Hi @avj Thank you so much for detailed explanation and I followed the same process you explained for my car import and it went really smooth. I completed my car import process and got the number plates and RIV sticker couple of weeks ago. During that process Service Ontario took my original car title and I was expecting I should receive a new title after some time. However no title was mailed to me since 2 months.
Should I expect a new title from Service Ontario? If not How can I sell my car with out an original car title with me if needed?
Did they give u a green and white small registration/permit paper? That IS your car “title”.
Hi @avj , thanks for this super detailed posting. I have completed soft landing and had declared good to follow at the time including my car. Due to COVID, my landing has been delayed. My permanent landing will be done by me driving my declared car and with a number of suitcases and essential household items in my car. This will be at the Detroit Windsor border. My questions are:
- Will the importation procedure of my exported US car happen as soon as I cross into Canada since I am driving it over? (Form 1, etc.)
- Since I am driving my own car, is it allowed for me to carry my personal belongings (clothes, laptops, ipad, iwatch, kitchen utensils, etc.) without any issue?
Thanks much!
There is no second landing for you.
You’re already a Canadian PR.
They’ll check your GTF and you’ll need to import your car and all. And yes, you can bring your household items with you.
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Hi ,
Thanks for the detailed explanation. I have questions regarding my Car import. FYI- I did my soft landing in Sep 2018 (No GTF was created at that time)-
I am planning to drive my car by the end of Jan 2021 via Detroit border.
- I was going through different forum’s and I read about Recall clearance letters but I have not heard that in this group. Does anyone have to take that?
- I have a ford edge 2015 and it has one recall but the company doesn’t have part to fix it and they are saying it will be coming in first quarter of 2021. I do not have time to wait after January . Do I really need it to import and register ?
- Also as per KBB my car worth is more than 10k. Do I need to pay taxes even if it is the first time I am coming as a settler ?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Sameer
Hi @avj, great post! I have a question regarding importing my car, if you know about this? I completed my soft landing in 2018 and I had submitted a goods to follow list at that point, but had not added my car in that list. I was only in Canada for the sake of the soft landing (2 days) at that time.
I will be moving permanently to Canada this February. But now, I have changed my mind and I want to take my car (which I will be driving). As this is the definition of a settler according to IRCC website, would I be allowed to amend my list of GTF, or bring the car duty free?
Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions!
hi,
i had a similar question. i am planning to use the services of UPack to move. Since there is a mandatory 14 day quarantine period, can the custom clearance and the final delivery process be done after the quarantine period. would the customs be ok if i just leave the upack relocube at their place and clear/collect it only after the 14 day quarantine period
To the questions regarding importation of car when:
- Listed on GTF
- Not listed on GTF
If car is listed on GTF during soft landing (or for that matter anytime after/during your GTF is stamped), it can be imported duty free. Whether your are shipping it by truck or driving it yourself is technically immaterial as long as you have the stamped GTF. The only difference is that when shipping via truck it absolutely cannot have anything other than the car keys, title, and the car handbook that is usually in the glove compartment. If you are driving it over yourself you may have your personal belongings and goods in there (however its more convenient to ship your goods separately so there is no real need to load up your car with boxes).
If the car is not listed on the GTF, you may be charged a duty depending on the value of your car (current exemption is C$10,000 if I remember correctly, the duty is for the value over). If you want you can always request the CBSA officer if the car can be retroactively added, citing COVID-related change of plans etc., not sure if they can but if they allow that you might save yourself some $$.
The exportation from US and importation into Canada (2-step process) needs to happen in either case, the car will be exported out by CBP and they will stamp the title; then CBSA will import it into Canada (as stated in the process in the main post).
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Hello @avj, @usa2can and other folks , first of all, thanks a lot for this info! This definitely helped in clearing lot of my questions.
Me and my wife are planning to move to Canada later this month.
Quick question -
- We will ship our vehicle using Canadian Car shipping just before our flight to Toronto. We are not planning to come back to US. After we complete our landing, we will be permanent residents however we will not have our PR cards with us. In this scenario, how do I self-clear my vehicle from the bonded facility?
