Importing a Vehicle (Subaru) Without TPMS - Success!

[TPMS 2]

Hi Everyone,

 

I got a lot of useful information from this thread. I understand in most cases people were successful with the aftermarket TMPS system along with invoice from registered mechanic but in some cases officers did not allow that seems it truly depends upon the officer. I have recently moved usa and received letter for Hyundai Elantra that it does not have a TPMS same issue which is under discussion.
 

I have Hyundai Elantra 2020 financed. Initially, I decided to sell it in Canada and buy in USA. Unfortunately, due to chip shortage issue made the car market very difficult for buyers and even used cars are extremely expensive. I tried to get a car on lease but i was not approved because of lack of credit history. Additionally, dealerships are charging 8 to 10K high price by calling it market adjustment charges for 36 month lease car.

 

Now I have two option either pay all the remaining payment, install after market system and import at the POE which is detriot-windsor in my case. Any one important car from this POE? Can you recommend me mechanic who can install in the Hamilton-Burlington area.

 

Secondly, if i will be unsuccessful in importing or they deny to accept my TPMS strategy use my car in usa for year meanwhile my credit is establish and automotive market become cool down.

 

I am wondering what is the criteria to determine the one year rule? I am traveling  back and forth between canada and usa every 7 to 15 days and work from canada remotely one or two days on each visit. Do I need to visit some department and mention them and get approval for one year? 

 

I will appreciate if i can get advise in this matter.

 

thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[IAO 2]

7 hours ago, TPMS said:

Hi Everyone,

 

I got a lot of useful information from this thread. I understand in most cases people were successful with the aftermarket TMPS system along with invoice from registered mechanic but in some cases officers did not allow that seems it truly depends upon the officer. I have recently moved usa and received letter for Hyundai Elantra that it does not have a TPMS same issue which is under discussion.
 

I have Hyundai Elantra 2020 financed. Initially, I decided to sell it in Canada and buy in USA. Unfortunately, due to chip shortage issue made the car market very difficult for buyers and even used cars are extremely expensive. I tried to get a car on lease but i was not approved because of lack of credit history. Additionally, dealerships are charging 8 to 10K high price by calling it market adjustment charges for 36 month lease car.

 

Now I have two option either pay all the remaining payment, install after market system and import at the POE which is detriot-windsor in my case. Any one important car from this POE? Can you recommend me mechanic who can install in the Hamilton-Burlington area.

 

Secondly, if i will be unsuccessful in importing or they deny to accept my TPMS strategy use my car in usa for year meanwhile my credit is establish and automotive market become cool down.

 

I am wondering what is the criteria to determine the one year rule? I am traveling  back and forth between canada and usa every 7 to 15 days and work from canada remotely one or two days on each visit. Do I need to visit some department and mention them and get approval for one year? 

 

I will appreciate if i can get advise in this matter.

 

thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey! 

 

The aftermarket TMPS systems are literally plug and play. You remove the air valve stems and put a chunkier little cap that has a sensor on instead. Any local mechanic will know how to do it within 5 minutes.

 

For me, my timeline was set by my Canadian insurance company (30 days from crossing the border), my state also technically only allows for driving for 30 days with an out of state registration. But my major concern was actually the insurance portion much more than the registration issue. 

 

Definitely reach out to your insurance company and check your coverage carefully with your situation. 

 

I was able to successfully import car at the POE you mentioned, it was relatively simple. Hardest part was paying since the machine didn't want to work😂. 

[TPMS 2]

2 minutes ago, IAO said:

Hey! 

 

The aftermarket TMPS systems are literally plug and play. You remove the air valve stems and put a chunkier little cap that has a sensor on instead. Any local mechanic will know how to do it within 5 minutes.

 

For me, my timeline was set by my Canadian insurance company (30 days from crossing the border), my state also technically only allows for driving for 30 days with an out of state registration. But my major concern was actually the insurance portion much more than the registration issue. 

