Vehicle import (from Canada) after PR

[matchs 0]

All,

With our final AOS interview this week, we presume that my wife will receive her green card sometime in May, barring delays. In late May/early June, we'll be travelling to Canada to visit her family and at that time will be importing her vehicle and the rest of her personal belongings (she brought her clothes and limited other items in January when she came on the K-1 visa).

I'm looking for experiences you've had with importing a car (permanently) under the green card if you've just become a PR. Would it be considered importing with the $400 customs exemption and the 2.5% duty, or is there a way to import under the auspices of the K-1 program?

For those who have imported just after AOS, what was your final cost?

Finally, I've seen reference to importing a vehicle in the home state rather than at the POE. Is there a benefit to either, or a reason not to do one over the other?

Thanks in advance.

[S and P 9]

I seem to remember someone here saying that there is a ridiculous amount of time you have to import your personal belongings duty free when you immigrate... like 10 years or something..... hopefully someone else will chime in....

My husband came on a k-1 and imported his car with no issues, but he did it at the time of his POE.... I would think as long as your wife still has her passport with her K-1 visa in it that would be proof enough to avoid paying duty. You might want to call the CBP office where you will be crossing first, ask for a supervisor, they could probably give you the information you are needing.

[Krikit 1,164]

It's easier to do it at the POE because it's only a few more minutes on top of the time you've already spent having the visa endorsed. The vehicle comes in duty free as a part of the move to the US and you have up to one year to do so.

[S and P 9]

I don't know how to post a link, put maybe you can copy and paste this...

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/421/related/1/~/moving-to-the-u.s.---importing-or-shipping-car-

there is a lot of information on this page about moving your belongings to the US... Hope it helps!

[jazzly 3]

What if you cross the border in the vehicle but don't want to import it just now. You want to sell it in Canada on your next visit to Canada.

[sheeshkabelle 153]

What if you cross the border in the vehicle but don't want to import it just now. You want to sell it in Canada on your next visit to Canada.

Then don't import it. If they ask, tell them you don't want to. You only have a year to keep a vehicle in the US with out importing it.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

If you owe money on the car the holder of the lien will probably be your biggest issue. They usually don't like it being in another country even if it is the US.

[sheeshkabelle 153]

If you owe money on the car the holder of the lien will probably be your biggest issue. They usually don't like it being in another country even if it is the US.

That is true, some finance companies will not let you import the car. When you import and you don't have a title, you must have a letter from the finance company allowing the car to be imported. You can not use a registration paper.

We have that issue with my husband's motorcycle. The finance company has no problems with him taking it to the US, but they do have issues with importing it. Our options are to either:

A. bring it with him, not import it, pay it off with in a year, THEN import it.

B. Pay it off and import it. (which we probably can't do with in two months)

C. Sell it for the pay off