Driving (vehicle insurance) while a temporary resident/spousal sponsorship app

[jess143]

Hello All,

I have looked through tons of forum postings but haven't seen any answers yet to my specific question.
I crossed over to Canada from the US driving my vehicle as a visitor. I have since gotten married and am now applying under spousal sponsorship. I have an open work permit that I applied for at the same time as I submitted my PR application.

My vehicle is still registered and insured in the US. I know that since I am not yet a PR, and my work permit is valid for less than 36 months, I don't legally have to import my vehicle. I also can't afford to pay the fees to do that at this time and would certainly prefer to wait and bring the car in once I have PR status to save the thousands.

My insurance company only covers me while in Canada as a visitor for less than 6 months.

Can I get Canadian auto insurance for my US plated/registered vehicle? Can I get some kind of special (long term) traveler's insurance for my vehicle?

I haven't been able to find any answers as to how to keep my vehicle road legal while I'm waiting for my PR status but I'm sure there has to be someone in a similar situation.

Any and all help and guidance are greatly appreciated!

 

[CDNPR2014]

Can I get Canadian auto insurance for my US plated/registered vehicle? Can I get some kind of special (long term) traveler's insurance for my vehicle?

I haven't been able to find any answers as to how to keep my vehicle road legal while I'm waiting for my PR status but I'm sure there has to be someone in a similar situation.

Short answer is no, you can't legally insure or register the car until it's properly imported. that being said, there is a "temporary import" available for those with legal temporary status. i'm sure if you go to the RIV website or call (their agents are super helpful), you can find information about it. Technically, the only way to be able to drive your car in canada as a visitor without going through temporarily importing it, is to not tell your insurance company you are in canada so they won't drop you.

 

[jess143]

THANK YOU!

I had no idea that temporary importing even existed. I've now found a little more information on that and it looks like part of the confusion others are encountering is that the officials at the border crossing aren't very knowledgeable about it. This could be an enormous help. I've never been one to bend or break the law and I feel so incredibly uncomfortable with the idea that my insurance might not be explicitly valid if I continue to reside in Canada.

 

[CDNPR2014]

THANK YOU!

I had no idea that temporary importing even existed. I've now found a little more information on that and it looks like part of the confusion others are encountering is that the officials at the border crossing aren't very knowledgeable about it. This could be an enormous help. I've never been one to bend or break the law and I feel so incredibly uncomfortable with the idea that my insurance might not be explicitly valid if I continue to reside in Canada.

you can also try calling the CBSA border you would be driving through. they might be able to tell you what they know of it and if they would even process the temp import.

when did you submit your application? the way things are going these days, it may not even be an issue, because approval for us citizens is only taking 2-3 months...

depending on how long the car's been in canada, and if you will be driving back and forth, i'd recommend just not telling your insurance company. this is what i did, though i was regularly driving back and forth after 2-3 months each time, so the car was never really in canada for 6 mo. or more at one time. i even totalled my car in canada on my way back to the states, and my insurance company said boo about it being in canada. they had sister companies in canada that helped with everything and i got a full payout.

 

[jess143]

I have been continuously in Canada for 6+ months. I came as a visitor, only valid for less than 6 months, and then got married and applied for PR as a spouse. That application was submitted in December with the help of a super pricey immigration attorney who considers all of these issues (vehicle, insurance, etc) outside of his scope. So from December until I received my work permit (recently) I didn't have a travel document that allowed me to go across and border and back but was in "implied status" because I had a pending application. I was advised not to leave Canada unless it was an emergency during that time. I don't really have roots in the US anymore and it's a struggle to even get my mail forwarded to me.

I've been told to expect my PR application to take at least 24 months. I got the work permit as part of a pilot program allowing inbound spousal applicants to get work permits while their PR applications are in process. So I'm looking at an additional 18 months or so of waiting to be a PR in which time I need to legally drive my vehicle. I've been incredibly anxious about this whole confusing thing. These forums are SO much more helpful than the official sites.

 

[CDNPR2014]

I've been told to expect my PR application to take at least 24 months. I got the work permit as part of a pilot program allowing inbound spousal applicants to get work permits while their PR applications are in process. So I'm looking at an additional 18 months or so of waiting to be a PR in which time I need to legally drive my vehicle. I've been incredibly anxious about this whole confusing thing. These forums are SO much more helpful than the official sites.

oh, well that's different since you applied inland. i would recommend checking out the temporary import process, since it will be quite a while before you see approval. either that, or sell the car and buy one in canada.

 

[HuskyTech]

Hello all,

I am in the exact same situation and was wondering if anyone could shed light on this or has any other added suggestions (except that I have just become a PR and received my card).

Thanks!

 

[MJSPARV]

Hello all,

I am in the exact same situation and was wondering if anyone could shed light on this or has any other added suggestions (except that I have just become a PR and received my card).

Thanks!

what's your question exactly? How to import the car? How to drive it in Canada without importing? The original poster was asking his or her question because s/he wasn't a PR yet so not sure exactly what you mean by exact same situation except you're a PR.

 

[MJSPARV]

There are several threads here about importing a car.

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/forums/settlement-issues.14/