 

Definitely reach out to your insurance company and check your coverage carefully with your situation. 

 

I was able to successfully import car at the POE you mentioned, it was relatively simple. Hardest part was paying since the machine didn't want to work😂. 

Thank you for your reply. The three forms i am supposed to bring it with me to the boarder seems very confusing, any idea where can i get help to fill those forms? And special 2B stated my car meet all the us based standards where in this case TPMS is not installed by original manufacturer any advise?

 

 

 

thank you, 

[TPMS 2]

On 12/1/2021 at 7:11 AM, IAO said:

Hey! 

 

The aftermarket TMPS systems are literally plug and play. You remove the air valve stems and put a chunkier little cap that has a sensor on instead. Any local mechanic will know how to do it within 5 minutes.

 

For me, my timeline was set by my Canadian insurance company (30 days from crossing the border), my state also technically only allows for driving for 30 days with an out of state registration. But my major concern was actually the insurance portion much more than the registration issue. 

 

Definitely reach out to your insurance company and check your coverage carefully with your situation. 

 

I was able to successfully import car at the POE you mentioned, it was relatively simple. Hardest part was paying since the machine didn't want to work😂. 

Hi, 

i have one more question about the POE. First you stoped at the toll plaza where officer asked for the passport. I need to mention him that I want to see officer as i want to import my car? Then, he will direct me to the office with some sticker on the car? I can show the documents to the officer inside the main office building?

 

thank you,

 

[agdmills 6]

The following details an epic journey through snowy mountains, sunbaked deserts, and dense angular forests in 3 different nations. All with a Toyota Corolla, a compliance letter and a dream of one day saying, "why yes, our car does meet the required specifications to register in the United States."  

 

This story begins on a sad note. In January, 2021 my mother-in-law suddenly passed away. My partner and I are both Canadians living in California, and Canada was still very much in high restriction mode due to the pandemic. This made crossing the border to attend a funeral and settle an estate far more challenging than normal. Eventually, my partner was able to go. After several weeks - over two of which were spent in quarantine - my partner and her sibling settled the estate. This included a well-maintained 2015 Toyota Corolla. My partner decided to keep the car. A reliable vehicle with low mileage is something we would definitely make good use of. She does all the paperwork to change ownership, takes the car to a trusted mechanic for an oil change and inspection, and she's all set to return to California and carry on with life.

 

At this point, neither of us are aware that importing the vehicle at the border is something we need to do. I fly to Chicago to meet her because flying to Toronto would require a lengthy quarantine. She drives across the border as one normally would; present your passport and green card, answer a couple of questions, and on you go. We meet at O'Hare Airport, delighted to see one another after several difficult weeks apart, and settle into our hotel for some much needed rest before our cross-continental journey back to California. The trip was melancholy for obvious reasons, but also meditative and beautiful as we traversed through the ornate landscapes of Wyoming and Utah. 

 

This brings us to the first great hero in our story. At first glance, Yvonne appears to be a DMV employee like any other; a person trying to get through her day as she deals with an endless stream of people who would much rather be somewhere else. However, unbeknownst to her, Yvonne's elevated grace and professionalism allowed this experience to simply be frustrating, as opposed to the downward spiral into madness it otherwise could have been. It is through Yvonne that we learn the vehicle must first be imported before it can be registered in California. She tells us what we need to do - request a letter of compliance, drive to a port of entry, etc - and with much poise and empathy, issues us a temporary registration. 

 

Slightly perturbed at the inconvenience of having to drive all the way to a port of entry, my partner and I are otherwise optimistic that we can successfully complete this task. We decided to take advantage of the long American Thanksgiving weekend. We drive up the forested and mountainous section of I-5 through Oregon and Washington to Seattle, where we have friends with whom we stay with for Thanksgiving dinner. On Black Friday, negative PCR tests and a 60 second wait are all that's required to cross the border into Canada where we make our way to Vancouver and two delightful days with an old friend. 

