Question about Border Crossing

[CaitAmber 0]

Hi everybody!

I browsed the topics and did a couple searches, but couldn't find info on my exact question.

My aunt is retired, and offered to drive me from Vancouver to California with all my stuff because she has the time. Do you think the border guards might have a problem with that situation? The car belongs to her, so it won't need to be imported or anything. Literally just, she has the time to take me so she figured she would offer, and it makes sense logistically.

I know that having a job to get back to is a really easy way to convince border guards that you're not just going to stay in the US, so will her being retired be an issue? She does own a house here in Canada and fully intends to return after a day or two at the most.

Any info you guys have will be super appreciated!

[NikLR 13,227]

Shouldn't be much of an issue honestly. Shes just helping you move.

[HollywoodNorth 22]

Shouldn't be an issue, just answer all questions truthfully. It's fairly common to have family help with a move.

[Chalandrae 31]

My brother helped me move and had some of my belonging in his car. Did not have a problem at all.

I had a list of all my belongings, and made sure he was right behind us at the customs. We were sent to secondary inspection (no big deal, it might take a bit if the place is crowded, but once they work on your case it should be fairly easy), and he was sent to a Mcdonald's not to far from the border so he could wait for us. Officer said usually they try to let them follow you to secondary inspection, but if they are too busy they will tell them to go somewhere (restaurant/ Gas station..) and wait on you.

Just make sure you have the list, and try to have an estimate of how much your belonging are worth, they asked me that.

[CaitAmber 0]

Thank you so much for the info guys! This is really putting my mind at ease. A little over a month away now!

[CaitAmber 0]

This might be ridiculous (it's probably completely ridiculous) but the list of my belongings doesn't have to be specific to the level of like "this is a list of the titles of the books/comics that I own"?

I just really really like to be prepared, and knowing stuff like that really helps me feel calmer.

[Chalandrae 31]

I actually detailed everything. I don't think you have to Just say how many you have

[NikLR 13,227]

I wrote the list like this

Box 1 = books

Box 2 = bathroom

Box 3 = clothes

Etc..

Had a moving company been doing it the list would have been more detailed but if you do it yourself, you dont need it more than that.

[JustBreathe 22]

I had a small binder and each page was the contents of the numbered boxes.

If it was an assorted mix of things I listed most things on that one page

if one box was full of a specific thing I just labelled it as a general "kitchen items" or "house decorations" for example

I was asked for my list of what I was bringing and the border guard did go through page by page. However, he never looked in the Uhaul at all.

[NikLR 13,227]

My list, uhual etc.. nothing was looked at. Depends obviously on where you go through and the people that day.

[Chalandrae 31]

They didn't even look at my list, they just asked and estimate of how much my belonging were worths.

Also, I went overboard and labelled all my boxes with a number and brief description of what items they contained. I also am someone who tends to make scenarios in their head and freak out, so I decided to over do things.

[oncefuturealien 45]

We had movers, and I can tell you that when all was said and done I had 16 2 ft x 2 ft x 4 ft boxes that all said CHINA lined up in my garage. Apparently with movers you don't have to be too detailed, because while I have a fair amount of dishes, my entire kitchen and dining room stuff was in those, and nothing was itemized at all. The rest of the boxes generally just had the name of the room they were associated with--bedroom 2, bathroom, front closet, that sort of thing.

If it were up to me I would have been a lot more detailed so that I could FIND MY STUFF when I got here. I still have a bunch of stuff hiding out there, but at least the Wall of China is unpacked