The steps posted by OP
Baffled are excellent, and I followed them to export/import my car recently at Lewiston bridge/Niagara falls. It saved a lot of time & hassle.
Here are some points from my experience:
1) Have all the car documents ready
- title (the most important document!!!)
- sale receipts
- registration and insurance (these should be already in your car)
- recall clearance (car must be imported in Canada within 30 days from the date of issue)
- car value (use
www.kbb.com) -- this might be needed when registering on RIV online, or filling the goods to follow list
- optional: car history (use
carfax.com) -- among other things, this gives you the state of the car (clear/salvage/rebuilt, etc) needed by RIV
2) Submit paperwork to RIV online
Checking that your vehicle is admissible for import in Canada is enough to import it at the border (after exporting it from the US). You can do the required modifications after the import.
So, check your vehicle's admissibility, get a checklist from RIV online to figure out which port you will be exporting/importing your car, create an account on RIV, and submit all the documents online, and pay the fees.
After this, you can download Form 1, which will be presented to the officer at the border at the time of import.
Note: Your address on Form 1 needs to be a Canadian address.
3) To export car from the US at Lewiston bridge, all that was needed was the ITN & VIN number to start the process. I consulted a broker to get the ITN number: http://www.autoexports.us/
They were pretty prompt at answering my questions, and making any changes to the export date.
After getting the ITN, I e-mailed VIN + ITN to the export office, who then sent me instructions on the next steps -- wait for 72 hours, and then come to the export office at the border between 8am - 4pm, Mon-Fri, off on holidays (times specific to Lewiston bridge export office).
4) For Lewiston bridge only, I learnt that Fridays are especially busy. So, I planned to cross the border in the middle of the week, on a Wednesday.
5) Getting to the CBP export office at Lewiston bridge
This was a bit confusing to get to. There is no definite address on google maps for it. You need to go all the way to the US border, make sure to slow down, and then take a big left turn. Do not miss this turn, otherwise you will end up in Canada
, but won't be able to import the car
Here are some helpful pointers:
- set your GPS to: Niagara Falls Bridge Commision, 365 Military Rd, Lewiston, NY 14092, United States
- left at the light to go on Upper Mountain Rd
- immediate right ramp to Canada
- you will see a roadside sign telling you to take a left turn for the export office
- take that big left turn to get to the office
direct link to the image above:
http://i.imgur.com/Qm1UtSa.jpg
on google maps: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6970683
6) The export
The officer at the export office checked my status in the US, the title of the car, passport, and had a look at the car, and I was good to go. They did not give me any papers. Took about 10 min. After the export, you cannot stay in the US. You have to go straight to Canada.
7) The import
The officer took a look at the title of the car, my drivers license, and asked me it's estimated value. Then he stamped and wrote some details on the Form 1, and goods/goods to follow list, and I was good to go. As I had already filled out Form 1, and paid the fees (in step 2 above), this process was quick. Took about 15 min.
8 ) Post import
I am waiting to get a federal inspection form, after which I will get the required modifications, and finally a car registration, and a license.
