Settlers’ Effects Vehicle Import - Joint Ownership vs Single Ownership

[prasadhmaharaj]

Hi everyone,


I’m looking for guidance on a vehicle import situation.


Background:

• I became a Canadian permanent resident in 2019, completed my first landing, and later returned to the U.S.
• My spouse became a Canadian permanent resident on April 25, 2024. They entered Canada briefly through Peace Bridge, told the officer they were visiting friends, did not settle at that time, and returned to the U.S.
• We are now planning to move permanently to Canada in August 2026.
• We submitted an ATIP request to determine whether a BSF186/Goods to Follow list was created during the 2024 landing, but we are still waiting for the response.
• We also called the CBSA Border Information Service. They could not verify whether a Goods to Follow list exists, but encouraged my spouse to prepare a BSF186 and BSF186A since this will be their first entry with the intention of settling.

Vehicle:

• 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander
• Currently titled in my name.
• My spouse has been listed on the insurance for more than a year and regularly drives the vehicle.
• We are considering paying off the loan before moving.
• My spouse will be selling their current vehicle before we move.

Questions:


If we add both of our names to the vehicle title before moving:

1. Can my spouse import the vehicle as part of their settlers’ effects?
2. Or would CBSA treat the vehicle as being imported by both owners, meaning the settlers’ effects exemption may not apply because one spouse already landed/settled previously?

Alternatively, does the vehicle need to be solely in my spouse’s name before import for them to claim it as a settler’s effect?


I’m looking for experiences from anyone who has dealt with jointly owned vehicles where one spouse qualified as a first-time settler and the other did not.

Thanks in Advance

 

[Ayomide101]

This is a fairly specific situation, but I'd be cautious about changing the vehicle title solely to qualify for the settlers' effects exemption.

From my understanding, the key issue isn't just whose name is on the title at the time of import, but whether the vehicle genuinely qualifies as your spouse's settlers' effect under CBSA rules. If the vehicle is jointly owned, CBSA could reasonably view it as being imported by both owners, which may complicate relying on your spouse's entitlement if you no longer qualify as a first-time settler.

I think you're doing the right thing by waiting for the ATIP response to determine whether a BSF186/Goods to Follow list was created during your spouse's 2024 landing. That answer could significantly affect your options.

If the vehicle is intended to be imported under your spouse's settlers' effects exemption, having it solely in your spouse's name before import may present a cleaner case than joint ownership. However, I wouldn't make any ownership changes until you're confident they align with both CBSA requirements and your state's vehicle registration rules.

Given the value of a 2024 vehicle and the potential duty and tax implications, it may also be worth contacting the CBSA office at the port where you plan to import the vehicle. They can often provide guidance on how they would assess a jointly owned vehicle in your specific circumstances. I'd be interested to hear if anyone here has gone through this exact scenario, as firsthand experiences can be very helpful.