Registering Financed Vehicle already in USA

[linds83 1]

Hello,

I came from Canada by car for leisure in 2013.

Ended up meeting my now Husband. He ended up proposing, I decided to stay and then we got married five months later. Fast forward a year after marriage to 2014, we filed for a permanent resident status for myself. I ended up getting my greencard a month after the interview.

I am residing in Wisconsin. I have my Canadian financed Ford vehicle that I couldn't register in the states right away because I didn't have my green card, WI drivers license or SSN. I also didn't do the import process of my vehicle when I came over because I didn't know I would end up staying and living in the USA.

Now that I have all required documents needed to register my car, I have no idea where to start.

Do I have to drive my car back to canada to get a compliance letter and have it inspected at the boarder? Can I do the registration and get compliance letter from Ford without having to drive my car back to Canada?

My car is 2011 so I know it complies with USA guidelines. I have till the end of 2016 until I've fully paid off the finance.

Has anyone else been in this situation before that can give me some guidance? I really don't want to give up this car as I put such hard earned money into it.

Please help. If I missed anything I would be happy to answer. Thanks.

[Ontarkie 14,229]

~~Moved to the Canada forum from K1 Process and Procedures - As other Canadians with experience maybe able to help.~~

[carocaro 22]

I had a Canadian vehicle that I took to first have inspected to be sure it met US requirements. You could take yours to a Ford dealership for this and get paper documentation. Then I went to motor vehicles with that certificate, my Canadian ownership, green card, etc. and got title transferred to US and plates issued etc. BUT this was a car that I owned outright. Is your ownership shared on the paperwork by a finance company?

Caro

[linds83 1]

I had a Canadian vehicle that I took to first have inspected to be sure it met US requirements. You could take yours to a Ford dealership for this and get paper documentation. Then I went to motor vehicles with that certificate, my Canadian ownership, green card, etc. and got title transferred to US and plates issued etc. BUT this was a car that I owned outright. Is your ownership shared on the paperwork by a finance company?

Caro

Hi Caro!

Thank you for your reply. So your Canadian vehicle was already in the USA when you went to have it inspected?

My vehicle is infant Financed through Ford Credit Canads. Now, if the ownership is shared on the paperwork, I would have to double check that. I have heard however, that you would have a bigger problem if the vehicle was leased.

I just want to do the right thing. But know what I should do first

Edited May 7, 2015 by linds83

[Ms Hogan 295]

Get your compliance letter from Ford in Canada.

I'm pretty sure you're going to need to drive it to the border so you can officially import it. It also has to technically be exported from Canada.

What does your registration say on it? Does it have your name and the lease/finance company name?

You will eventually need to register it in your state of Wisconsin so you should contact the title bureau there to see what they want. You may or may not need to do things like out of state VIN inspections. You may have a problem getting a title because it isn't fully in your name if that is the case. You have to prove to the title bureau that you own the car so they can title it where you live.

My first steps would be to contact Ford in Canada for the compliance letter and then go to the title bureau and DMV to find out what each of them will need specifically.

[NikLR 13,227]

I do think you'll have issues. Have you checked your lien with Ford to find out if you can even import your car? Often with a lien you cannot import a car because the lien holder is the actual owner.

BTW for all of our future reference for compliance: http://www.epa.gov/oms/imports/canadian.htm

Try contacting them to make sure http://credit.ford.ca/contact-ford-credit

[ricnally 258]

I entered on a work visa with my car and didn't realize I had to import it until I was already in the US. I had to get the compliance letter from Canada and had to go, not to the border, but to a POE (closest one was LAX), to import it, before i could register it. I owned the car thoguh, so can't help with the financed car question.

[linds83 1]

Thank you for your response!

My Ontario registration has my name on it. No mention of Ford Credit, except for the make of the vehicle. My contract shows that Ford Credit is the finance company.

I guess it could go either way.

If I did have to drive it back over the boarder, I don't know if there would be a problem because I'm driving a Canadian registered vehicle with a Wisconsin drivers license :S

[linds83 1]

L

Edited May 7, 2015 by linds83

[linds83 1]

I do think you'll have issues. Have you checked your lien with Ford to find out if you can even import your car? Often with a lien you cannot import a car because the lien holder is the actual owner.

BTW for all of our future reference for compliance: http://www.epa.gov/oms/imports/canadian.htm

Try contacting them to make sure http://credit.ford.ca/contact-ford-credit

Thank you for the links. My understanding is that a leased car is not allowed to be imported because it is owned by ford. Unless the individual buys it out at the end of the lease. I will have to contact ford to find out for sure, obviously. Thanks!

[carocaro 22]

Hi Caro!

Thank you for your reply. So your Canadian vehicle was already in the USA when you went to have it inspected?

My vehicle is infant Financed through Ford Credit Canads. Now, if the ownership is shared on the paperwork, I would have to double check that. I have heard however, that you would have a bigger problem if the vehicle was leased.

I just want to do the right thing. But know what I should do first

Sorry, just saw this. Yes, car was down in Arizona. Took it in to local brand dealer (mine BMW) and I paid for what was needed for it to fit for USA rules, specifically changing presentation on dash to show miles and not just kms.