B4/B4A

[Fencesitter]

Hi all,

Happy New Year to you all and wishing all of you a fast journey through the immigration process.

So, my family will be completing the landing formalities on January 30. We're going to land in Vancouver, stay for about a week, and then return to China to wrap things up. I have started filling out the B4 form, but I have a few questions:

1. I have been a non-resident since 2001, so do my wife and I fill out two separate forms listing our possessions, or do we list them all together?

2. What do we do about the 'Cargo Control Number'?

3. The 'Country of Origin' and 'Country of Export' would both be China, right? All items were purchased in China, though not all items were made in China.

4. At the bottom of the form where it says 'Signed at'...would we enter Vancouver since that is where we are landing? Do we need to be specific and name the airport, or is 'Vancouver' good enough?

5. Under the 'Former Resident' section, both 1 and 2 apply to me, so do I check both boxes?

6. For my wife, she will need to complete the section 'Landed Immigrant' (next to the address)...but should she leave that blank and fill it in when going through immigration/customs? It shows a form number IMM5292, but we are not sure what that is...

We are listing all of the goods that we are importing at the time of landing on the B4 and B4A forms. What about the goods to follow? Do we fill out another B4 form, or can we simply use the B4A? Or does the customs officer highlight all the items that we imported at the time of landing, thus, anything not highlighted would be considered part of our goods to follow inventory? Are receipts necessary, because we don't have receipts for some of our belongings.

Thanks for any information!

FS

 

[Fencesitter]

Anyone?

 

[wilson]

Anyone?

I suggest she should complete the form.

B4A is the continuation of B4.

There is a box for Goods to follow. Check that box and list all the items sent by cargo as un accompanied in that list (B4/B4A). Keep a copy stamped and signed by BSA for showing at the customs ware house later after arrival of the goods.

If you are carrying with you in nthe checked baggage/hand bag, only some essential (personal ) items such as dress, linen, computer, camera, you need not make a B4 form for that. The declaration form, distributed in the flight will be enough.

For Goods to Follow you need to prepare B4/B4A.

1. Your wife should complete the form being new immigrant ( or landed immigrant) - family class

2. The Canadian boarder service Agent (Customs ) will take care of that. Leave it blank

3. Yes

4 She should sign it when landing in front of the CBSA

5. Settler being she is a new immigrant.

6. Don't look at the grey colums (box). Those are for CBSA.

Goods to follow should be listed separately. Make 3 copies.

 

[steaky]

Our case was very similar to you. Just that we went done it at the local CBSA office in Vancouver instead of doing it in the airport.

1) You and your wife complete the form
2) Customs will take care of that (leave it blank)
3) Write "CN"
4) Your wife and yourself sign in front of the CBSA
5) Settler being your wife and child; former resident being yourself
6) CBSA will take care of the grey boxes

Yes, goods to follow should be listed separately. Make 3 copies.

 

[Fencesitter]

Thanks.

I'm going to prepare everything today and then make copies, plus I think I will bring a couple of blank copies of both B4 and B4A just in case there is some kind of mistake.

FS

 

[Fencesitter]

So just to be perfectly clear, we do not need to prepare two sets of the B4 forms (e.g. one for me, and one for my wife), correct?

We just use one form and I select the appropriate boxes under 'returning resident' and my wife does the same under 'settler'...correct?

At the present time I have prepared separate forms for each of us...so I just need confirmation on whether we complete the B4 form together or as I have done, separately.

Thanks!

FS

 

[Fencesitter]

Can anyone clarify?

When looking at the B4 form, it would seem as though they only allow one person to fill it in...

Would it be a problem if we separated our belongings and made 2 sets of the B4 forms (one for me, and one for my wife)?

How strict is CBSA when it comes to bringing stuff into the country? I mean, will they want to inspect our belongings? We're mostly taking our jewelry, electronics, and clothing items.

I have prepared excel sheets with the details of what we are bringing in under each category listed on the B4 form (with total values and a total value of everything). Do I need to get the CBSA officer to stamp the excel sheets?

Thanks for any help!

FS

 

[OhCanadiana]

Can anyone clarify?

When looking at the B4 form, it would seem as though they only allow one person to fill it in...

Would it be a problem if we separated our belongings and made 2 sets of the B4 forms (one for me, and one for my wife)?

How strict is CBSA when it comes to bringing stuff into the country? I mean, will they want to inspect our belongings? We're mostly taking our jewelry, electronics, and clothing items.

I have prepared excel sheets with the details of what we are bringing in under each category listed on the B4 form (with total values and a total value of everything). Do I need to get the CBSA officer to stamp the excel sheets?

Thanks for any help!

FS

Each B4 is indeed individual so you can either put everything in one person's form under that person's name or you can each fill out your own (separate) forms. If you are shipping things, it may be easier logistically to do everything under on person's name since that person may need to go clear the goods when they arrive in Canada (though you can also write out letters granting the other person permission).

They always have the right to inspect the belongings any time you cross the border. That's why you should keep the stamped B4 and B4A forms (or your stamped Excel spreadsheets) along with your customs's receipt even after you import the goods so you can always show during future flights that you imported the goods already.

