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Export/Import vehicle

Sep 29, 2017
8
0
Hello all,
I am a US citizen with a canadian perm rez, moving to Canada for the first time, in just a few day. I am trying to import my vehicle into Canada and starting the process.
First question- can I pull this off in less than one week?
I do not yet have the title because I paid off the vehicle and have not received the title in the mail yet from dmv. So I cannot do very much paperwork.
I do have a signed letter from my lender stating I paid off my loan and I am now the owner.
I spoke to Canadian customs border and explained my situation. They said it is not a problem to import without the title. That once I receive my title I can complete the import process. I then spoke to US customs border and they said I cannot export the vehicle without the title. Additionally US customs said they would not even let me drive across the border. They said I cannot cross into Canada if my intention is to export my vehicle at a later date. Is that correct? I cannot drive across the border and export at a later date?! Greatly appreciate any info!
 

Alex54321

Hero Member
Jul 28, 2017
513
127
USA
Category........
FAM
App. Filed.......
20-10-2017
AOR Received.
01-12-2017
Hello all,
I am a US citizen with a canadian perm rez, moving to Canada for the first time, in just a few day. I am trying to import my vehicle into Canada and starting the process.
First question- can I pull this off in less than one week?
I do not yet have the title because I paid off the vehicle and have not received the title in the mail yet from dmv. So I cannot do very much paperwork.
I do have a signed letter from my lender stating I paid off my loan and I am now the owner.
I spoke to Canadian customs border and explained my situation. They said it is not a problem to import without the title. That once I receive my title I can complete the import process. I then spoke to US customs border and they said I cannot export the vehicle without the title. Additionally US customs said they would not even let me drive across the border. They said I cannot cross into Canada if my intention is to export my vehicle at a later date. Is that correct? I cannot drive across the border and export at a later date?! Greatly appreciate any info!
Any update on your process?
As far as "Additionally US customs said they would not even let me drive across the border." - this is nonsense. You do not see US Customs when you are driving to Canada, you just go over the border directly to Canadian Custom...
http://www.riv.ca/
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html
 
Last edited:
Sep 29, 2017
8
0
Any update on your process?
As far as "Additionally US customs said they would not even let me drive across the border." - this is nonsense. You do not see US Customs when you are driving to Canada, you just go over the border directly to Canadian Custom...
http://www.riv.ca/
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html
Hi Alex54321,
Thank you for asking- here's my update. Since this post I indeed have crossed the border into Canada with my vehicle however I have yet to the do export/import process. On my import paperwork I listed my vehicle as an item to follow for import at a later date. While at the border the Canadian customs agents were very nice, helpful and very considerate. They acknowledged/approved my belongings and asked if I wanted to start the import process on my vehicle. They said I could complete the import process once I have my vehicle's title. They then asked if I wanted to go back to the US side to do the export process. Of course I knew I needed my title to do the export and DMV was still holding my title hostage at that time. I went back to the US side and was treated terribly, as if I was a complete and utter idiot and moron and a criminal. The agent berated me for driving my vehicle into Canada, said I was breaking the law by doing so and I must drive it back into the US immediately and leave my vehicle in the US until I do the export process or I would be fined $5,000. No understanding or compassion for the fact that I had a full car and a uhaul and had every intention of exporting my vehicle properly and legally once DMV sent me my title. US agent was incredibly rude, demeaning, and insulting. I had just driven 20 hours after packing up my life and clearly I was on the verge of an emotional breakdown and the US agent didn't care one bit.

So here I am today in Canada, I finally received my title from the DMV and have it in hand. I now need to drive back to a border to do the export/import process. I hope I have done all the paperwork properly. One thing I haven't figured out yet is the bit about the vehicle being in the US for 72 hours before exporting. How does the border know where my vehicle is or has been at any given time? I have also read that the vehicle must physically be in the US when you FILE the paperwork with the US border for export. Can anyone shed light on this? How does the border know if my vehicle is in the US right now or not? Why and how does US border know if my vehicle is in the US when I file? This is such a frustrating process!
 