 

Refreshed and ebullient, we gather our paperwork and prepare to head back to the U.S. Our compliance letter does note that the vehicle has no TPMS; we tell ourselves that it probably doesn't matter. Ignorance is bliss, until the merciless fist of reality pounds itself into your gut rendering your pitiful, helpless body onto the ground with no choice but to face it and move on. This came in the form of Officer Cook. With a stoic confidence, Officer Cook informed us that without a TPMS the car could not be imported. He suggested we drive back to California, request an extension on our temporary registration, have a TPMS installed, and try again. He also recommended going to the Mexican border next time, as it's a shorter drive. We cross back into the States, and after 3 fruitless hours of trying to obtain a TPMS in the small towns of northern Washington, we follow Officer Cook's advice and begin the drive back to California.

 

Re-enter Yvonne at the DMV, who my partner now has a personal relationship with. She issues an extension with no hassle and our next mission is finding a TPMS and someone to install it. I purchased a cigarette lighter unit on Amazon for around $40. It would be incredibly easy to put this on ourselves, but of course, we need a receipt saying it's been installed; this Temporary Part Mandated by States. After being turned away by two mechanics, we find one who will install it. He charges us $20 - the minimum his system will allow - and issues us a detailed receipt. 

 

The following weekend, we drove to San Diego with plans to cross the Mexican border, turn around, and import the vehicle upon re-entering the United States. Simple enough. Upon crossing the border, we are immediately thrust into a country where the line between pedestrian and car traffic is blurred into a singularity and the copious signage does not make it abundantly clear how exactly one returns to the border. After almost two hours of ineffectual trial and error, and unsuccessfully interpreting the body language directions of local police officers and citizens alike, we began to ask ourselves, "do we live in Tijuana now?" Then, it happened. Random chance; a miracle. Call it what you will, but when we made what seemed like just another U-turn in a long line of U-turns that day, there it was, bathed in a golden halo of angelic sunlight; "To I-5."

 

Never before had we been so delighted at the opportunity to wait in a lineup. It was slow moving and hot, but with each passing hour, we were inching closer to the border - TPMS receipt and other paperwork in hand - and finally completing this import process. After a 5 hour wait spent observing the many vendors for whom this was a typical day, and thinking to myself, "I wonder how that 6 foot golden portrait of the Virgin Mary would look in my living room", we finally reached the border. We present our passports and green cards, and my partner confidently says, "I'd like to import this vehicle please." 

 

"Oh, we don't do that here", the officer replied. Deflated does not even begin to describe how we felt. If the U.S. Customs and Border Protection had a derisive sense of humour, each officer would be issued an official turntable so as to inflict a record scratch sound effect for such moments. It now felt like we were never going to get this done. We began considering what we would do should the car not be importable, but resolved to try again at the same Canadian border port of entry we were at weeks previously.

 

At the beginning of January, 2022 we'd planned a trip back to Toronto to visit our families. We decided to postpone that trip because of the recent restrictions imposed in Ontario. This decision had a silver lining though. It was our opportunity to use the time off we'd booked to drive to the border and finally import this vehicle. We booked a few nights at a nice hotel in Portland, Oregon. This being the 1-year anniversary of my mother-in-law's passing, we resolved to spend our time off celebrating life, and hopefully, the successful import of her car and finally closing out the last piece of her estate.

 

We took one day out of our Portland trip to make the 4 and half hour drive to the border in Blaine, Washington. With little fanfare, we crossed into Canada and immediately turned around to cross back. If there were a humourous adventure for me to outline here, I would. But, to be honest, it all went quite smoothly with no issues whatsoever. The only outlier in this part of the story is its second great hero; Officer Holt. We only spent about 20 minutes with him, but Officer Holt's kindness, professionalism, and sincerity were a massive breath of fresh air and appreciated to a level he will never know. We left Blaine, due south for Portland in our legally imported Toyota Corolla.