 

[Fencesitter]

Thanks for the clarification.

Everything we bring to Canada will be with us on the airplane, so I think it's best to keep things separate.

When preparing the excel sheets, should I make a box for the CBSA stamp and a signature line for the importer and the CBSA officer?

Thanks!

FS

 

[steaky]

So just to be perfectly clear, we do not need to prepare two sets of the B4 forms (e.g. one for me, and one for my wife), correct? Your choice: one for you, one for your wife/child or one for whole family

We just use one form and I select the appropriate boxes under 'returning resident' and my wife does the same under 'settler'...correct? Yes if one for whole family

At the present time I have prepared separate forms for each of us...so I just need confirmation on whether we complete the B4 form together or as I have done, separately. It's okay

Thanks!

FS

When preparing the excel sheets, should I make a box for the CBSA stamp and a signature line for the importer and the CBSA officer?

No need!

 

[wilson]

Can anyone clarify?
How strict is CBSA when it comes to bringing stuff into the country? I mean, will they want to inspect our belongings? We're mostly taking our jewelry, electronics, and clothing items.

If you are bringing your personal effects together with you in your checked baggage ( you and family ), you don't have much problem at the airport. Your first arrival counter is the customs (CBSA) where an officer will review your the Declaration form which was served to you in the airplane before landing. The officer may ask about how much alcohol and tobacco you bring. You need to declare if you exceed the limit.He may also ask what else you have. So you can tell the officer that you have some electronic items for personal use, jewelry, clothing etc. If the officer seems that you need B4 form (usually not), he/she will give you one form and ask you to fill it up there itself. Therefore, just relax and make your landing. Everything would be fine. The CBSA officers are not going to give you any trouble. But if you have already some made up papers, just keep it for them. Doesn't make any difference.

You mentioned you don't have any Un-accompanied stuff, imported separate by cargo shipment. The B4 forms for "goods to follow" are compulsory for cargo shipped items for customs duty exemption. Otherwise, the import duty is to be paid as per the applicable tariff for those items.

 

[Fencesitter]

Thanks for the information.

I have another question: under 'Former Resident' there are a couple of checkboxes...do I select all of them or is the first one fine (the one about being absent from Canada for at least one year).

As for the B4 forms, well, I have already completed them with the excel spreadsheet + pictures of the jewelry + total values for everything. I think it is best to hand those to the CBSA officer and get him/her to stamp them so I never have to worry about these items being taxed in the future. Is my understanding correct on that?

One week and we're off to Vancouver! It seems like forever since my wife was granted the visa....now the next hurdle is to get her PR card before September 2013 when we will make our way to Canada for good...

FS

 

[Fencesitter]

If you are bringing your personal effects together with you in your checked baggage ( you and family ), you don't have much problem at the airport. Your first arrival counter is the customs (CBSA) where an officer will review your the Declaration form which was served to you in the airplane before landing. The officer may ask about how much alcohol and tobacco you bring. You need to declare if you exceed the limit.He may also ask what else you have. So you can tell the officer that you have some electronic items for personal use, jewelry, clothing etc. If the officer seems that you need B4 form (usually not), he/she will give you one form and ask you to fill it up there itself. Therefore, just relax and make your landing. Everything would be fine. The CBSA officers are not going to give you any trouble. But if you have already some made up papers, just keep it for them. Doesn't make any difference.

You mentioned you don't have any Un-accompanied stuff, imported separate by cargo shipment. The B4 forms for "goods to follow" are compulsory for cargo shipped items for customs duty exemption. Otherwise, the import duty is to be paid as per the applicable tariff for those items.

The goods to follow will be with us in our checked luggage, but I would still feel better having the B4 form filled + the excel sheets just to be absolutely sure we don't have any issues with duty. We might also put down some stuff we may want to import (stuff that us cheaper to buy in China and ship to Canada)...guess it can't hurt to include those future items...even though we don't know what they are as yet (we need to make a list of possible stuff we might want to buy and ship)....

FS

 

[motorcyclerider]

Sorry to go a bit off topic, but it's kind of related. I'm finalizing my move back to and I am still debating on how to bring our savings back. I haven't had a bank account in Canada for like 10 years. So if I wire money I would need to wire to my parents bank account, not sure if that would cause any tax related problems for my folks. Another option would be getting a certified cheque. What did you guys do? Also, do we have to declare at the time of landing how much money we have brought back on the B4 form, does it matter since it's not cash? I know that if you are bringing back more than $10,000cdn in cash you need to declare it at the airport.

 

[Fencesitter]

I was in the exact same position. I was able to open a bank account while still living in China. If you can get in touch with a bank manager, they can help you do it. We did everything via the internet (the banker would scan documents for me to sign...I'd sign, scan, and send back to her...all via e-mail). She was also able to get a credit card for me...

As for the money thing, I wired it home to my account. No worries about taxes because it was earned outside of Canada and I am still a non-resident for tax purposes...

I don't think you are required to declare the money you bring back with you as long as it doesn't go above the 10K mark...

FS