Alex54321

Hero Member
Jul 28, 2017
513
127
USA
Category........
FAM
App. Filed.......
20-10-2017
AOR Received.
01-12-2017
Hi Alex54321,
Thank you for asking- here's my update. Since this post I indeed have crossed the border into Canada with my vehicle however I have yet to the do export/import process. On my import paperwork I listed my vehicle as an item to follow for import at a later date. While at the border the Canadian customs agents were very nice, helpful and very considerate. They acknowledged/approved my belongings and asked if I wanted to start the import process on my vehicle. They said I could complete the import process once I have my vehicle's title. They then asked if I wanted to go back to the US side to do the export process. Of course I knew I needed my title to do the export and DMV was still holding my title hostage at that time. I went back to the US side and was treated terribly, as if I was a complete and utter idiot and moron and a criminal. The agent berated me for driving my vehicle into Canada, said I was breaking the law by doing so and I must drive it back into the US immediately and leave my vehicle in the US until I do the export process or I would be fined $5,000. No understanding or compassion for the fact that I had a full car and a uhaul and had every intention of exporting my vehicle properly and legally once DMV sent me my title. US agent was incredibly rude, demeaning, and insulting. I had just driven 20 hours after packing up my life and clearly I was on the verge of an emotional breakdown and the US agent didn't care one bit.

So here I am today in Canada, I finally received my title from the DMV and have it in hand. I now need to drive back to a border to do the export/import process. I hope I have done all the paperwork properly. One thing I haven't figured out yet is the bit about the vehicle being in the US for 72 hours before exporting. How does the border know where my vehicle is or has been at any given time? I have also read that the vehicle must physically be in the US when you FILE the paperwork with the US border for export. Can anyone shed light on this? How does the border know if my vehicle is in the US right now or not? Why and how does US border know if my vehicle is in the US when I file? This is such a frustrating process!
Very interesting. You are US citizen, driving your own (I assume still insured in US) car back and forth across the border to the country where you are the legal PR. What is the problem?
Keep us updated.
 
Sep 29, 2017
8
0
Very interesting. You are US citizen, driving your own (I assume still insured in US) car back and forth across the border to the country where you are the legal PR. What is the problem?
Keep us updated.
Yes, I am a US citizen and have PR in Canada as well and my vehicle is still insured in the US. I confirmed with my insurance that I will be covered while in Canada until I can import it. I actually haven't even driven my vehicle since arriving in Canada, just been driving my canadian husband's truck.
I plan on driving to the border next week to do the export/import process since I now finally have my title from DMV. I'm nervous about crossing the border back into US and the $5,000 fine I was threatened with.
I'm not sure what I should say about my where I've been or why I am going across the border back into the US. I'm not trying to be a criminal, in fact I'm trying to do the proper legal process and do all the paperwork and pay all the fees.
 

Alex54321

Hero Member
Jul 28, 2017
513
127
USA
Category........
FAM
App. Filed.......
20-10-2017
AOR Received.
01-12-2017
Yes, I am a US citizen and have PR in Canada as well and my vehicle is still insured in the US. I confirmed with my insurance that I will be covered while in Canada until I can import it. I actually haven't even driven my vehicle since arriving in Canada, just been driving my canadian husband's truck.
I plan on driving to the border next week to do the export/import process since I now finally have my title from DMV. I'm nervous about crossing the border back into US and the $5,000 fine I was threatened with.
I'm not sure what I should say about my where I've been or why I am going across the border back into the US. I'm not trying to be a criminal, in fact I'm trying to do the proper legal process and do all the paperwork and pay all the fees.
"I'm nervous about crossing the border back into US" - what's going on, this is your country.
 
Sep 29, 2017
8
0
"I'm nervous about crossing the border back into US" - what's going on, this is your country.
Exactly- the US border agent when I crossed last was so intimidating he made me feel like I've done something wrong, which I haven't. I am a US citizen and there isn't anything wrong with me going back to my country. I have all my export/import paperwork and intend to legally and properly export my vehicle.