Crossing the border in rental car or truck

[yodheydhara]

Hi guys,
I am planning to move to Canada based on my PR sometime later this month or early next month.
I have decided to drive there, to Ottawa. I will be crossing through the Abassador bridge in Detroit.
My plan is drive using a rental truck with my luggage in it and my car towed behind the truck. Given the fact tht I have already done my landing in last October, what documents would I need to carry for:
1. The rental truck - I understand that I will need the export and import paper work for my car, but do I need any specific document for the rental truck?
2. My luggage - I already gave the list of goods to follow when I did the landing at Toronto airport back in October. Will I need a new list or I will have to carry the same list? The list of goods is not the same as I had thought of when I did the landing.
3. The big question - my PR card is still with my relatives in Canada. But I have heard that if we are driving there in a rental or private vehicle (except public transports like rail, bus, air etc), I do not need the PR card with me, and my COPR can do. Is this information correct?

Thanks in advance to all you wonderful guys for your inputs here!

 

[dks2323]

Hi guys,
I am planning to move to Canada based on my PR sometime later this month or early next month.
I have decided to drive there, to Ottawa. I will be crossing through the Abassador bridge in Detroit.
My plan is drive using a rental truck with my luggage in it and my car towed behind the truck. Given the fact tht I have already done my landing in last October, what documents would I need to carry for:
1. The rental truck - I understand that I will need the export and import paper work for my car, but do I need any specific document for the rental truck?
Replied you on this in the other thread....it should be just the rental agreement that you need in case you are allowed to get the U haul truck (which I think you are allowed)

2. My luggage - I already gave the list of goods to follow when I did the landing at Toronto airport back in October. Will I need a new list or I will have to carry the same list? The list of goods is not the same as I had thought of when I did the landing.

Does not really matter....few things here and there...it matters when you get too much cash or valuables...I am guessing that you are just getting the regular home stuff...

3. The big question - my PR card is still with my relatives in Canada. But I have heard that if we are driving there in a rental or private vehicle (except public transports like rail, bus, air etc), I do not need the PR card with me, and my COPR can do. Is this information correct?

Yes, you can...There is a logical reason behind it.,...when you board a plane then you have to show something to airline staff about how you belong to Canada....they know what a Canadian visa is, or a PR card, or ofcourse a Canadian passport. But they might not know what a COPR is....
but the border agents know what a COPR is so they'll let you in.....

Thanks in advance to all you wonderful guys for your inputs here!

 

[yodheydhara]

Does not really matter....few things here and there...it matters when you get too much cash or valuables...I am guessing that you are just getting the regular home stuff...

Yes, in fact the no of things have reduced drastically. I will still make a new list as a back up just in case.

 

[harirajmohan]

Hi guys,
I am planning to move to Canada based on my PR sometime later this month or early next month.
I have decided to drive there, to Ottawa. I will be crossing through the Abassador bridge in Detroit.
My plan is drive using a rental truck with my luggage in it and my car towed behind the truck. Given the fact tht I have already done my landing in last October, what documents would I need to carry for:
1. The rental truck - I understand that I will need the export and import paper work for my car, but do I need any specific document for the rental truck?
2. My luggage - I already gave the list of goods to follow when I did the landing at Toronto airport back in October. Will I need a new list or I will have to carry the same list? The list of goods is not the same as I had thought of when I did the landing.
3. The big question - my PR card is still with my relatives in Canada. But I have heard that if we are driving there in a rental or private vehicle (except public transports like rail, bus, air etc), I do not need the PR card with me, and my COPR can do. Is this information correct?

Thanks in advance to all you wonderful guys for your inputs here!

1. The rental truck - Mentioned already in other thread.
2. My luggage - No new list. The list is always approximate. No one can give exact number of items as we buy every month some or the other items which they too know the daily life. Dont worry too much. They wont even check more most of the time. For me, they just saw in the back of the truck, they did not even bother to open a box/bag.
3. COPR is enough to go by car/rental truck.

 

[yodheydhara]

1. The rental truck - Mentioned already in other thread.
2. My luggage - No new list. The list is always approximate. No one can give exact number of items as we buy every month some or the other items which they too know the daily life. Dont worry too much. They wont even check more most of the time. For me, they just saw in the back of the truck, they did not even bother to open a box/bag.
3. COPR is enough to go by car/rental truck.

