LonTor

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum so I apologise in advance if my question has been asked before.

I landed in Canada 3 years ago - March 19th will be exactly 3 years - and handed the list I made for goods to follow to the officer at the airport. She did not accept it because I had not printed the photos and they were on a CD ! also she asked for valuation for every piece of jewellery I had. So, she told me to bring them next time.

I visited my family this Christmas in Canada and as I was there for holiday did not take the list with me and they did not ask for it.

I am planning to move there for good in April and I'll ship my stuff next week which will arrive a few week after I arrive there.

I've heard that I can hand my list of Goods To Follow only in the first three years after landing and after that it will not be accepted and I would have to pay duty on everything I take with me. Is this true ?

If it is true, is there any way I can email or fax my list to the right authority in Canada ?

I'd appreciate your quick response as I don't have much time.

Regards,

nikki dreaming

How long have you actually stayed in Canada since Landing as a PR? Which visa route did you apply through?

Former Lancastrian should be able to assist with your ?

LonTor

I have got the visa through Federal Skilled Worker. Stayed for two weeks the first time and a month during holidays.

Former Lancastrian

Am I reading this right you applied for PR via the Federal Skilled Worker route landed but have only spent about 6 weeks total in Canada?
This is the memorandum that deals with Settlers
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publicati...d2-2-1-eng.pdf

19. It is suggested that settlers importing valuable pieces of jewellery obtain an appraisal report from a qualified gemologist, jeweler, or from their insurance agent. Such jewellery should be individually identified on the list of goods submitted to the CBSA.

29. Only goods that were declared and listed as “goods to follow” on the settler’s original Form B4 are eligible for duty- and tax-free importation at a later time under tariff item No. 9807.00.00. There is no time limit for importing goods to follow that were listed on the settler’s Form B4. Any discrepancy between what was declared on the B4 and the goods to follow should be questioned. Goods that were not declared on the initial entry as “goods to follow” are subject to regular import assessments.

LonTor

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I have been in Canada for around 6 weeks only.

I understand that there is no time limit for importing goods to follow that were on the list.

My question is, is there a time limit for declaring the goods to follow and for handing the Form B4 after you land ?

Regards,

Former Lancastrian

When you landed was a B4 completed? If it was then the goods to follow list should have been presented at that time.
If you didn't inform CBSA that you were not establishing a residence then you may have problems.

nikki dreaming

To the op , I assume due to your tight time frames mentioned that you aware of the 2 yrs in 5 to maintain pr status too, sounds like you will have no opportunity to leave Canada once you arrive?

LonTor

As I explained in my original post, I have offered them the form but the officer did not take it and asked me to hand it next time.

LonTor

How is that relevant to the " goods to follow " list ?

nikki dreaming

It isn't specifically , just helping others that may come across your thread in the future

jimmydean

We landed 3 years ago and attempted to give the CBSA officer our completed Goods to Follow lists on B4s.........we told them that we were going back to UK two weeks later for approx a year.... and they said not to bother and hand in the B4s when we came to live permanently............... everything I had read suggested that this was wrong and they should stamp the forms when we landed........but they wouldn't accept them or stamp them (Halifax Airport) !!!

So a year later we arrived (at a different airport.... Montreal) to live permanently and provided the CBSA officer our B4s who stamped them with no problem whatsoever...... we then collected our goods a week later with no problem.

CBSA seem to have rules but like most other Govt Depts make it up as they go along... (No offence FL )

Hope it works out for you

JonboyE

They weren’t wrong. FL has given the link above. Tariff code 9807.00.00 - for the tax and duty free importation of personal effects - applies to a ... person who enters Canada with the intention of establishing, for the first time, a residence for a period of not less than 12 months, ...

Therefore, if you are just landing and heading back to the UK you are not entering Canada to establish a residence, so a B4 should not be submitted.

However, given the inconsistency with which the rules are applied I would suggest that anyone landing should have a list of goods to follow in their back pockets. Just in case.

LonTor

So based on your explanation, as I only landed the first time to activate my PR card and was on Holiday to visit my family the second time and I am moving for settlement just now, I can hand the B4 form and the list of goods to follow this time with no problem. Am I right in assuming that ? Nowhere on the Tariff code I could find a time limit on handing these forms.

JonboyE

This is my understanding, though I don't claim any expertise.

LonTor

Thanks a lot for your reply. I hope there will be no problems for me as well.