jonclark

Hi,

I am just preparing my paperwork for landing next week, and some of the forms ask to declare items that are less than one year old. This is for both accompanying and non-accompanied items.

I would like to know what other people did. Because I believe I would pay additional tax upon landing if I do declare anything.

Any comments greatfully received!

Thanks

cneldred

if i could prove they were used or for personal use i did not declare.

I work with computers all day and brought them with me..i had 4 power converters i picked up a couple of weeks prior to leaving, still in their boxes and didn't declare.

Chris

jonclark

Thanks for your reply!

So if all my items are for personal use and are used, I shouldn't have to declare anything then?

Jon

Poppy2

There are lots of things that we had bought over the space of a year for the very purpose of moving, things that remained in the original, unopened wrapping. I am thinking of bedding, clothes and some toys etc. We certainly didnt declare them, though maybe we should have. The issue is whether or not you are bringing items that you will sell on, and that not being the case, I wouldnt declare them. Also - even if unopened or looking new, who can honestly tell how long they have been yours for?

Dont worry

woodmanbg

My husband was having kittens as I was still EBaying to build up my china collection four weeks before I left the country. Instead of just declaring a dinner service at a certain value he insisted on counting all the plates etc and declaring the numbers of each item.

cneldred

yeah if you can include it within sets do so....eg box containing 200 dvd's value CAD$x. open boxes make them look like items have been taken out and reinserted loads of times.

Chris

roanin

My advice, answer ALL questions truthfully and accurately. It would not be a good thing to "cross" customs officers upon your arrival in any way. They have more powers than a police force, and will not think twice about putting you back on the plane! Having said that, most officers who know that you are a newly arrived immigrant, and not just a tourist, are more likely to just let you go on your way.
Good luck.

MB-Realtor

They seem way more concerned that you've cleaned your garden tools, than if you have or have not declared a few personal goods.

MarkG

Keeping foot and mouth out of Canada is far more important than collecting a few dollars in duty; personally I never saw anything about having to declare new items you were bringing in, only something about paying duty if you sold them in Canada afterwards.

Poppy2

They dont look in such miniscule detail at every shipment, hence the thorough look at the inventory, but that is just a general insight into each packed box. A new plate, a new dvd wont cause any concern, they wont know those things are new, even if your shipment was called for a spot inspection. They are far more concerned about incoming diseases and pests, than catching you out in having that new unused duvet set or that new DVD box set. The issue of bringing in new stuff I would have thought was far more to do with someone bringing in new items specifically to sell them here. Lets face it, even if you have brought some things in your container for personal use over here, but that are less than 12 months old - you have paid tax on the purchase in the country you bought it. So it stands to reason that they whole issue is regarding resale and preventing that, than catching out genuine new residents.

IMHO. And I also think that Customs, though mighty, powerful and scary, are human too and realise that we are not professional at this, just real people trying to relocate their whole lives. They arent about to put you on a plane back to blighty for a few new items that would be very hard to isolate in the midst of a large container.

Biiiiink

I brought some new stuff still in boxes - crockery, cutlery, kid's flatpack table and chair set... can't remember what else. Oh, duvet covers.

I think I was allowed to do that as a returning resident, but I didn't list them as new and nobody asked. If you're bringing 100 new PCs or something you can bet you'll be grilled but replacing your own housewares is not going to raise any flags I shouldn't have thought...

cynthia2373

Hi, sorry to ask another question but we have 5 dogs and we give them pet vitamins every day. Is it OK to bring those in my luggage - do I have to declare them? I was going to put xx dog vitamins on my goods accomanying list, does anyone know if that will be OK?
Thanks very much.

Poppy2

Well it is probably fine, though you might want to put them in your checked in luggage. It may raise eyebrows, because obviously they are super concerned about travel safety and so on. I would also consider if you are going to be able to get the same brand over here and is it totally necessary to bring them. We actually brought tablets over in our shipment, the packing company didnt even list them, it is assumed that there will be some items like that in every household. But Flight and customs.........I wouldnt bother taking them, because you will need to get more when you are here right? Lucky well looked after dogs!

cneldred

Be careful about the dogs find out loads of info. We brought our dog over, unaware we needed a dog license. When we realised the wife went to municipal office to get said license, there could have been a fine for not having one from day 1, but they let us off. However, and in your case please do some digging, it is a by-law here in Wasaga Beach that you can't have more than 2 dogs registered at any 1 property.

Chris

cynthia2373

Hi, thanks for the replies.
Not to worry about the dogs, we are moving to a rural location, have already spoken to the animal warden for my municipality, we are allowed to have a max of 21 dogs with a kennel licence, so just need another 16 dogs!