andrea874

Okay here's something that neither me or my husband have thought about... When I originally came to the US, I drove my car down here. Currently, that car is sitting in my husband's grandparents garage, uninsured and unregistered, since my Canadian registration expired. Since we got married, we just thought I'd get a NY drivers license have register the car down here. However, does ANYONE know how to go about doing that? Apparently in order to "import" a car, which I guess we are doing, it apparently has to have some form from customs. However, since I didn't have intention to STAY here when I crossed the border, I obviously didn't get that form, since I didn't know I would be importing anything. Does anyone have any clue where I would even START to try to figure out what to do here? We thought about just bringing it back to Canada and selling it, but we can't even do that as its not currently insured or licensed!

souls canuck

hmm, gee, I dunno.. we came across thru buffalo just last week and did in fact import the car..

my car is a 2000 alero.. I got a clearance letter from Canada stating it met the emmissions requirements and any other they needed (the car was made in the states so I knew it wouldnt be a problem) the letter was about 70 bucks..

if your car is somewhat new you shouldnt have a problem.. its the older models that may pose a challenge..

so after going thru immigration we had to import the car.. I did get something from them.. and she did say I would need it later for licensing..

poke around on the internet.. try the licensing centre.. in canada they were very helpful on what I needed, I am sure the same is for NY..
good luck..

andrea874

Yeah, the problem is that when I crossed the border I wasnt intending to immigrate. So now I'm here with a car that wasn't imported, we can't take it out of the country and bring it back to properly import because #1 I can't leave the country, and #2 its no longer insured or licensed...

andrea874

Also, did you have to pay anything to import the car, other than just the letter? I'm thinking maybe we can get Ford in Canada to write a letter for the car, and then just bring it to a customs place down here maybe and have them clear it. Any idea if the car has to be physically present?

Ranjini

It looks like getting a letter from Ford in Canada may be a good start. It also looks you would need EPA clearance. Read this link which appears to indicate the registration requirements in NY state:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...threadid=14723
You may have to wait until about Tuesday took get more definite answers, this being a holiday weekend...

Rete

We, too, live in New York State and have imported a car from Canada when my Canadian husband came down on a K-1. Yes you need custom's papers in NYS to register a car and obtain a title which will allow you to legally sell it down here and/or junk it if it dies and cannot be resurrected or it you want to use it as a trade in. If you don't care about any of those three things then you can register it with your Canadian registration and title and proof of insurance but the NYS DMV will not give you a title on the vehicle.

In order to qualify for the custom's paperwork you have to have a letter from the manufacturer attesting to the fact that the vehicle conforms to the US specifications for safety and emissions for the year the car was manufactured. This is not as easy to get as you might think if your car is an 1991 and younger. Those cars must have passive restriants and/or dual airbags. Forget about it if you don't have either as to have the vehicle brought up to code is prohibitive. If it does, then when you next visit Canada bring proof of your intended migration to the US, i.e. receipt of filing of the AOS and your EAD card if you have one. Present those things and the manufacturer's letter of compliance to the custom's office at the drive through and they will complete the paperwork and you are on your way. There is no charge. Then you take the car's registration to the DMV along with the custom's paperwork and you can register the vehicle.

Since you live in New York State a nice weekend trip to Canada will be all you need to do. You do not have to drive the car through the border again in order to import it. You just need the paperwork.

You can read more about it from the page linked under the FAQ listing under my root post.

Rete

andrea874

Thanks for the very informative answer, Rete

My car is a 1998, so getting that letter shouldn't be a problem. We do need to have a NYS title/registration, because I need to transfer the ownership to my husband as will be the only one with a current drivers license for the next little while, and we are hoping to have the car in operation rather soon. I did read somewhere that we would probably have to pay duty on the car. Is that true? If so, I suppose it wouldn't be a huge deal.

I will speak with Ford in Canada tomorrow and have them write the letters stating that the vehicle is up to code. I read on one website that if one didn't get the paperwork done for importing a vehicle when you came into the country, you may be able to do it at a port of entry while in the US - one of which is listed as being JFK airport. Does anyone know if this is accurate? Tuesday, I'll call JFK and see if the customs office there will do the appropriate paperwork. I am hoping so, but given the past experiences we've had with any sort of US government agency, I am guessing there will be a lot more hoops to jump thru.