 

As I sit here in our California home having a restful Sunday and writing this story with my partner beside me, I can see she's quite relieved and eagerly looking forward to walking into the DMV this week and saying, "Yvonne, I'd like to register my vehicle please."  

Edited January 9, 2022 by agdmills

[ErinD 1]

On 1/9/2022 at 2:47 PM, agdmills said:

The following details an epic journey through snowy mountains, sunbaked deserts, and dense angular forests in 3 different nations. All with a Toyota Corolla, a compliance letter and a dream of one day saying, "why yes, our car does meet the required specifications to register in the United States."  

 

This story begins on a sad note. In January, 2021 my mother-in-law suddenly passed away. My partner and I are both Canadians living in California, and Canada was still very much in high restriction mode due to the pandemic. This made crossing the border to attend a funeral and settle an estate far more challenging than normal. Eventually, my partner was able to go. After several weeks - over two of which were spent in quarantine - my partner and her sibling settled the estate. This included a well-maintained 2015 Toyota Corolla. My partner decided to keep the car. A reliable vehicle with low mileage is something we would definitely make good use of. She does all the paperwork to change ownership, takes the car to a trusted mechanic for an oil change and inspection, and she's all set to return to California and carry on with life.

 

At this point, neither of us are aware that importing the vehicle at the border is something we need to do. I fly to Chicago to meet her because flying to Toronto would require a lengthy quarantine. She drives across the border as one normally would; present your passport and green card, answer a couple of questions, and on you go. We meet at O'Hare Airport, delighted to see one another after several difficult weeks apart, and settle into our hotel for some much needed rest before our cross-continental journey back to California. The trip was melancholy for obvious reasons, but also meditative and beautiful as we traversed through the ornate landscapes of Wyoming and Utah. 

 

This brings us to the first great hero in our story. At first glance, Yvonne appears to be a DMV employee like any other; a person trying to get through her day as she deals with an endless stream of people who would much rather be somewhere else. However, unbeknownst to her, Yvonne's elevated grace and professionalism allowed this experience to simply be frustrating, as opposed to the downward spiral into madness it otherwise could have been. It is through Yvonne that we learn the vehicle must first be imported before it can be registered in California. She tells us what we need to do - request a letter of compliance, drive to a port of entry, etc - and with much poise and empathy, issues us a temporary registration. 

 

Slightly perturbed at the inconvenience of having to drive all the way to a port of entry, my partner and I are otherwise optimistic that we can successfully complete this task. We decided to take advantage of the long American Thanksgiving weekend. We drive up the forested and mountainous section of I-5 through Oregon and Washington to Seattle, where we have friends with whom we stay with for Thanksgiving dinner. On Black Friday, negative PCR tests and a 60 second wait are all that's required to cross the border into Canada where we make our way to Vancouver and two delightful days with an old friend. 

 

Refreshed and ebullient, we gather our paperwork and prepare to head back to the U.S. Our compliance letter does note that the vehicle has no TPMS; we tell ourselves that it probably doesn't matter. Ignorance is bliss, until the merciless fist of reality pounds itself into your gut rendering your pitiful, helpless body onto the ground with no choice but to face it and move on. This came in the form of Officer Cook. With a stoic confidence, Officer Cook informed us that without a TPMS the car could not be imported. He suggested we drive back to California, request an extension on our temporary registration, have a TPMS installed, and try again. He also recommended going to the Mexican border next time, as it's a shorter drive. We cross back into the States, and after 3 fruitless hours of trying to obtain a TPMS in the small towns of northern Washington, we follow Officer Cook's advice and begin the drive back to California.

 

Re-enter Yvonne at the DMV, who my partner now has a personal relationship with. She issues an extension with no hassle and our next mission is finding a TPMS and someone to install it. I purchased a cigarette lighter unit on Amazon for around $40. It would be incredibly easy to put this on ourselves, but of course, we need a receipt saying it's been installed; this Temporary Part Mandated by States. After being turned away by two mechanics, we find one who will install it. He charges us $20 - the minimum his system will allow - and issues us a detailed receipt. 

