Declaring Jewelry

[minnew 4]

Perhaps you could send the ring using FedEx? I've always found them to be expedient and reliable. I'd recommend insuring it, just to be safe.

If you mail the ring, then customs won't make you declare it at the border or airport and they probably wouldn't question you (thereby giving you a seat in secondary) or possibly confiscate it. The fact is you could merely write down that it's a ring (forgetting the engagement part) since it is a ring. Without being questioned and forced to answer, any customs officer who views it written on the package would probably not bother anymore with it.

Thank you for the advice. There have been times where my entire car and contents have been searched for an hour, plus told to empty my pockets and purse, I am not going to chance it I think I will end up declaring it for temporary importation, I am just worried if we cannot find the receipt I don't particularly want to pay GST on the value, because what he paid for the set are two different numbers, since the diamond was a gift from his mother.

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Congrats!!! You must be sooo happy. My boyfriend and I were looking at rings today as a matter of fact, hehe...

Anyways, just wanted to ask, and I'm not trying to be a pain in the butt or ignorant here ok....

How can Canada customs prove HE didn't bring the ring into Canada at a previous date & propose then(and now you're crossing into Canada for the first time with the ring on your finger)? They wouldn't ask you for proof he paid duty right?

Just wondering.....

[minnew 4]

Congrats!!! You must be sooo happy. My boyfriend and I were looking at rings today as a matter of fact, hehe...

Anyways, just wanted to ask, and I'm not trying to be a pain in the butt or ignorant here ok....

How can Canada customs prove HE didn't bring the ring into Canada at a previous date & propose then(and now you're crossing into Canada for the first time with the ring on your finger)? They wouldn't ask you for proof he paid duty right?

Just wondering.....

I'm so excited!!!

I am not sure how that works exactly, they probably could ask if the ring was ever brought to Canada by my fiance. What I do know is that I had a friend who filed for K-3 and when he proposed he came up to Canada with the ring and I believe they asked for a bill of sale. I don't know what he said to canada customs(i'm coming up to canada to propose?), and not sure if they got released from customs without paying duty with the temporary importation.

[minnew 4]

As a follow up to the original post: My experience declaring the engagement ring

A review of the experience:

If anyone else decides to declare their ring have the receipt, appraisal and copy of the memorandum listed in this post !! Maybe the border official had never done a temporary importation before, which okay granted but I was greeted with "Well your research is wrong" by the first contact in the booth. When they asked me to come inside I showed a girl the memorandum and she proceeded to tell me that it only applied to canadians who resided outside canada and because I was still in Canada it did not apply.

They had problems figuring out what to use as the value because the engagement ring was bought with a bridal set and my fiance has the wedding band in the US, I was told I would have to pay GST, PST and duty!! A guy who was obviously training a girl couldn't even find the memo that I printed off! Then when the supervisor came by and saw the Memo he was upset and said did you guys even read this after you printed it off? They were like yes, but she obtained it and the girl told him " I thought it only applied to non residents." UUggghh by then my frustration level was through the roof!! He read the whole thing out loud and then said she only has to pay a security deposit! (Back to more number crunching and 1 hour almost spent at the border).

So in the end I only ended up paying $300, but if the ring and myself does not leave canada in 12 months then i forfeit the deposit and have to pay somewhere around $350 dollars in federal tax! Oh yes and they were not going to let me pay my Visa or MC for the deposit, but it ended up I was allowed after authorization. I just keep thinking...its better than having it seized and paying 80% of the value back! But what a way to treat a bride to be! Wait US immigration process is worse!! LOL!

[neiks 19]

Neiks, if you say there would be no tax or duty, why did Carla's man have to pay GST?

Because it wasn't declared the officer may have done a penalty warning - what we call a "FORCED PAYMENT". The penalty would have just been the GST owing rather than a 40-80% penalty on the value.

Minnew, you have alot of info here from others experiences and the consequences.

