Steve_

You just list everything on CBSA form B4 and B4A, it's very simple. It lists in the instructions anything that might require duty or GST/HST to be paid, the main thing being vehicles valued over $10,000. Also stuff you have owned for less than a year, which is considered "new". The values you put on the form are FMV, i.e. garage sale sort of prices.

discoviking

It is a decent car, and it's paid off, so I have title to it. It would be a temporary import initially, since we will be on temporary work permits at first.

It's an older Land Rover (built Dec 01), but it has been maintained well and have low milage, so it may be worth it to bring it up - at least for a while. And by the time I get Canadian permanent residency and have to start thinking about permanent import, I will probably be past the 15 year RIV cutoff anyway.

johnnybrown532

Plus canada bans you for life for drunk driving which america doesn't. A policy I totally agree with by the way. And they give americans shit which they don't like. I have seen canada border security show.

christmasoompa

As you'll soon find out, the Canadian section of the Wiki has loads and loads of info. Start here - Goods To Follow-Canada : British Expat Wiki

And a quick search of the Canada forums will be able to tell you about how to import a car, it's a question that's been asked many times before.

HTH, good luck.

christmasoompa

You really do just make this stuff up don't you?!

johnnybrown532

No A drunk driving conviction bans you for life from entering Canada doesn't it with no hope? I have heard that from a few people. I thought Canada was really tough against drunk drivers? Tougher than america or england is. If that statement is incorrect then I stand corrected.

Jerseygirl

You are incorrect. Google is your friend.

discoviking

Thanks, I'm looking at the Canada forums, too. I started this thread here mainly out of old habit, I'm so used to posting in the US forums, now I have to switch gears......

Steve_

It's really not that hard, the main bit is the title, you send it to the relevant CBP office, they check NCIC to make sure it's not stolen, they send it to the POE, you show up at the POE with the vehicle, the inspector checks the VIN and issues a clearance, then you bring it into Canada and they do RIV Form 1 and you pay the duty and GST/HST (if any, which is why it is a good idea to have the completed B4).

You also have to have a recall clearance letter, which you can get from a local dealer usually, has to be no more than 30 days old.

There's some new computer system CBP have started using recently which you're supposed to use to notify them, not full in force yet so how you do that I'm not sure.

If it's less than 15 years old you might need changes made to it, the usual one being daytime running lights. The dealers and manufacturers came to some agreement in 2009 that the vehicles were going to be as similar as possible in the US and Canada so anything from 2009 onwards usually requires no modification. Anyway you take the car to Canadian Tire and they inspect it and tell you what needs to be changed, if anything. Then they sign off on it and you can get your lovely Transport Canada compliance sticker.

Anyway all of this is on Registrar of Imported Vehicles but I would add the tip that buying a car in Canada is a mistake imo. They just charge you more for no real reason as far as I can see. The US dealers are often given all kinds of stupid instructions by head office to make it really hard for Canadians to buy new cars in the US, so usually what they do is put the new car out as a loaner for a couple of weeks so technically it is then "used". So much for NAFTA.

I remember once having a dealer telling me I shouldn't buy tires in the US because they weren't to "Canadian spec." and the only difference I can tell is the US DOT compliance markings on the ones I have. It's all BS.

Then they come up with all kinds of nonsense about the exchange rate and whatnot, well I had my car serviced in Calgary and then in the US and the price I was charged was *exactly* the same, I mean to the actual nearest cent once you take into account the exchange rate. So that's obviously a fixed service schedule charge but strangely the cars cost $5,000 (at least) more in Canada? Hmm.

It's just a complete racket. Another trick is they have two cars that are identical, and they give the car a different name in Canada so they can say it has a different blue book value, so instead of: "Premium" it will be called: "Luxury" or something. Other than the name the car is identical. Also, if you look at Canadian dealer sites they rarely have the prices listed for new cars but they usually do in the US. Just to make it harder to compare.

Long story short, don't buy a new car in Canada.

Steve_

Pretty sure you don't get banned for life, not in Alberta anyway. The whole driving system here is a joke, you have to get 15 points to get your licence suspended and then you can get a "restricted" licence that is "only" valid for driving to work and for "essential" travel. And if you take them to court the number of points is automatically halved. I honestly don't know how you can be completely banned from driving here. Something that involves being in a prison.

christmasoompa

It is incorrect.

Why on earth don't you just check these things out that you've heard before posting them as fact?! A quick 30 second Google search would have told you that criminal rehab for somebody wishing to enter Canada with a DUI is possible after at least 5 years from the end of the any sentence.

Rehabilitation for Persons Who Are Inadmissible to Canada Because of Past Criminal Activity

johnnybrown532

I stand corrected but I have heard that quite a few people. It's a myth then but a pretty good myth if it stops even one from drinking and driving.