We are going out to our daughter in Ontaria to stay for 6 months, but arenot getting a visa as we have been told we can stay that long without. We are waiting for our PR to come through - since 2008. We wondered if anybody had shipped anything out to Canada without a visa? 6 months is a long time with a 20 kilo luggage limit

I don't think you need a visa to ship things to Canada.

I moved here without any residency status and shipped everything. It's no problem.

BTW, you can stay up to 6 months at the discretion of the immigration official you meet upon arrival. There's no guarantee that a 6 month tourist visa will be issued.

How long ago was that? We were told by the shipping company that's what we needed. Are you in Ontario?

How does the tax work on that? The advantage of shipping with status is having the goods to follow thing as an umbrella exemption from duty etc isnt it?

6 years ago this summer. I'm in BC, which I don't think has any bearing on the situation.

No idea Iain. I shipped with the intent to have status by the time the goods arrived, but getting my TWP took longer than planned, and the possessions got held in the docks for close to 3 months due to a dock strike, so the timing all got messy. Anyway the container was released by my broker and transported to Kamloops and there was never a request for duty.

Now, buying a property and business without status was a different matter. Getting stung for GST and PST hurt until I could claim it back 8 months later.

You can stay longer than the six months you just have to pay a small fee and apply for an extension. You don't even have to go to the border any more.

Technically thats you MIGHT be able to stay longer. Having PR in the works can complicate things due to questions over intent and readyness to leave if refused etc etc. There are lots of ifs and buts and might-bes when it comes to coming here under the visa waiver scheme. Basically much of it is at the discretion of the immigration officer on the day, and there is no predicting that.

The official line with CBSA is that you can only bring belongings in if you have status to do so ie student, wp holder, pr or seasonal resident.

see here

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publicati...f5114-eng.html

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publicati...f5082-eng.html

That being said I know that it has been done, ie landing as a visitor and the shipment of goods have been allowed in no problem, like all things with visitor it is all down to the border office on the day as to what they will let you do, ie how long to stay etc, there are no guarantees.

I would make sure you do have a return ticket. Your application etc will show up on the IO's screen, so you need to be able to persuade them that you are indeed just visiting on this trip, and intending to leave at the end of it.
Have a nice trip!