Bringing engagement ring to Canada to propose (merged thread)

[AstroCanada 206]

In my experience, Canadian customs officers are incredibly reasonable if you're honest (perhaps with the exception of Quebec). If you want to be fully on the safe side, just tell the officer you're bringing an engagement ring to propose to your girlfriend. My guess is 9 times out of 10, you'll get a "congratulations and good luck." I have often gone well over the duty free allowance for alcohol and been honest about it every time, and I have almost never paid any duty.

It would be worth researching though just how much you might have to pay. if being honest is going to potentially cost $1,000 better to do it in the US.

[NikLR 13,232]

Honesty is the best policy. My husband proposed in Canada and we were married in Canada. He declared both of my rings when he brought them through. Both times CBSA waived him through and wished him luck. Duty would be required for a ring over a certain value, but you'll often find CBSA to be reasonable and unless the ring is thousands of dollars, the duty wouldn't be much. I also had no issues visiting him 3 times, twice during our process.

[NikLR 13,232]

Also to note, you pay the duty when you enter to the CBSA. Theyre not going to keep your ring for weeks. Also duty only applies if the ring is staying in Canada for a certain amount of time.

[NikLR 13,232]

This may help

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120127003452AA7MrGd

[Udella&Wiz 325]

My now husband proposed while I was visiting the US - did I declare a ring on my finger? Hell no! They don't take pictures of your individual fingers when you come across the border back and forth and they'd have no way to say I didn't own it for an extended period prior to that. For all they knew, I had it in my suitcase when I crossed.

My short answer - propose in the US if you want to avoid declaring the ring and paying taxes and leave it at that. My ring has been on my finger for 11 yrs and hopefully another 50 before it comes off and gets passed to someone else.

What if I proposed to here while she was in the states and she brought it back with her when she went back to Canada? Would she still have to claim it cause then its technically hers.

Edited November 25, 2016 by Udella&Wiz

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Also to note, you pay the duty when you enter to the CBSA. Theyre not going to keep your ring for weeks. Also duty only applies if the ring is staying in Canada for a certain amount of time.

If you shippeitn they may

[oncefuturealien 45]

You could work out the potential cost savings of buying it from a Canadian retailer when you're in Canada or buying it from a Canadian retailer online from the US, and having it shipped directly to her? then visit and propose.

I imagine there might be more tax on it in Canada, but the US dollar is strong compared to the Canadian dollar, and it might work out anyway.

If you did an online buy, just make sure it's a reputable jeweller, of course.

[Teddy B 17,252]

In my experience, Canadian customs officers are incredibly reasonable if you're honest (perhaps with the exception of Quebec). If you want to be fully on the safe side, just tell the officer you're bringing an engagement ring to propose to your girlfriend. My guess is 9 times out of 10, you'll get a "congratulations and good luck." I have often gone well over the duty free allowance for alcohol and been honest about it every time, and I have almost never paid any duty.

It would be worth researching though just how much you might have to pay. if being honest is going to potentially cost $1,000 better to do it in the US.

Honesty is the best policy. My husband proposed in Canada and we were married in Canada. He declared both of my rings when he brought them through. Both times CBSA waived him through and wished him luck. Duty would be required for a ring over a certain value, but you'll often find CBSA to be reasonable and unless the ring is thousands of dollars, the duty wouldn't be much. I also had no issues visiting him 3 times, twice during our process.

I agree with both of these posts and have had the same experience myself with Canadian Border Patrol when bringing a pair of diamond earrings over the border for my wife before we were married. It wasn't an issue at all and I was allowed to pass through with no duty. I think they are pretty lenient when it's a gift for a friend or family member. They are much more strict when it involves business items. I witnessed the Canadian Border Patrol pull a woman into secondary and rip a her car apart because she didn't claim some artwork that she was bringing in from the US.

[moemac59 193]

My now husband proposed while I was visiting the US - did I declare a ring on my finger? Hell no! They don't take pictures of your individual fingers when you come across the border back and forth and they'd have no way to say I didn't own it for an extended period prior to that. For all they knew, I had it in my suitcase when I crossed.

My short answer - propose in the US if you want to avoid declaring the ring and paying taxes and leave it at that. My ring has been on my finger for 11 yrs and hopefully another 50 before it comes off and gets passed to someone else.

I didn't declare mine either. I think that I used to hide mine in my shoe sometimes. I figured that the ring was bought in the states and the taxes were already paid on it and also that the ring would be residing back in the states when I moved there. Was it honest? Hell no

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I don't lose sleep over it

I didn't declare mine either. I think that I used to hide mine in my shoe sometimes. I figured that the ring was bought in the states and the taxes were already paid on it and also that the ring would be residing back in the states when I moved there. Was it honest? Hell no

[peterjk 7]

Does anyone know for sure on all of this? We are really trying to do everything legally. The last thing we want is to shoot ourselves in the foot.

Congratulations!

I can answer your question as I proposed to my now-wife one year ago on Christmas eve in Toronto. I had the same issue. My wife was in Toronto and I was in the State. I flew to Toronto on Christmas eve and because the date was so obvious, I didn't want to take a risk so I declared it.

The Canadian Border Patrol asked me if I have a receipt for the ring. I showed him the receipt then he told me that I have to pay the duty (I think it was roughly 4~5%)

I was in a process of K1 visa so I had a NOA1 letter with me and I told him that we will eventually marry in the State and she will not reside in Canada but it didn't work haha.

I ended up paying the duty and they printed a document claiming that the duty was paid. The officer told me to give the document to my wife so she can bring it with her whenever she crosses the border. The officer was very nice guy and he wished me luck.

Since then, she traveled to the US twice with her ring but she had no issue at all. No one asked about the ring.

My suggestion is to declare it! Be honest! Maybe you will get waived but even if you have to pay the duty, it won't be crazy amount. Because we were in a K1 visa process, we did not want to have any red flag issue crossing the border.

Congrats again!!