Also, the cars registration is expired (thus the reason it has been parked for about 2 months). Is this going to present a huge problem for me? I bought the car off my father, so all I have proving I own it is the recently expired registration in my name, with a matching license number as is on my (also recently expired) license. I keep hearing about needing the "title deed" to the car. In the province I'm from, I've never had such a thing in any of the four or five vehicles I have owned. There's simply a little extra panel on your registration that you're supposed to give to someone when they buy a car (transfer of ownership).

I'm just trying to think of every possible problem before we head down to the port of entry at JFK and at least *try* to get this taken care of... If anyone else has any advice, it is more than welcome... Thanks

Rete

I was going to suggest the airport but not sure where in NYS you are. We did not have luck with them but no harm in trying for yourself. There is no duty on the car if you are migrating.

For the record Jim came across with two cars and didn't pay duty on either one.

Also Jim was unsuccessful in getting compliance letters from any Canadian auto manufacturer. He originally had an Eagle Summit and after that a Dodge Neon. Both times he had to go to the US manufacturer for the clearance. Others had been successful with a Canada Man. but not us. Again, no harm again in trying. There is a fee usually for the service of providing the letter. The link I told you to look up will give the phone numbers.

Rete

andrea874

Rete, did you try at JFK and have no luck? We're in Queens so that is really the only close "port of entry" listed on the US customs site other than Newark. I'm really hoping to accomplish something through JFK but I have my doubts. It would be such a hassle if we have to go to Canada and back in order to "import" it as I doubt if I'll have my AP any time soon - but I suppose if that's the way it is, theres not a lot we can do about it at this point.

So, basically, the fact that I've applied for AOS should theoretically be enough "proof" that I'm planning on migrating here, and only want the car for personal use so therefore shouldn't have to pay duty, correct?

Shelnew

You don't have to pay duty on the car unless you sell it within 1 year from
arriving (if I remember correctly).
That may be different for you since you didn't complete the import process
on arrival, so it may be one year from when you get the customs forms that
show no duty is required.

I also worked with USDOT to get information on importing my car from Canada,
there is a lot of information on their website. I had a problem with the
fact my e-brake icon was depicted as an ! instead of reading brake when
engaged.
They helped me clear that up.

Check with NY Motor Vehicles on what forms you'll need to register your car.
In PA, they required a different form in addition to the form from customs.
Also get an US EPA safety and emissions letter from your auto manufacturer.
"andrea874" <member21863@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Originally posted by Rete
    > > I was going to suggest the
    > airport but not sure where in NYS you are. We did not have luck with
    > them but no harm in trying for yourself. There is no duty on the car if
    > you are migrating.
    > >
    > > For the record Jim came across with two cars
    > and didn't pay duty on either one.
    > >
    > > Also Jim was unsuccessful in
    > getting compliance letters from any Canadian auto manufacturer. He
    > originally had an Eagle Summit and after that a Dodge Neon. Both times
    > he had to go to the US manufacturer for the clearance. Others had been
    > successful with a Canada Man. but not us. Again, no harm again in
    > trying. There is a fee usually for the service of providing the letter.
    > The link I told you to look up will give the phone numbers.
    > >
    > > Rete
    > Rete, did you try at JFK and have no luck? We're in Queens so
    > that is really the only close "port of entry" listed on the US customs
    > site other than Newark. I'm really hoping to accomplish something
    > through JFK but I have my doubts. It would be such a hassle if we have
    > to go to Canada and back in order to "import" it as I doubt if I'll have
    > my AP any time soon - but I suppose if that's the way it is, theres not
    > a lot we can do about it at this point.
    > So, basically, the fact that
    > I've applied for AOS should theoretically be enough "proof" that I'm
    > planning on migrating here, and only want the car for personal use so
    > therefore shouldn't have to pay duty, correct?
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Rete

Right the one at JFK was the one we called. But that was back in 1999 so things might have changed. Jim got the custom's paperwork done on one of his trips to Ottawa in the spring of 1999 when he returned the Eagle because he could not get the compliance letter and traded it in for a newer car that met specs and then imported that. And that was done 7 months after he came here on a K-1.

If they won't do it in person, see if you can do it via the mail. We were able to get the paperwork for the import of his rifles/long guns through the Firearms blah blah blah agency via mail and fax. The custom's officer would not allow him to import them at the time of crossing but the supervisor said to Jim "Go" and register them later. So we did it through the agency which was at that time located near the world trade center. They could not have been nicer about the whole thing.

Rete

andrea874

Awesome, thanks so much for the info Rete.

I actually just called the customs office at JFK (surprisingly someone actually picked up the phone) and they SAID it would be no problem, so we'll see what happens when I actually go down there with the compliance letters

Rete

Great !!!!!!!!!!!