Landing issue: bringing car from the US to Canada

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

I have been Canadian PR for the last few years. Recently I went to my home country, got married and plan to bring my new wife to Canada ASAP. It is my understanding that as a new immigrant (once she gets her PR documents) she is allowed to bring her possessions to Canada tax- and duty-free. That includes a car.

I have been thinking of using this occasion (her coming to Canada) for buying a new car in the US, where vehicles tend to cost at least a few thousand dollars cheaper than in Canada (not to mention GST and PST). So, I have a few questions:

1. Is there a minimum time ownership requirement (say, 3 or 6 months) before the newcomer could bring the car to Canada tax-free? I mean, can she fly from her home country to the US, buy a vehicle there and do the landing next day through the "land" border in a brand-new car?

2. Is there a requirement that the vehicle must have been registered (license plates and etc.) in the new immigrant's name in the country of her previous residence before it could be brought to Canada? In other words, could the vehicle be driven into Canada with temporary (US dealer) license plates or those would have to be permanent ones, possibly from her home country?

3. US dealer's plates tend to expire in a few weeks. From what I remember (I brought my car to Canada from the US a few years ago when I landed myself) the "importation" process (getting recall letter, exchanging the paperwork with the RIV, doing modifications and etc.) might take a bit longer. How can I/we drive the car around during that period? I mean, what shall I do during the time when dealer's plates expire and permanent plates are not yet available? Is there any way to get temporary plates from Canadian customs or at the local DMV office? Is there any way to get some sort of insurance while driving on temporary plates?

4. Once the car gets registered in my wife's name in Canada is there some time limit during which she can't sell it (because it was brought to the country tax-free)? Not that we plan to do that, but we plan to transfer the formal ownership of the car from her name to mine for insurance purposes.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
GREAKLY Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Junior Member Joined: 06 Mar 2011 Status: Offline Points: 11	Post Options Post Reply Quote GREAKLY Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Landing issue: bringing car from the US to Canada Posted: 19 Aug 2012 at 9:30am
	I have been Canadian PR for the last few years. Recently I went to my home country, got married and plan to bring my new wife to Canada ASAP. It is my understanding that as a new immigrant (once she gets her PR documents) she is allowed to bring her possessions to Canada tax- and duty-free. That includes a car. I have been thinking of using this occasion (her coming to Canada) for buying a new car in the US, where vehicles tend to cost at least a few thousand dollars cheaper than in Canada (not to mention GST and PST). So, I have a few questions: 1. Is there a minimum time ownership requirement (say, 3 or 6 months) before the newcomer could bring the car to Canada tax-free? I mean, can she fly from her home country to the US, buy a vehicle there and do the landing next day through the "land" border in a brand-new car? 2. Is there a requirement that the vehicle must have been registered (license plates and etc.) in the new immigrant's name in the country of her previous residence before it could be brought to Canada? In other words, could the vehicle be driven into Canada with temporary (US dealer) license plates or those would have to be permanent ones, possibly from her home country? 3. US dealer's plates tend to expire in a few weeks. From what I remember (I brought my car to Canada from the US a few years ago when I landed myself) the "importation" process (getting recall letter, exchanging the paperwork with the RIV, doing modifications and etc.) might take a bit longer. How can I/we drive the car around during that period? I mean, what shall I do during the time when dealer's plates expire and permanent plates are not yet available? Is there any way to get temporary plates from Canadian customs or at the local DMV office? Is there any way to get some sort of insurance while driving on temporary plates? 4. Once the car gets registered in my wife's name in Canada is there some time limit during which she can't sell it (because it was brought to the country tax-free)? Not that we plan to do that, but we plan to transfer the formal ownership of the car from her name to mine for insurance purposes. Thank you in advance for your help.

beach247 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Average Member Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Location: Mississauga ON Status: Offline Points: 160	Post Options Post Reply Quote beach247 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 Aug 2012 at 10:41am
	http://www.riv.ca/importingavehicle.aspx http://www.riv.ca/HelpFAQs.aspx Edited by beach247 - 24 Aug 2012 at 10:42am
	Sent - Oct 17, 2011 \| Recvd - Oct 20, 2011 \| ECAS - Nov 18, 2011 \| Letter - Nov 16, 2011 \| In Process - Apr 24, 2012 \| Test - Nov 27, 2012 \| Oath - Feb 15, 2013