 

The following weekend, we drove to San Diego with plans to cross the Mexican border, turn around, and import the vehicle upon re-entering the United States. Simple enough. Upon crossing the border, we are immediately thrust into a country where the line between pedestrian and car traffic is blurred into a singularity and the copious signage does not make it abundantly clear how exactly one returns to the border. After almost two hours of ineffectual trial and error, and unsuccessfully interpreting the body language directions of local police officers and citizens alike, we began to ask ourselves, "do we live in Tijuana now?" Then, it happened. Random chance; a miracle. Call it what you will, but when we made what seemed like just another U-turn in a long line of U-turns that day, there it was, bathed in a golden halo of angelic sunlight; "To I-5."

 

Never before had we been so delighted at the opportunity to wait in a lineup. It was slow moving and hot, but with each passing hour, we were inching closer to the border - TPMS receipt and other paperwork in hand - and finally completing this import process. After a 5 hour wait spent observing the many vendors for whom this was a typical day, and thinking to myself, "I wonder how that 6 foot golden portrait of the Virgin Mary would look in my living room", we finally reached the border. We present our passports and green cards, and my partner confidently says, "I'd like to import this vehicle please." 

 

"Oh, we don't do that here", the officer replied. Deflated does not even begin to describe how we felt. If the U.S. Customs and Border Protection had a derisive sense of humour, each officer would be issued an official turntable so as to inflict a record scratch sound effect for such moments. It now felt like we were never going to get this done. We began considering what we would do should the car not be importable, but resolved to try again at the same Canadian border port of entry we were at weeks previously.

 

At the beginning of January, 2022 we'd planned a trip back to Toronto to visit our families. We decided to postpone that trip because of the recent restrictions imposed in Ontario. This decision had a silver lining though. It was our opportunity to use the time off we'd booked to drive to the border and finally import this vehicle. We booked a few nights at a nice hotel in Portland, Oregon. This being the 1-year anniversary of my mother-in-law's passing, we resolved to spend our time off celebrating life, and hopefully, the successful import of her car and finally closing out the last piece of her estate.

 

We took one day out of our Portland trip to make the 4 and half hour drive to the border in Blaine, Washington. With little fanfare, we crossed into Canada and immediately turned around to cross back. If there were a humourous adventure for me to outline here, I would. But, to be honest, it all went quite smoothly with no issues whatsoever. The only outlier in this part of the story is its second great hero; Officer Holt. We only spent about 20 minutes with him, but Officer Holt's kindness, professionalism, and sincerity were a massive breath of fresh air and appreciated to a level he will never know. We left Blaine, due south for Portland in our legally imported Toyota Corolla.

 

As I sit here in our California home having a restful Sunday and writing this story with my partner beside me, I can see she's quite relieved and eagerly looking forward to walking into the DMV this week and saying, "Yvonne, I'd like to register my vehicle please."  

I am so glad you were able to finally bring in your car. 
 

I was married at the Peace Arch Park so maybe this is the border I will try also, this May. 
 

Thank you for your detailed and very helpful story. 

[TPMS 2]

I visited the POE recently to import car with compliance letter, laon payment letter, receipt of tmps installed. The officer mentioned that their records shows that my car has salvaged status and salvaged cars can not be imported.
 

 In fact, we bought brand new from dealership and its only 14 months old and it never been to workshop for repair. The officer was polite and he mentioned that there might be error in the system. So, he advised me to get a letter from some Canadian department that is similar to DMV to show it has no accidental record. He mentioned the name queen’s letter. I can see vehicle history record or vin record from mto. But i am not aware if any other such letter. I will appreciate to get advise. What else I can do to show it has not accident on it.

