Entering with inventory and to-be-imported car at Peace Bridge crossing

[HappyCat]

We have successfully processed our landing papers in January 2014 and are now getting ready to make the actual move into Canada.

Some issues are on my mind.

The facts:
1. Planned date of crossing is Sunday May 11.
2. We are arriving with 1 U-Haul truck containing our inventory and 1 small personal car, that is to be imported.
3. We have valid Permanent Residency Approval and we have landed in Canada end of January to get everything processed.
4. We have stamped paperwork for the inventory we are bringing in with the U-Haul Truck, as processed during our landing.
5. The car is on the inventory paperwork. We are aware of having to fax the paperwork pertaining to the car beforehand.
6. We are also bringing a small cat, that will have a health certificate and current rabies (and other) inoculations.

Our questions:
a. Are the required offices at both the US and the Canada side open on Sunday afternoon and if so, what are the hours? Or is it part of the 24/7/365 principle? Always open?
b. The car is exported from The States. Is there an office at the border where we need get this processed?
c. The car is imported into Canada. Is there a special office at the border where we need to get this processed?
d. We have read that there are 20 customs inspection lanes at this crossing. Do we line up with regular cars in one of the designated lanes?
e. Do we need to announce the arrival of the cat, when we notify the border about bringing in the car?

I recently traveled to Canada to find us a rental house (and managed to find one!) and only saw one row of booths, both ways. Just Immigration. So... when we arrive there on Sunday, provided the offices are open, do we wait until it is our turn at the booth, or do we declare the car and the inventory before that? Or do the officials point out where to go?

All very practical matters but I feel it is good to come prepared!

Thanks....

Nicky

 

[on-hold]

Call the offices on both sides, and then look on Google maps, and then call them again to confirm exactly where you should go, when, and what you need. I did this exact same process and it is very easy to miss the American side and find yourself on a road with no turnbacks going into Canada; then you have to wait 45 minutes to get back in on the U.S. side; then you do it AGAIN because it's not totally clear where you should park, etc. etc.

The reason you should call them first is because they are the only people who can tell you exactly what you need, in what form, and when you can do it. On the Canadian side it's simple, they just figure out how much you owe them.

 

[HappyCat]

Thanks - I was still searching online and found that I cannot export the car at Peace Bridge. So will probably cross at Lewistown Bridge as we need to head on to Burlington afterwards. I crossed there (from CA to US) in March but it seemed much smaller than the crossing at Peace Bridge. Will definitely call them. The way it reads now we go to the US Customs Office there, get the export processed. Then head on to the immigration booths, get that done and then go to the CA Customs to have it processed at that side. Since we are first time settlers, there is no import cost to be paid. But will verify and let the forum know.

 

[PMM]

Hi

Thanks - I was still searching online and found that I cannot export the car at Peace Bridge. So will probably cross at Lewistown Bridge as we need to head on to Burlington afterwards. I crossed there (from CA to US) in March but it seemed much smaller than the crossing at Peace Bridge. Will definitely call them. The way it reads now we go to the US Customs Office there, get the export processed. Then head on to the immigration booths, get that done and then go to the CA Customs to have it processed at that side. Since we are first time settlers, there is no import cost to be paid. But will verify and let the forum know.

The US Vehicle export offices are only open Monday to Friday 8-4. Note they are not usually at the Port of Exit. For a list of the offices see: http://tinyurl.com/lm5s8cs