Thanks Hariraj, this is helpful!!

 

[lifeonedge]

Congrats hariraj .. Welcome to Canada.

 

[supreets2]

@yodheydhara and everyone else

Is there a way to calculate what will be the import duty to take the car from the US to Canada?

 

[yodheydhara]

@yodheydhara and everyone else

Is there a way to calculate what will be the import duty to take the car from the US to Canada?

I believe the best way would be to call the RIV.

 

[yodheydhara]

Hi Guys,
I have been trying to log in to this forum since last couple of days but for some reason I am unable to! It always takes me back to the home page.
Finally I am able to log in.
First of all thank you all in this forum and specifically in this thread for all your help and inputs!!

1) I sold the car in US - well not completely sold yet as I have signed the sale deed with the dealer but I am awaiting the lean release on my car to be sent to the dealer.
2) I rented a 10 foot U haul Truck and drove from Minnesota to Ottawa via Ambassador bridge. I crossed the bridge at about 7:30 in the morning on a Sunday so there was no line!!
3) At the border, when I pulled up the truck at the booth, there is only one immigration and customs to pass the Canada immigration and customs. I had presumed that I would have to go through US Customs and then Canada Customs, but that was not the case. The office was a CBSA office who looked at our passports, COPRs and looked us up in the system. He also asked for a detailed inventory list. We mentioned to him that we had landed before and now we were moving for good. He asked us for the B4 form that was given to us when we had first landed. We handed over the form timo him. He also asked us if we had anything that we had in the truck and it was not listed in the inventory. We mentioned about some of furniture and items that we had purchased in US after we went back from Canada. We also told him the values of these items.
He then instructed us to park the truck in a designated area and asked us to walk into the main office building.
4) There we were met by another officer who asked us about where we were going and why. She asked us about the PR cards - we mentioned that the PR cards were with our relatives in Canada. She asked "you must give the address that you are staying at not your relatives. How can you give an address that is not yours? We explained the situation that we had to come back.
Next she asked me if I had a job in Canada - my answer was that "no, I will continue to work for my US employer until they transfer me to their Canada entity." She asked me more confusing questions on whether I had the job or not. I explained to her my situation with my transfer. Then we were asked to show the bill of the coffee table that we had purchased recently. We should the bill in email as we had ordered in online.
She also looked at my H1B visa documents (petition and all that).
We were then asked to proceed.

So, that was our story. The whole thing took about 15-20 minutes and viola, we were in Canada!!

Few things to keep a note of ;
1) Keep the inventory as detailed as you can. We did our inventory again on plain spreadsheet and had 3 printed copies with us, as per the CIC website.
2) Keep the bills of any high value items that you might have purchased for personal use. For e.g. some furniture. Remember, any goods that are either gifts to you or gifts for others are liable for import duty.
3) Please keep an tobacco or alcohol that you carrying sealed and declare it, even if the officer doesnt ask. Most probably they do. Also please remember the box you put those in so in case they ask, you know which box to look into!
4) Memorandum D2-2-1 has all the information of items that you can carry (exempt and non-exempt from duty) and you cannot carry.
5) Memorandum D9-1-7 has the information about settlers being exempted for used mattresses.
6) Have a print out of these memorandums handy with the inventory.
7) for the rental truck, keep your rental agreement handy Usually they wouldnt ask if it is someone like UHaul that you have rented the truck from. I rented a UHaul truck. It was a one way rental from US to Canada so they gave me a truck that had the registration passing for both Canada and US. The officers will verify the number place. They did it for my rental truck.

I hope this information helps people in similar situation who choose to drive from US to Canada.

 

[vj9]

Hi Guys,
I have been trying to log in to this forum since last couple of days but for some reason I am unable to! It always takes me back to the home page.
Finally I am able to log in.
First of all thank you all in this forum and specifically in this thread for all your help and inputs!!