Only thing I can really tell you is that when you declare the ring and if the officers are insistent that you pay the tax and possible duty owing (which they just may if they don't know the regulations or they may if they are doubting that you and the ring will be leaving Canada) then you can always ask to speak to a supervisor. OR if you do just pay the tax and (possible duty) then make sure you keep the copy of the B15 receipt Customs gives you, then after you move to the US apply for a refund of what you had to pay in duty and tax.

If you don't declare it and it gets seized you will have to pay the 40-80% penalty on the value and you will probably not get that money back.

If you mail the ring, then customs won't make you declare it at the border or airport and they probably wouldn't question you (thereby giving you a seat in secondary) or possibly confiscate it. The fact is you could merely write down that it's a ring (forgetting the engagement part) since it is a ring. Without being questioned and forced to answer, any customs officer who views it written on the package would probably not bother anymore with it.

When you do mail or courier something internationally you still do a declaration card stating what it is and the value. If you declare it as something else or put a low value on it and the package does get inspected than it can still be seized. Now your ring is stuck in some Customs postal department until you pay the penalty. And it does happen.

The trick is to put it somewhere they can't search or at least, do easily.

LOL - the harder you try to hide it and if it does get found the higher the penalty to get it back after it is seized - that is when you will be paying 80% of it's value. Don't have the receipt with the value - that's OK, customs will hold it until you can provide the receipt or an appraisal - if you can't provide it within 30 days then you forfeit it and will never get it back. Edited December 1, 2008 by neiks

[neiks 19]

How can Canada customs prove HE didn't bring the ring into Canada at a previous date & propose then(and now you're crossing into Canada for the first time with the ring on your finger)? They wouldn't ask you for proof he paid duty right?

Just wondering.....

Onus would be on him to prove he did purchase it in Canada. Customs will hold it until you can provide a receipt and if you can't cough up the Canadian receipt then it can still get seized for the person making untrue statments in regards to where they bought it. And yes, they may ask for proof he paid duty.

[neiks 19]

Minnew, you have alot of info here from others experiences and the consequences.

Opps, sorry just saw that you have already come thru with it. You will get your money back when you leave. If you don't meet the 12 month deadline because your US immigration is taking longer (which we all know from around here that is a possibility) then you can apply for an extension of the E29B (temp admission doc) and should still get your deposit back.

[minnew 4]

Minnew, you have alot of info here from others experiences and the consequences.

Opps, sorry just saw that you have already come thru with it. You will get your money back when you leave. If you don't meet the 12 month deadline because your US immigration is taking longer (which we all know from around here that is a possibility) then you can apply for an extension of the E29B (temp admission doc) and should still get your deposit back.

Thank you so much for the information! I really do not know what I would do with out this forum! How do I go about applying for an extension of the E29B? And how long is the maximum extension?

[CDAgirlMI 51]

Minnew...sucks about the experience with the um, in-experienced...But glad you had your facts straight going in.

Might be easier to just buy the ring in Canada, propose in Canada & not have to worry about the whole border hastle, hehe.

I dunno...

[BermyCat 1]

neiks,

Can you resgister things like expensive jewelry, laptops, etc before you travel to be sure you don't get dinged by customs on the way back?

In Bermuda, before you go on vacation, you go to the customs office with your things and they give you a form with descriptions and serial numbers. When you come back after your trip, you show the customs official the form if he asks about anything. Almost everyone goes through that procedure because customs officials are very strict in Bermuda.

~ Catherine

[Flames9_RN 358]

neiks,

Can you resgister things like expensive jewelry, laptops, etc before you travel to be sure you don't get dinged by customs on the way back?

In Bermuda, before you go on vacation, you go to the customs office with your things and they give you a form with descriptions and serial numbers. When you come back after your trip, you show the customs official the form if he asks about anything. Almost everyone goes through that procedure because customs officials are very strict in Bermuda.

~ Catherine

http://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5056-eng.pdf page 7

[CDAgirlMI 51]

neiks,

Can you resgister things like expensive jewelry, laptops, etc before you travel to be sure you don't get dinged by customs on the way back?

In Bermuda, before you go on vacation, you go to the customs office with your things and they give you a form with descriptions and serial numbers. When you come back after your trip, you show the customs official the form if he asks about anything. Almost everyone goes through that procedure because customs officials are very strict in Bermuda.

