Fafa

Can someone tell me if the following statment is true or not.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are arriving at the border as a landing immigrant, you will be
required to pay only RIV fees for your vehicle. You will also need to
pay for required modifications to your car, and in some provinces a
separate vehicle inspection, before you can get

it licensed. => Other fees, such as GST/PST, air conditioner tax, etc.
ARE ONLY REQUIRED FOR RETURNING RESIDENTS BUT NOT FOR NEWLY LANDING
IMMIGRANTS.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks a lot

Fafa

Anyone can answer me ?







Originally posted by FAFA

    > Can someone tell me if the following statment is true or not.

    > ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    > If you are arriving at the border as a landing immigrant, you will be
    > required to pay only RIV fees for your vehicle. You will also need to
    > pay for required modifications to your car, and in some provinces a
    > separate vehicle inspection, before you can get

    > it licensed. => Other fees, such as GST/PST, air conditioner tax,
    > etc. ARE ONLY REQUIRED FOR RETURNING RESIDENTS BUT NOT FOR NEWLY
    > LANDING IMMIGRANTS.

    > ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks a lot

Sysclp

Originally posted by FAFA

    > Can someone tell me if the following statment is true or not.

    > ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    > If you are arriving at the border as a landing immigrant, you will be
    > required to pay only RIV fees for your vehicle. You will also need to
    > pay for required modifications to your car, and in some provinces a
    > separate vehicle inspection, before you can get

    > it licensed. => Other fees, such as GST/PST, air conditioner tax,
    > etc. ARE ONLY REQUIRED FOR RETURNING RESIDENTS BUT NOT FOR NEWLY
    > LANDING IMMIGRANTS.

    > ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    > Thanks a lot



That is the way it was for me as a newly landed immigrant. Can't say if
the part about returning residents is correct though.

Fafa

Hi sysclp



Do I need to pay extra fees if my car is not made in USA.

Can you tell me what car you had when you landing so I can check
against the list.



Thanks.











Originally posted by sysclp

That is the way it was for me as a newly landed immigrant. Can't say if
the part about returning residents is correct though.

Sysclp

Originally posted by FAFA

    > Hi sysclp


    > Do I need to pay extra fees if my car is not made in USA.

    > Can you tell me what car you had when you landing so I can check
    > against the list.


    > Thanks.



It has to be a car made for the US market or they won't let you bring it
in. Read the website about importing cars:

http://www.riv.ca/english/html/how_to_import.html

They tell you all makes and models that are admissible. My car is a
2000 Oldsmobile Alero so it required no modification to import but I did
have to get permission to remove it from the US from my credit union
where it is financed.

Fafa

Unfortunately my 2001 Honda Accord is not admissible.

Cann't believe it, looks like I have to sell it before move to Canada.





Originally posted by sysclp

    > It has to be a car made for the US market or they won't let you bring
    > it in. Read the website about importing cars:

    > http://www.riv.ca/english/html/how_to_import.html

They tell you all makes and models that are admissible. My car is a
2000 Oldsmobile Alero so it required no modification to import but I did
have to get permission to remove it from the US from my credit union
where it is financed.

Rich Wales

"FAFA" wrote:

> Unfortunately my 2001 Honda Accord is not admissible.
> Can't believe it, looks like I have to sell it before
> move to Canada.

I would STRONGLY recommend double-checking with Transport Canada
or the RIV before concluding that your 2001 Honda Accord is not
admissible.

I looked at the current list of admissible vehicles on the RIV
site (TC_admis_list_nov03_Eng.pdf), and the Honda/Acura section
appears to me to have been truncated by accident.

As far as I'm aware from looking at earlier editions of this
list, most US-market Hondas and Acuras ARE in fact admissible
for importation to Canada. If it were me, I would not trust
the accuracy of the Honda portion of the current list without
confirming it with the RIV or with Transport Canada.

Regarding the poster's original question, a vehicle being
imported by a new immigrant to Canada (i.e., someone who has
never resided in Canada before and is coming to live there for
the first time) is normally exempt from all duties and taxes
under the Canada Customs exemption for "settlers' effects".
This exemption includes GST, PST, air conditioner tax, etc.
Registration and safety inspection fees (including the RIV fee),
however, are NOT waived for vehicles imported as settlers'
effects; you will still have to pay those fees.