1) I sold the car in US - well not completely sold yet as I have signed the sale deed with the dealer but I am awaiting the lean release on my car to be sent to the dealer.
2) I rented a 10 foot U haul Truck and drove from Minnesota to Ottawa via Ambassador bridge. I crossed the bridge at about 7:30 in the morning on a Sunday so there was no line!!
3) At the border, when I pulled up the truck at the booth, there is only one immigration and customs to pass the Canada immigration and customs. I had presumed that I would have to go through US Customs and then Canada Customs, but that was not the case. The office was a CBSA office who looked at our passports, COPRs and looked us up in the system. He also asked for a detailed inventory list. We mentioned to him that we had landed before and now we were moving for good. He asked us for the B4 form that was given to us when we had first landed. We handed over the form timo him. He also asked us if we had anything that we had in the truck and it was not listed in the inventory. We mentioned about some of furniture and items that we had purchased in US after we went back from Canada. We also told him the values of these items.
He then instructed us to park the truck in a designated area and asked us to walk into the main office building.
4) There we were met by another officer who asked us about where we were going and why. She asked us about the PR cards - we mentioned that the PR cards were with our relatives in Canada. She asked "you must give the address that you are staying at not your relatives. How can you give an address that is not yours? We explained the situation that we had to come back.
Next she asked me if I had a job in Canada - my answer was that "no, I will continue to work for my US employer until they transfer me to their Canada entity." She asked me more confusing questions on whether I had the job or not. I explained to her my situation with my transfer. Then we were asked to show the bill of the coffee table that we had purchased recently. We should the bill in email as we had ordered in online.
She also looked at my H1B visa documents (petition and all that).
We were then asked to proceed.

So, that was our story. The whole thing took about 15-20 minutes and viola, we were in Canada!!

Few things to keep a note of ;
1) Keep the inventory as detailed as you can. We did our inventory again on plain spreadsheet and had 3 printed copies with us, as per the CIC website.
2) Keep the bills of any high value items that you might have purchased for personal use. For e.g. some furniture. Remember, any goods that are either gifts to you or gifts for others are liable for import duty.
3) Please keep an tobacco or alcohol that you carrying sealed and declare it, even if the officer doesnt ask. Most probably they do. Also please remember the box you put those in so in case they ask, you know which box to look into!
4) Memorandum D2-2-1 has all the information of items that you can carry (exempt and non-exempt from duty) and you cannot carry.
5) Memorandum D9-1-7 has the information about settlers being exempted for used mattresses.
6) Have a print out of these memorandums handy with the inventory.
7) for the rental truck, keep your rental agreement handy Usually they wouldnt ask if it is someone like UHaul that you have rented the truck from. I rented a UHaul truck. It was a one way rental from US to Canada so they gave me a truck that had the registration passing for both Canada and US. The officers will verify the number place. They did it for my rental truck.

I hope this information helps people in similar situation who choose to drive from US to Canada.

This is great! I really appreciate you for taking the time to write this in detail. This would help a lot. I hope you're having a good time in Canada.

 

[DEEPCUR]

Hi Guys,
I have been trying to log in to this forum since last couple of days but for some reason I am unable to! It always takes me back to the home page.
Finally I am able to log in.
First of all thank you all in this forum and specifically in this thread for all your help and inputs!!

1) I sold the car in US - well not completely sold yet as I have signed the sale deed with the dealer but I am awaiting the lean release on my car to be sent to the dealer.
2) I rented a 10 foot U haul Truck and drove from Minnesota to Ottawa via Ambassador bridge. I crossed the bridge at about 7:30 in the morning on a Sunday so there was no line!!
3) At the border, when I pulled up the truck at the booth, there is only one immigration and customs to pass the Canada immigration and customs. I had presumed that I would have to go through US Customs and then Canada Customs, but that was not the case. The office was a CBSA office who looked at our passports, COPRs and looked us up in the system. He also asked for a detailed inventory list. We mentioned to him that we had landed before and now we were moving for good. He asked us for the B4 form that was given to us when we had first landed. We handed over the form timo him. He also asked us if we had anything that we had in the truck and it was not listed in the inventory. We mentioned about some of furniture and items that we had purchased in US after we went back from Canada. We also told him the values of these items.
He then instructed us to park the truck in a designated area and asked us to walk into the main office building.
4) There we were met by another officer who asked us about where we were going and why. She asked us about the PR cards - we mentioned that the PR cards were with our relatives in Canada. She asked "you must give the address that you are staying at not your relatives. How can you give an address that is not yours? We explained the situation that we had to come back.
Next she asked me if I had a job in Canada - my answer was that "no, I will continue to work for my US employer until they transfer me to their Canada entity." She asked me more confusing questions on whether I had the job or not. I explained to her my situation with my transfer. Then we were asked to show the bill of the coffee table that we had purchased recently. We should the bill in email as we had ordered in online.
She also looked at my H1B visa documents (petition and all that).
We were then asked to proceed.