~ Catherine

I did that for my mountain bike. Stopped by Canada customs before going to the US & they gave me a green card that allows me to bring it back into Canada with no problems with duty, etc.

[neiks 19]

neiks,

Can you resgister things like expensive jewelry, laptops, etc before you travel to be sure you don't get dinged by customs on the way back?

Yes, stop at the Canadain Customs office before leaving Canada. They will fill out a greencard called a Y28 for you.

Thank you so much for the information! I really do not know what I would do with out this forum! How do I go about applying for an extension of the E29B? And how long is the maximum extension?

Good question - I had to look that one up. This is what I found.

Extensions

51. E29B forms are issued for a specified period, in

accordance with time limitations outlined in the legislation

or regulations that entitled the goods to relief of customs

duties or taxes, including the GST/HST. Duties and taxes,

including the GST/HST, are owed on any goods that remain

in Canada after the Form E29B has expired.

52. If it is impossible or impracticable to export the goods

on or before the expiry date of the Form E29B, the importer

can apply for an extension of the period of importation. This

application should be made before the expiry date.

Depending on the terms of the relevant legislation, an

extension may be granted by either the nearest CBSA office

or the regional CBSA office. The memoranda listed in

paragraph 1 provide greater detail on the authorized periods

of temporary importation. The importer may be required to

present the goods for examination when requesting an

extension.

I would suggest that if you don't get your US visa before it expires then a month or two prior to it's expiration to call the Customs office from which it was issued. Explain that you still have an outstanding E29B and because your US paper work is still is in the process and ask if you can have an extension. If you happen to get an officer that is clueless or is non co-operative ask to speak to a superintendent or supervisor.

[minnew 4]

neiks,

Can you resgister things like expensive jewelry, laptops, etc before you travel to be sure you don't get dinged by customs on the way back?

Yes, stop at the Canadain Customs office before leaving Canada. They will fill out a greencard called a Y28 for you.

Thank you so much for the information! I really do not know what I would do with out this forum! How do I go about applying for an extension of the E29B? And how long is the maximum extension?

Good question - I had to look that one up. This is what I found.

Extensions

51. E29B forms are issued for a specified period, in

accordance with time limitations outlined in the legislation

or regulations that entitled the goods to relief of customs

duties or taxes, including the GST/HST. Duties and taxes,

including the GST/HST, are owed on any goods that remain

in Canada after the Form E29B has expired.

52. If it is impossible or impracticable to export the goods

on or before the expiry date of the Form E29B, the importer

can apply for an extension of the period of importation. This

application should be made before the expiry date.

Depending on the terms of the relevant legislation, an

extension may be granted by either the nearest CBSA office

or the regional CBSA office. The memoranda listed in

paragraph 1 provide greater detail on the authorized periods

of temporary importation. The importer may be required to

present the goods for examination when requesting an

extension.

I would suggest that if you don't get your US visa before it expires then a month or two prior to it's expiration to call the Customs office from which it was issued. Explain that you still have an outstanding E29B and because your US paper work is still is in the process and ask if you can have an extension. If you happen to get an officer that is clueless or is non co-operative ask to speak to a superintendent or supervisor.

I am hoping by next year at this time I will be in the US but who knows, hopefully not waiting for an interview! But anyways, thank you for the information!

[Texanadian 10]

I purposely avoided this by buying the ring in the USA and proposing in the USA. Never having to deal with crossing the border and having the hassle of this. I don't bring my wedding ring to Canada when I go to visit family either.

This is a mixed debate. While I can see the merits of following the law, in this situation, I honestly can't recommend doing that. Charging an American GST and duty for a wedding ring to a Canadian who is moving to the USA? Declared or not, that's just wrong.

I don't have a problem with paying the tax on a 2nd carton of cigs or an extra bottle of booze that is coming back to Canada. But on a wedding ring? Forget it. I'm with Emancipation on this. It just ticks me off.

I say sneak it in. And then don't wear it back and forth for visits. Or else leave it in the USA.