[Redie 124]

On 1/20/2021 at 4:25 PM, jackanddeona said:

Exactly. I confirmed with multiple border agents at the crossing I will use and they said it had to be manufacturer. Again like I said before it is completely up to the individual if they want to attempt this "hack" around the rules but you can and should expect to be denied without OEM installation. I needed a new vehicle anyways so I sold mine and purchased a 2016 Nissan rogue as it has every requirement to be imported (other than daytime headlights needing to be dimmed). There are 4 options I see for people with a non compliant car that the manufacturer does not install TPMS:

 

1 - Sell car and purchase one in the states if you need a new one

2 - Sell car and purchase a compliant car in Canada

3 - Attempt an aftermarket TPMS if you feel like its an acceptable risk to be denied

4 - Don't import car when you move as you have 1 year to either destroy the car or take it back across the border and sell it

 

All up to personal situation and preference as far as which option you choose.

I am in the process of importing a 2015  Nissan Rogue. I have the same issue with the daytime running lights being too bright. I have called CBP a few times asking if I need to have the lights dimmed before importing and I cannot get a definitive answer from them. Did you have your lights dimmed before importing? Thank you.

[jackanddeona 310]

On 2/22/2022 at 9:46 PM, Redie said:

I am in the process of importing a 2015  Nissan Rogue. I have the same issue with the daytime running lights being too bright. I have called CBP a few times asking if I need to have the lights dimmed before importing and I cannot get a definitive answer from them. Did you have your lights dimmed before importing? Thank you.

I did not no, I was told that I would have to get them dimmed in Texas to get my registration and then when I arrived they had no idea what I was talking about. So at the end of the day I didn't have to change anything. The best advice I can give is to call the POE that you plan to use as I have heard of different experiences for different people and they will let you know exactly what they want you to bring and how. 

[Bourney0 0]

On 1/16/2019 at 8:17 PM, grupetto said:

Also bringing in a 2016 Elantra to the US without TPMS. No problems requesting compliance letter from 

Hyundai Canada... guess you folks warmed them up. Do we need to have aftermarket

TPMS professionally installed as folks report they keyed on the receipt? Ordered aftermarket

TPMS from ebay for $25. Please keep us informed.

How long did Hyundai take to issue the compliance letter after you requested it? We have a 2017 Tucson to import.

[grupetto 2]

7 minutes ago, Bourney0 said:

How long did Hyundai take to issue the compliance letter after you requested it? We have a 2017 Tucson to import.

Cannot recall. It was a few years ago. Call customer service and ask.

[sangsag 0]

Hi, 

I am planning to bring a 2015 Subaru Legacy into the USA end of April. This is a Canada manufactured car hence does not have a TPMS system installed. Compliance letter from Subaru status it does not have one very clearly. Can you help understand if the following After market TPMS:CUB wireless TPMS retrofit kit serve the purpose.

is this something we need to call or mail CBP to check if they will accept. If so, any email id/request page/contact number we can reach to find further details about this. 

Much appreciate your help. 

https://www.cubautoparts.com/products-service.php?id=1

[Dreeewski 0]

Hey All, 

 

Similar issue to everyone, relocating to California for work. I am bringing my 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT with me and is compliant except the TPMS. I am collecting my L-1 Visa at the peace bridge and was wondering if its worth attempting to try and import my vehicle into the US at that time or have it shipped to California on a commercial transport on a temp import (up to 1 year) but then fight my case down in San Diego for the CBP7501 form to then be able to register my car with the DMV. I have called Hyundai Canada and US dealerships to see if this can be done and they have all said the same thing "we hear this quite frequently, but unfortunately nothing can be done from an OEM stand point". Just wondering if I should do the import with the TPMS at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, or try doing it down there. Ive read some success stories and some not so lucky. Just putting it out there to see if anyone has any feedback/insight. 

 

Also, trying to get ahold of the CBP office in Buffalo but seems all the numbers you call are just automated messages. Thanks! 