So, that was our story. The whole thing took about 15-20 minutes and viola, we were in Canada!!

Few things to keep a note of ;
1) Keep the inventory as detailed as you can. We did our inventory again on plain spreadsheet and had 3 printed copies with us, as per the CIC website.
2) Keep the bills of any high value items that you might have purchased for personal use. For e.g. some furniture. Remember, any goods that are either gifts to you or gifts for others are liable for import duty.
3) Please keep an tobacco or alcohol that you carrying sealed and declare it, even if the officer doesnt ask. Most probably they do. Also please remember the box you put those in so in case they ask, you know which box to look into!
4) Memorandum D2-2-1 has all the information of items that you can carry (exempt and non-exempt from duty) and you cannot carry.
5) Memorandum D9-1-7 has the information about settlers being exempted for used mattresses.
6) Have a print out of these memorandums handy with the inventory.
7) for the rental truck, keep your rental agreement handy Usually they wouldnt ask if it is someone like UHaul that you have rented the truck from. I rented a UHaul truck. It was a one way rental from US to Canada so they gave me a truck that had the registration passing for both Canada and US. The officers will verify the number place. They did it for my rental truck.

I hope this information helps people in similar situation who choose to drive from US to Canada.

Very detailed post! Just noticing it. I have one related question.. some people haven't had goods to follow stamped if they are doing soft landing because they are considered as visitor (not settler) because they do soft landing.

In that case, do they need to say to CBSA that they are coming back as 'Settler' and get things duty free? Were you asked pay customs for the additional furniture that you bought after soft landing?

 

[yodheydhara]

Very detailed post! Just noticing it. I have one related question.. some people haven't had goods to follow stamped if they are doing soft landing because they are considered as visitor (not settler) because they do soft landing.

In that case, do they need to say to CBSA that they are coming back as 'Settler' and get things duty free? Were you asked pay customs for the additional furniture that you bought after soft landing?

No I was not asked to pay any custom duty. My understanding is that even if you are considered a visitor from a customs point of view, you are a settler from the immigration stand point. Hence, as a part of the landing process, you will be going to the customs anyways and there if they dont ask you for the good to follow form, I suggest you still give it to them and get it stamped. Not sure why they wouldnt stamp it.

Now when you are moving for good, you will be a returning permanent resident from the immigration stand point but you will still be a settler from the customs stand point and hence you will be eligible for all the exceptions that are allowed for a settler. For e.g. bringing in your used mattresses without getting them fumigated.

You might want to check the definition of settler on cic website, that would help. You can check the memorandums I have mentioned in my original post for those definitions - points 4 and 5 under "few things to keep note of".

 

[yodheydhara]

This is great! I really appreciate you for taking the time to write this in detail. This would help a lot. I hope you're having a good time in Canada.

Glad that it helps! Yes I am having a good time - still looking for a local job though. Fortunately I am able to continue working for my US employer remotely.

 

[wolfman2017]

Glad that it helps! Yes I am having a good time - still looking for a local job though. Fortunately I am able to continue working for my US employer remotely.

Hi @yodheydhara - How much did it cost for the rental truck and moving?
I am also in same boat but will have my car as well and exploring my options. Mine will be a ~1500 mile move.

 

[yodheydhara]

Hi @yodheydhara - How much did it cost for the rental truck and moving?
I am also in same boat but will have my car as well and exploring my options. Mine will be a ~1500 mile move.

I rented a 10 ft U Haul Truck that cost me around 1400 USD, one way from US to Canada. Mine was around 1300 miles move.