Crossing the border in rental car or truck

[deepasri]

Thank You. Can you guide me the process i have read few threads on the same but not getting complete information. I am planning to drive my car to the border while moving so i believe there wont be any customs duty. I also read that we need to send an email to customs dept at border 72hrs prior to our journey with the VIN number of the car.

Appreciate if you can share the complete steps and it will be helpful for other members also.

 

[APPNOV2014NY]

Thank You. Can you guide me the process i have read few threads on the same but not getting complete information. I am planning to drive my car to the border while moving so i believe there wont be any customs duty. I also read that we need to send an email to customs dept at border 72hrs prior to our journey with the VIN number of the car.

Appreciate if you can share the complete steps and it will be helpful for other members also.

Process is well documented in below threads. Please go through these. Only difference is that since you are going on Work Permit and not PR, you are allowed to skip US export process at CBP and proceed directly to Canada CBSA office and "temporarily" import Car. You won't need to pay any Customs duty provided you mention your Car in GTA/GTF document.


https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/soft-landing-from-usa-via-road.529041/page-2
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/steps-to-export-the-vehicle-from-usa-to-canada.528187/
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/exporting-a-vehicle-from-the-u-s-and-importing-into-canada-complete-step-by-step-guide.539649/#post-6662144
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/exporting-importing-vehicle-us-to-canada-only.415713/
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/my-car-import-experience-helpful-tips-i-have-learned-us-can.390731/#post-4977027
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/us-car-export-import-my-experience.329097/

 

[greencard14]

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.

Hi, when you are at the Canadian border which lane did you use? The one for those long Semi Trailer trucks or regular lanes where we usually drive through using personal cars?

 

[greencard14]

Hi, when you are at the Canadian border which lane did you use? The one for those long Semi Trailer trucks or regular lanes where we usually drive through using personal cars?

To folks who have similar question, I used the regular lanes for private cars/Auto and the crossing was a breeze. I just showed them the B4 form and the officer asked if I was bringing everything on that form and I said yes and he entered something into computer and let me in. I didn't even had to get out of my 20 foot UHaul truck.

 

[yodheydhara]

To folks who have similar question, I used the regular lanes for private cars/Auto and the crossing was a breeze. I just showed them the B4 form and the officer asked if I was bringing everything on that form and I said yes and he entered something into computer and let me in. I didn't even had to get out of my 20 foot UHaul truck.

sorry for a delayed response!
Yes, well I went early in the morning (around 7 AM on a Sunday) so there was no rush! You are right, it has to be the one for private vehicle.

 

[alexross]

You can definitely use any personal mode of transportation like your car, rental car etc for travel with passport and copr. PRTD is required only if you take public transport like flight , bus etc.

Hi Deepcur,

I understand from some of your post that you have travelled from US to Canada by road using only CoPR. I just wanted to check with you, were you able to use it after the validity date mentioned on the CoPR document? appreciate your reply on this. Thank you!

 

[dsinghd]

HI
I need help. And please do share your experience if anyone has done this before.

I'm driving uHaul truck with my car from Alabama to Toronto.After unloading my stuff in Canada, If i drop truck in Niagara NY which is hour and a half drive from Toronto. I'm saving around $450. Now this includes the hassle of crossing the border again with only 2 and half month of h1b stamped visa still left on PP. ( I really hope it shouldn't be a problem to enter US)
I have a friend(has Canada PR) who can drive with me to Niagara drop off location and take me back to Canada. Number of days and miles allowed by uhaul are within limit anyhow I can always pay for extra usage. Is this possible OR worth it ?

Note: Uhaul doesn't care if I go over the border and come back.

 

[Samoinp]

HI
I need help. And please do share your experience if anyone has done this before.