Note that settlers' effects must have been in your "ownership,
possession and use" prior to your immigration to Canada (though
there is no required minimum amount of ownership time). Also,
you cannot sell, or even give away, in Canada, anything imported
as settlers' effects for the first 12 months after the item in
question cleared Customs, or else you will become liable for a
pro-rated amount of duties and taxes on the item(s) in question.

Someone who has lived in Canada previously, and who is moving
back to Canada as a returning resident, is NOT eligible for the
settlers' effects exemption and WILL have to pay various duties
and taxes on a vehicle. Some other exemptions do exist, though,
in cases where someone has lived outside Canada for a long time
-- just not the exemption for settlers' effects.

In any case, a vehicle can be imported by a resident of Canada,
for permanent use in Canada, only if it meets Transport Canada's
vehicle standards (i.e., if it can pass the RIV procedure). If
a vehicle is not admissible under Transport Canada's rules, then
you simply cannot import it, even if you're prepared to pay tax
and duty on it.

Even if a given vehicle is legally admissible for importation to
Canada, you may also want to consider other issues before doing
this -- such as:

==> the expense of shipping the vehicle to Canada

==> whether your car's US warranty will be honoured by dealers
in Canada -- don't just assume all will be well, ask the
manufacturer's Canadian HQ and seek assurances in writing

==> whether you'll be able to find the exact maintenance and
replacement parts (Canadian models may not be identical to
models sold in the US, and Canadian dealers might not have
ready access to the parts, or the part lists, for US models)
-- you may want to visit or phone some Canadian dealers for
your make/model of vehicle and talk to their parts managers

==> the possibility that your car's resale value in Canada may
be adversely affected because it's a "strange" model with
a primarily speedometer scale in MPH instead of km/h, etc.

==> how well you, personally, will be able to deal with a
speedometer whose primary scale reads in MPH, when all the
speed and distance signs on Canadian roads are metric

On the other hand, a US-market used car in very good condition
may be worth a lot more than Canadian vehicles of comparable age
that have almost all suffered severe rust damage because of salt
used on the roads in the winter.

Rich Wales http://www.richw.org
*NOTE: I've lived in both Canada and the US and have dual citizenship.
*DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer, professional immigration consultant,
or consular officer. My comments are for discussion purposes only and
are not intended to be relied upon as legal or professional advice.

Jimmy

I have a GM vehicle which is admissible (same model is sold in canada
too with same features as is) and my lien holder GMAC has canadian
office as well. I was told that I could take the car across the border
if I show a permission letter from the lien holder saying that it is
okay with them. I have some way to go in payments and gmac says that
it can do a change of address (us to can) in effect letting me make
the payments in canada to a different address.
I even contacted canadian customs who said that they will let me thru
even if I dont own the vehicle completely (in other words, do not
possess title) if I can show the bill of sale, registration (showing
me as owner) and permission letter from lien holder.
Any gotchas, twists to the above or pitfalls that I am not aware of?