Again, thanks a lot for your post.
Cheers!
I think you can use your stamped COPR pages as proof of PR…
COPR will suffice to show your Canadian status
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yes definitely you need it.
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Hi all. Wanted to just share my experience of moving from Detroit metro area to Toronto. I moved in April 2021 by importing my car and taking all my stuff in my SUV. It is a fairly easy process if you make sure to do all steps for it in a sequence like a flowchart. The main thing to remember in exporting a US car to Canada is you must have a clear title in your name (no loan), a valid visa status (H1, F1, whatever else). A lot of the steps are clearly mentioned by other people before me and by the person who has started this thread, so I won’t repeat those. What did help me immensely were two youtube videos detailing the export process clearly and those videos are : How to import car into Canada from USA as a Canadian Permanent Resident - Step by Step process - YouTube and How to Import Your Vehicle from US to Canada (COMPLETE GUIDE) - YouTube . Highly recommend listening to the painstaking detail given by these two lovely immigrants. I followed their steps and the process was smooth.
My experience worth sharing:
- Canada takes Covid much more seriously than the US so plan accordingly. If you are driving through the land border you do not have to quarantine in a hotel for 3 days unlike the air travel but note that they can change this rule. Also, CBSA does not care if you are fully vaccinated in the US, there are no exemptions. I did not mention I was fully vaccinated to the CBSA and neither did they ask.
- I was fortunate to have my PR card with me already, including SIN & bank account opened already so moving in a pandemic wasn’t so challenging. What this means is it is a lot easier to get internet, cell phone and utilities setup for you via calling the companies or through online orders during covid since a lot of Ontario stores are either closed or open by appointment. I am in Toronto and have FIDO internet and Virgin mobile cell plan. Fido has good speed as claimed and Virgin LTE coverage is also good. I would not recommend the cheaper cell plans which are 3G as long term options. Note there is no 5G in Canada (as far as I know).
- The car which I exported was different from the car provided in the goods to follow list so I had to pay the 5% tax on the current value of that American made car. CBSA checks your goods to follow list.
- I also thoroughly followed the steps in Registrar of Imported Vehicles - Importer Checklist as well as created my online RIV import case by entering all the info about my car and paid the RIV fee online before the export and simply printed all the Form 1 copies and took it to CBSA. This made the CBSA process and wait time a lot faster since you are basically doing the work CBSA would do.
- Note that the US export customs side (Ambassador bridge Detroit) is very slow and plan accordingly. They take their own sweet time to process your title and stamp it as cleared for export. It is technically a very simple process but they just take time. The Windsor / Canadian side was very efficient and smooth.
- Remember its best to be prepared well for the CBSA side by presenting clear proof of your negative covid test taken up to 72 hours before reaching the border, plus answering all their questions confidently.
- I had taken a lot of stuff in my SUV and it was different than my goods to follow but my car wasn’t checked by CBSA. I think if you are confident and clear CBSA doesn’t bother you.
- I had to take a 2nd covid test at the Windsor border which is a drive through. That did take time since it was busy that day.
- You are given a home test kit to be taken on day 8 of the quarantine and they provide all instructions.
- Do take the 14 day quarantine seriously and do what is expected.
Covid has hit everyone hard but Canada is welcoming new immigrants. Everyone Canadian I worked with to get to Toronto including the realtor I worked with for renting my place were welcoming and professional. Good luck!
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That’s a good tip. Can you please suggest at what time did you pay the RIV fee - 72 hours before leaving or on the day when you were crossing the border? Thanks
I paid the RIV fee 5 days before the date of border crossing.
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Didn’t know you can hire a realtor for renting. Do they charge the landlord or the renter for the commission ? Is it recommended to hire a realtor for renting ?
Yes you can. Leasing agent charges the landlord commission, not renter. Note that leasing agents are not showing homes / apartments that are in rental-only buildings,
Realtor will charge the landlord and not the renter. However, for that very reason, landlord’s interest and not yours, will be the priority for Realtors. There may be an upsell. Please do your own independent due diligence as well.