[zilchfox 296]

Oh my god, I wish this post existed back in 2016 before I moved 

I had to sell my car before I moved because of this exact same reason– 2010 Mazda 3 without a TPMS. I eventually ended up buying a 2017 Mazda 3 down here in the US from a local dealer, and I hate it. My old car was a way better car and I loved it and had it for ~7 years... I would definitely still be driving it today if I could have brought it down.
 

To add insult to injury, I actually DROVE that car when visiting back in 2012 from Calgary to pretty much where I live now here in Atlanta, which took like 3.5 days to get here, to visit my then-boyfriend-now-husband, so clearly they had no issue with me USING the car down here, as long as it made its way back to Canada, which it did two weeks later, when I had to drive back home to Calgary.

I had my compliance letter in hand and everything, which said everything was good to go EXCEPT for the TPMS. It only took a couple weeks for me to receive it, and once I've done my calling around and got the same initial info as OP, I considered it a done deal and sold the car just a week before I entered on my K-1.

Edited June 4, 2022 by zilchfox

[nanabananaa 0]

TL;DR

• I am moving to California for work under TN-1 visa (which hasn't been granted yet)
• Tried to import my 2015 Hyundai Elantra but turned away at Ambassador bridge on June 7th, 2022
• Cannot import car with box 2B on Form HS-7 unless you already have work authorization

---

 

Hey everyone, I created an account so I can provide some necessary details about this process.

 

I got a job offer to work in California under a TN-1 visa. I planned on making the road trip from Toronto to California starting on June 7th -- about 3 weeks before my official start date. My goal was to import the car before I started working and acquire my California plate and registration within a month. In preparation for the trip, I came across this thread. I found myself in the same position as many of you, with a 2015 Hyundai Elantra complying to all FMVSS except the TPMS. I ordered an aftermarket TPMS from Amazon (VESAFE) and had it installed at my local canadian tire for about $25. I also called Hyundai Canada (1-888-216-2626) about the compliance letter and they sent it directly to my email within 4 days (you might need to call several times, and explain your situation carefully. I spoke with 3 different agents before one could assist me). 

 

Additionally, I filled out the following forms for car importation:

1. Declaration Form HS7 - I was importing under Box 2B (see: https://www.nhtsa.gov/importing-vehicle). To accompany this I needed:
   1. Compliance letter from Hyundai Canada
   2. TPMS installation invoice from certified mechanic (Canadian Tire)
2. EPA form 3520-1
3. CBP form 7501

Fast forward to June 7th, I had all my forms ready to go, and a 10-day road trip ahead of me. I knew there was a small chance of getting turned back, but I was hopeful based on all of the success stories I read here. I arrive at CBP on the Ambassador Bridge in the early afternoon, and they asked me what my status was. I explained to them that I was starting a job at the end of the month on a TN1 visa, but I wanted to import my car into the country before I started. They put a note on my windshield and I parked my car in front of the station. While I talked to another officer inside the building, 6 agents rummaged through my vehicle as part of a routine inspection. Inside, the officer told me that I could not import my car because I don't yet have official work authorization or residence. At this moment in time, I was still considered a US nonresident even if I had my official job offer letter in-hand. Although it seems obvious in hinsight, I did not read anywhere (even on the NHTSA website) about needing to be a resident to import a vehicle. 

 

To make matters worse, you can only apply for the TN visa within 10 days of your start date. So, I could not have done the road trip even if my visa process had been completed.

 

This is all to say that, you cannot import your vehicle unless you are already a US resident or your work visa is already been granted. A job offer is not enough to successfully import your car.

 

I did, however, ask about the TPMS aftermarket installation. The officer said he would have approved my entry and import with the compliance letter + TPMS installation invoice. This is relevant for all of you who ALREADY have work authorization and are looking just to import your vehicle. I spoke with two officers at the border, and they both informed me that an aftermarket TPMS with documentation is sufficient for import.

 

Hopefully this helps someone out there who is in the same situation as me. If you are on a TN visa, please make sure you can apply for it at the border at the same time you are importing your vehicle.