
sorry to hijack the thread but wanted to know that if i have copr and pasport i can travel via road any number of times? we did soft landing in may and did apply pr card online, we were waiting for pr card to arrive so we can go to canada. so we dont have to wait for it to go via road,is it true?
 

harirajmohan

VIP Member
Mar 3, 2015
6,149
1,660
Category........
Visa Office......
Sydney, NS
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
29-May-2015
Doc's Request.
30-Dec-2015 ReminderEmail(PCCs, NewPassport via cse 31-Dec-2015)
Nomination.....
SK 22-Apr-2015
AOR Received.
11-Aug-2015
Med's Request
23-Dec-2015
Med's Done....
20-Jan-2016
Passport Req..
26-May-2016 (BGC In Progress 25-May-2016)
VISA ISSUED...
PP Reached Ottawa:27-May-2016, Received:10-Jun-2016
LANDED..........
PR: 09-Jul-2016, PR Card: 17-Aug-2016
sorry to hijack the thread but wanted to know that if i have copr and pasport i can travel via road any number of times? we did soft landing in may and did apply pr card online, we were waiting for pr card to arrive so we can go to canada. so we dont have to wait for it to go via road,is it true?
correct, no limits, same as your pr card. you dont need to wait for pr card to travel via personal/rental car.
 

gprawtap

Full Member
Feb 3, 2021
34
2
prtd and PR card is needed only for boarding commercial vehicles such as bus, plane etc.
Via road using private/rental, you can travel n number of times using COPR+passport. Doesnt matter what status one holds in US. These are the existing rules for travel which dont change often. Check cbsa website or call them and they can confirm. These are not like pandemic rules that changes.
So I talked to a CBSA agent and as per him, if you are travelling by car from the US it's, I quote, impossible that you'll have any problem for re-entering. He said that the first time you enter the border you need the CoPR and your visa will be stamped indicating you're a permanent residence. After that you can travel in and out by road with just your passport until you get your PR card. The PR card replaces the VISA only if you are travelling by plane.

I thought I'll share this here for everyone else's benefit.

If anyone has recently entered Canada by road with a CoPR and a visa, can you share your experience here, such as step-by-step procedure, timelines etc.?

Thanks
 
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