I am getting conflicting information via phone service so wanted to clarify a few things about taxes and duties on importing my vehicle for personal use in Canada as a Settler. I have owned the car for greater than 6 months. My intention is to stay permanently (spousal sponsorship for PR, that has been mailed in). Legal status is visitor until I receive my acknowledgement of receipt letter and get my UCI number. I submitted a BSF 186 with my personal stuff when I entered, but did not put the car on there (didn't know at the time it was supposed to be on there). How do I submit an additional BSF form or add to it with my vehicle and VIN number. I am exempt from taxes and duties since I am a settler. Other than checking the "settler" box on my BSF 186 form, is there anything else I need to submit/clarify to ensure I will not have to pay taxes on my personal Vehicle? Thank you in advance.
Shipping my Car to Canada From USA-avoiding import taxes/duties
- Thread starter JoeSage
- Start date
You don't have to pay duty as a new settler. You do have to import the vehicle through the RIV and make sure you do the changes required if any for your vehicle. You you just declare at the border that you are a new settler and they would know what to do. You can even call the border and ask any questions you may have , they are always very helpful.
any update on your situation? I am in similar situation, for me I never submitted BSF 186 and now I plan to import my car from USA to Canada. I know about new settler tarrif, but have read thru some horror stories where custom try to squeeze money out of new comer, who either failed to add it in the list or havent submitted any list. For me my last 2 attempts were fruitless as 1st time we were visiting just to activate PR(so they didnt take any list) and 2nd time we were just visiting without any concrete residency plans(again they didnt accept the list). I am concerned as custom folks might make me pay for tax/duty etc just because I would have exported the car out of USA and they can deny the import making my car stuck in between.
The first thing I would suggest you do - stop thinking Canadian Customs is out to scam you. Many immigrants (myself included, many years ago now) come from countries where the police/customs/govt. officials are basically all-powerful and act like that.
Not in Canada. You may certainly find an officer that is rude or abrupt, that happens on a personal level. However, you will NOT find an officer that will try and ask for a bribe, try to scam you, or anything like that. That is a VERY serious crime, and Canada takes it VERY seriously. (Yes, I'm sure there are some officers that are crooks, this isn't paradise. But the average officer is not corrupt. Unlike some countries where basically 99/100 officers are corrupt and you'd be lucky to ever meet an honest officer. It's the other way around here).
Customs is not "squeezing money" out of a new-comer. They are following the law. The law grants you a one-time exemption (goods to follow list), but if you simply do not add it to the list, or do not submit a list, you have given up that exemption and customs officers MUST charge you customs duty. If they don't, they are breaking the law.
The goods to follow list MUST be submitted when you first become a PR. If you didn't do it, that's on you. You cannot do it later. All this is public information.
Yes, you will most likely have to pay customs duty because you didn't submit the list at the appropriate time. If you do not pay customs duty, they can impound the car.
Stop making it sound like officers that are merely doing the job are somehow out to "get" you. That's not the case.
Well well, I wasnt comparing them with anyone else, I dont deal with custom often.
As I mentioned earlier, I came to canada to activate PR, I had my goods to follow list, ready to be stamped, I was told "hey as you are not moving? you can not submit the list, bring it once you move permanently.
Second time, we were moving permanently(my wife was, but I would still maintain my residence in USA, also we still had Airbnb as a residence) same thing again, they didnt accept the list, and told me to bring the list when I move permanently and have a proper address.
So in summary, the list that "MUST be submitted when you first become a PR". wasnt accepted, by the Customs officials.
I didnt say they take bribe, but collecting taxes for the new settler who as per the rule/policy should receive their personal goods duty free and tax free is not acceptable. They need to have a clear rule of when the goods to follow list is supposed to be submitted, if its at the time of activation then why they didnt accept mine. If it at the time of final move, then they should be ready to accept the list and can not ask for duty and tax. "The goods to follow list MUST be submitted when you first become a PR. If you didn't do it, that's on you. You cannot do it later. All this is public information." the term "when you first become a PR" is subjective, when do someone become a PR? at the time of COPR, at the time of first visit, the date on your PR card? at the time of 2nd visit?
More importantly, in my 2nd visit, things didnt stop there. When we entered, we had 4 used smart phones(2 for each persons, 1 for office and 1 personal), all 4 had some sort of damage(means they were not new) and the custom shamelessly asked me to pay duty and taxes on that as it was not common for someone to have 2 smartphones. I said no thanks, and told him: "I will go back to USA and throw them".
As I mentioned earlier, I came to canada to activate PR, I had my goods to follow list, ready to be stamped, I was told "hey as you are not moving? you can not submit the list, bring it once you move permanently.
Second time, we were moving permanently(my wife was, but I would still maintain my residence in USA, also we still had Airbnb as a residence) same thing again, they didnt accept the list, and told me to bring the list when I move permanently and have a proper address.
So in summary, the list that "MUST be submitted when you first become a PR". wasnt accepted, by the Customs officials.
I didnt say they take bribe, but collecting taxes for the new settler who as per the rule/policy should receive their personal goods duty free and tax free is not acceptable. They need to have a clear rule of when the goods to follow list is supposed to be submitted, if its at the time of activation then why they didnt accept mine. If it at the time of final move, then they should be ready to accept the list and can not ask for duty and tax. "The goods to follow list MUST be submitted when you first become a PR. If you didn't do it, that's on you. You cannot do it later. All this is public information." the term "when you first become a PR" is subjective, when do someone become a PR? at the time of COPR, at the time of first visit, the date on your PR card? at the time of 2nd visit?
More importantly, in my 2nd visit, things didnt stop there. When we entered, we had 4 used smart phones(2 for each persons, 1 for office and 1 personal), all 4 had some sort of damage(means they were not new) and the custom shamelessly asked me to pay duty and taxes on that as it was not common for someone to have 2 smartphones. I said no thanks, and told him: "I will go back to USA and throw them".