I'm driving uHaul truck with my car from Alabama to Toronto.After unloading my stuff in Canada, If i drop truck in Niagara NY which is hour and a half drive from Toronto. I'm saving around $450. Now this includes the hassle of crossing the border again with only 2 and half month of h1b stamped visa still left on PP. ( I really hope it shouldn't be a problem to enter US)
I have a friend(has Canada PR) who can drive with me to Niagara drop off location and take me back to Canada. Number of days and miles allowed by uhaul are within limit anyhow I can always pay for extra usage. Is this possible OR worth it ?

Note: Uhaul doesn't care if I go over the border and come back.

If you are planning on using your H1B to reenter, is your job still active?

FWIW, i drove until Buffalo and took another one way rent for one day from there to Toronto. I didn't have too many stuff though just a mini-van worth of stuff.

 

[dsinghd]

If you are planning on using your H1B to reenter, is your job still active?

FWIW, i drove until Buffalo and took another one way rent for one day from there to Toronto. I didn't have too many stuff though just a mini-van worth of stuff.

No, I won't be having the job anymore. I'll resign and leave.

 

[Samoinp]

No, I won't be having the job anymore. I'll resign and leave.

So how can you reenter?

 

[dsinghd]

So how can you reenter?

I don't know. That's why i have asked the question here. To get suggestions/advise. Whether should I avoid the risk or take it ?

 

[21Goose]

I don't know. That's why i have asked the question here. To get suggestions/advise. Whether should I avoid the risk or take it ?

Well, technically your company is supposed to notify USCIS as soon as you quit and they will cancel your H1B. However, in practice, they usually cancel it in a few days, depending on when your company informs them.

Still, why not just leave Alabama on Friday without quitting, drive to Canada, land as a PR, then reenter on your valid H1B (since you haven't quit yet), return the U-Haul, come back to Canada, and then on Monday quit via email/phone. That way, there's nothing dodgy about your status.

You don't have to quit in person, you know. Even if you have a notice period in your employment contract, Alabama is an at-will state, and there's really no way for the company to enforce that notice period against you. I presume you don't want to work for this company again, so a burnt bridge won't really harm you much.

 

[sumitkamboj88]

Hello Everyone,

Information shared in this thread is really helpful. Although, I have a question. I am an Indian and have Canada PR. I don't have my PR card but I need to travel to Canada. I can apply for PRTD but there is long processing time these days because of COVID so I don't want to wait for long.
I have US B1/B2 visa. Can I travel to the US and then rent a vehicle to enter Canada with COPR, Indian passport and Canadian driving license?
Any thoughts, please?

 

[alexross]

Hello Everyone,

Information shared in this thread is really helpful. Although, I have a question. I am an Indian and have Canada PR. I don't have my PR card but I need to travel to Canada. I can apply for PRTD but there is long processing time these days because of COVID so I don't want to wait for long.
I have US B1/B2 visa. Can I travel to the US and then rent a vehicle to enter Canada with COPR, Indian passport and Canadian driving license?
Any thoughts, please?

You can surely do this. I was also interested in this option earlier and to make sure I called the CBSA (Canadian Border Security Agency), the official authority on who will allow you entry into Canada. They confirmed that passport and CoPR is sufficient to enter canada by land in your own/rental car. You can also call and talk to them for your peace of mind if you are planning this, they are super helpful:
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/bis-sif-eng.html

 

[harirajmohan]

Hello Everyone,

Information shared in this thread is really helpful. Although, I have a question. I am an Indian and have Canada PR. I don't have my PR card but I need to travel to Canada. I can apply for PRTD but there is long processing time these days because of COVID so I don't want to wait for long.
I have US B1/B2 visa. Can I travel to the US and then rent a vehicle to enter Canada with COPR, Indian passport and Canadian driving license?
Any thoughts, please?

What visa status are you in? why do you refer on B1 when you are already on non-B1 status. You should be able to reenter US on the same visa status using automatic visa revalidation for which you dont need to have valid visa. And certainly your B visa is not substitute for your current visa status.

Yes you can travel via land on rental car/truck with your copr and passport to enter Canada when PR card is not available. Driver license is not travel document.