(Rich Wales) wrote in message news:<>...
    > "FAFA" wrote:
    >
    > > Unfortunately my 2001 Honda Accord is not admissible.
    > > Can't believe it, looks like I have to sell it before
    > > move to Canada.
    >
    > I would STRONGLY recommend double-checking with Transport Canada
    > or the RIV before concluding that your 2001 Honda Accord is not
    > admissible.
    >
    > I looked at the current list of admissible vehicles on the RIV
    > site (TC_admis_list_nov03_Eng.pdf), and the Honda/Acura section
    > appears to me to have been truncated by accident.
    >
    > As far as I'm aware from looking at earlier editions of this
    > list, most US-market Hondas and Acuras ARE in fact admissible
    > for importation to Canada. If it were me, I would not trust
    > the accuracy of the Honda portion of the current list without
    > confirming it with the RIV or with Transport Canada.
    >
    > Regarding the poster's original question, a vehicle being
    > imported by a new immigrant to Canada (i.e., someone who has
    > never resided in Canada before and is coming to live there for
    > the first time) is normally exempt from all duties and taxes
    > under the Canada Customs exemption for "settlers' effects".
    > This exemption includes GST, PST, air conditioner tax, etc.
    > Registration and safety inspection fees (including the RIV fee),
    > however, are NOT waived for vehicles imported as settlers'
    > effects; you will still have to pay those fees.
    >
    > Note that settlers' effects must have been in your "ownership,
    > possession and use" prior to your immigration to Canada (though
    > there is no required minimum amount of ownership time). Also,
    > you cannot sell, or even give away, in Canada, anything imported
    > as settlers' effects for the first 12 months after the item in
    > question cleared Customs, or else you will become liable for a
    > pro-rated amount of duties and taxes on the item(s) in question.
    >
    > Someone who has lived in Canada previously, and who is moving
    > back to Canada as a returning resident, is NOT eligible for the
    > settlers' effects exemption and WILL have to pay various duties
    > and taxes on a vehicle. Some other exemptions do exist, though,
    > in cases where someone has lived outside Canada for a long time
    > -- just not the exemption for settlers' effects.
    >
    > In any case, a vehicle can be imported by a resident of Canada,
    > for permanent use in Canada, only if it meets Transport Canada's
    > vehicle standards (i.e., if it can pass the RIV procedure). If
    > a vehicle is not admissible under Transport Canada's rules, then
    > you simply cannot import it, even if you're prepared to pay tax
    > and duty on it.
    >
    > Even if a given vehicle is legally admissible for importation to
    > Canada, you may also want to consider other issues before doing
    > this -- such as:
    >
    > ==> the expense of shipping the vehicle to Canada
    >
    > ==> whether your car's US warranty will be honoured by dealers
    > in Canada -- don't just assume all will be well, ask the
    > manufacturer's Canadian HQ and seek assurances in writing
    >
    > ==> whether you'll be able to find the exact maintenance and
    > replacement parts (Canadian models may not be identical to
    > models sold in the US, and Canadian dealers might not have
    > ready access to the parts, or the part lists, for US models)
    > -- you may want to visit or phone some Canadian dealers for
    > your make/model of vehicle and talk to their parts managers
    >
    > ==> the possibility that your car's resale value in Canada may
    > be adversely affected because it's a "strange" model with
    > a primarily speedometer scale in MPH instead of km/h, etc.
    >
    > ==> how well you, personally, will be able to deal with a
    > speedometer whose primary scale reads in MPH, when all the
    > speed and distance signs on Canadian roads are metric
    >
    > On the other hand, a US-market used car in very good condition
    > may be worth a lot more than Canadian vehicles of comparable age
    > that have almost all suffered severe rust damage because of salt
    > used on the roads in the winter.
    >
    > Rich Wales http://www.richw.org
    > *NOTE: I've lived in both Canada and the US and have dual citizenship.
    > *DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer, professional immigration consultant,
    > or consular officer. My comments are for discussion purposes only and
    > are not intended to be relied upon as legal or professional advice.

Fafa

Hi Rich Wales,



Thanks for such a detailed answer, it is very helpfull, I will double
check with RIV to see if my car is on the list or not.



Thanks again.

Sysclp

Originally posted by Jimmy

    > I have a GM vehicle which is admissible (same model is sold in canada

    > too with same features as is) and my lien holder GMAC has canadian

    > office as well. I was told that I could take the car across the border

    > if I show a permission letter from the lien holder saying that it is

    > okay with them. I have some way to go in payments and gmac says that

    > it can do a change of address (us to can) in effect letting me make

    > the payments in canada to a different address.

    > I even contacted canadian customs who said that they will let me thru

    > even if I dont own the vehicle completely (in other words, do not

    > possess title) if I can show the bill of sale, registration (showing

    > me as owner) and permission letter from lien holder.

    > Any gotchas, twists to the above or pitfalls that I am not aware
    > of?



This is pretty much what I did when I moved and brought my car in in
2001. I had the bill of sale, registration, and a letter of permission
from my credit union to take the car to Canada. You will have more
problems exporting from the US than importing to Canada as US Customs
wants the original title to be turned over to them and in most states (I
came from Alabama) you don't get that until the car is paid off. You
should call the US Customs office you will be exporting the car through
and make sure you speak to them and have all the info and paperwork they
will require. You will have to FedEx it all to them at least 3 days
before you arrive and you do have to stop there first and export the car
before you cross into Canada and import it. A pain in the behind, but
if you make sure you have all your paperwork it will go smoothly. FYI,
I brought mine in across at the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit. Only 9
more payments and I will finally have it paid off!