DO YOU HAVE TO IMPORT YOUR CAR AT THE P.O.E.

[Sheila78 0]

Hi All,

Does any one know for sure if they make you import your car when you get your new visa processed at the border? After I move I am giving the car to my mom (who will be flying in from Manitoba to Ontario to pick it up and drive it back) and I don't want to have to pay to export it back into Canada. So if they make you import it I guess I will have my hubby come from Detroit to pick me and my things up and keep it parked at my dad's until my mom flies in to avoid all of the unnecessary expenses. By the way, it's a 99 mercury sable with 260kms so it's not worth much. It passed it's last emissions test and it has no day time running lights. Thanks in Advance for any help

Sheila

[MrsCat 6]

They don't make you import your car. If you want to leave it in Canada, you can move your stuff and give it to your mom. No problems there. Its your choice what to do with the car.

[Sheila78 0]

They don't make you import your car. If you want to leave it in Canada, you can move your stuff and give it to your mom. No problems there. Its your choice what to do with the car.

Thanks MrsCat, that is good to know. I didn't know if they would believe me that the car was not going to be staying in the U.S. So they will let me bring it over without importing it? Woohoo, that makes my life easier!

[JillA 2]

They don't make you import your car. If you want to leave it in Canada, you can move your stuff and give it to your mom. No problems there. Its your choice what to do with the car.

Thanks MrsCat, that is good to know. I didn't know if they would believe me that the car was not going to be staying in the U.S. So they will let me bring it over without importing it? Woohoo, that makes my life easier!

Yes. After all, if you don't import it, you can't get the car registered in the US, etc. so it's your own hassle. They probably won't even ask about your car!

[Sheila78 0]

They don't make you import your car. If you want to leave it in Canada, you can move your stuff and give it to your mom. No problems there. Its your choice what to do with the car.

Thanks MrsCat, that is good to know. I didn't know if they would believe me that the car was not going to be staying in the U.S. So they will let me bring it over without importing it? Woohoo, that makes my life easier!

Yes. After all, if you don't import it, you can't get the car registered in the US, etc. so it's your own hassle. They probably won't even ask about your car!

That's just the thing, I don't want to register my car in the U.S., I want to give it to my mom who lives in Canada, I'm glad they probably won't even ask about it, I just wanted to make sure, thanks.

[trailmix 77]

That's just the thing, I don't want to register my car in the U.S., I want to give it to my mom who lives in Canada, I'm glad they probably won't even ask about it, I just wanted to make sure, thanks.

They did ask me about our car. We had planned on importing it later - he said we couldn't, so we went ahead and imported it that day. However that is different - you have no intention of importing your car, so I don't see why they would have any objection.

[Sheila78 0]

That's just the thing, I don't want to register my car in the U.S., I want to give it to my mom who lives in Canada, I'm glad they probably won't even ask about it, I just wanted to make sure, thanks.

They did ask me about our car. We had planned on importing it later - he said we couldn't, so we went ahead and imported it that day. However that is different - you have no intention of importing your car, so I don't see why they would have any objection.

Thanks Trailmix, I hope they let me take it to Michigan temporarily, do you think they will believe my story about giving the car to my mom? I hope they do, otherwise all of that paperwork will not be worth it. Should I just sign the ownership over to my mom before I move, that way it will show full intention that I don't plan on keeping it? Thanks in advance, Trailmix

[trailmix 77]

That's just the thing, I don't want to register my car in the U.S., I want to give it to my mom who lives in Canada, I'm glad they probably won't even ask about it, I just wanted to make sure, thanks.

They did ask me about our car. We had planned on importing it later - he said we couldn't, so we went ahead and imported it that day. However that is different - you have no intention of importing your car, so I don't see why they would have any objection.

Thanks Trailmix, I hope they let me take it to Michigan temporarily, do you think they will believe my story about giving the car to my mom? I hope they do, otherwise all of that paperwork will not be worth it. Should I just sign the ownership over to my mom before I move, that way it will show full intention that I don't plan on keeping it? Thanks in advance, Trailmix

If you are feeling really uncomfortable about it you could do that or just take a letter from your Mother - with her contact info on it, explaining how she is going to come and pick the car up etc.

Honestly I wouldn't worry about it too much and I wouldn't give them that letter unless they actually ask you for some proof, but it might make you feel better to have it with you

[zyggy 9]

That's just the thing, I don't want to register my car in the U.S., I want to give it to my mom who lives in Canada, I'm glad they probably won't even ask about it, I just wanted to make sure, thanks.

They did ask me about our car. We had planned on importing it later - he said we couldn't, so we went ahead and imported it that day. However that is different - you have no intention of importing your car, so I don't see why they would have any objection.

Thanks Trailmix, I hope they let me take it to Michigan temporarily, do you think they will believe my story about giving the car to my mom? I hope they do, otherwise all of that paperwork will not be worth it. Should I just sign the ownership over to my mom before I move, that way it will show full intention that I don't plan on keeping it? Thanks in advance, Trailmix

Why don't you transfer ownership of the car to your mother before you leave. That way you won't have to worry about it.

As a side note, it may be more difficult to transfer ownership after you have entered the US as you won't be able to go back with a K-1. I would transfer the ownership a few days before you leave.

Edited June 16, 2009 by zyggy

[Sheila78 0]

That's just the thing, I don't want to register my car in the U.S., I want to give it to my mom who lives in Canada, I'm glad they probably won't even ask about it, I just wanted to make sure, thanks.

They did ask me about our car. We had planned on importing it later - he said we couldn't, so we went ahead and imported it that day. However that is different - you have no intention of importing your car, so I don't see why they would have any objection.

Thanks Trailmix, I hope they let me take it to Michigan temporarily, do you think they will believe my story about giving the car to my mom? I hope they do, otherwise all of that paperwork will not be worth it. Should I just sign the ownership over to my mom before I move, that way it will show full intention that I don't plan on keeping it? Thanks in advance, Trailmix

Why don't you transfer ownership of the car to your mother before you leave. That way you won't have to worry about it.

As a side note, it may be more difficult to transfer ownership after you have entered the US as you won't be able to go back with a K-1. I would transfer the ownership a few days before you leave.

I found this in another fourm:

The following from U.S. Customs and Border Requirements for importing a vehicle or vehicle parts is good info:

http://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs.cfg/ph...amp;p_topview=1

. I didn't. I got myself settled, got my manufacturer's compliance letter from Hyundai by email and went to the local CBP office to "import" my car three months after entry.

You don't have to back to the border or airport. You can go to a more local office

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/ports/

"We had planned on importing it later - he said we couldn't,"

"It's not imperative that you "import" the car when you cross the border"

I guess I should just CALL the border before I cross tomorrow eh? I'll be crossing through Sarnia/Port Huron.

Edited June 18, 2009 by Sheila78

[Sheila78 0]

Well...

I came into the U.S. through Port Huron on Thursday June the 22nd 2009 with my new visa, it took about 2 hours to process because no one in the customs building knew exactly what they were doing, and they joked about it, hehe. The car didn't even come up in conversation, so I just parked it in hubby's garage when we got home until today. We drove to Canada in separate vehicles to pick up my mom from the airport with all of the "car forms" signed and sent her home with my car. Poor mom, she has a 34 hour drive back to Manitoba. I hope she has a safe trip. Then we got back home in MI in hubby's truck.

Just in case anyone was curious,

Sheila

[Krikit 1,165]

Thanks for the follow-up Sheila.