Buying US Car on TN Visa - Driving to Canada

SS0033

SS0033

Member
Hi,

I am on TN visa and bought a car from US (US Plates) and drove to Canada and the car was denied entry as i was flying out from Canada.
It was my fault as i was not clear about the process and they threw the book at me. So, either i had to go back or import the car.
I went back and dropped the car at a friends place in US side and crossed back to Canada and was pulled out again for inspection.
They told me to show proof of ties with US (Home Rental agreement) and to try bringing the car again if i want to.

Yesterday, i drove with the US plate car. I was flagged and pulled out but i was allowed to cross the border with the car.
But, the officer mentioned that the insurance will not cover anything if i have an accident in Canada.
He kept pointing out that a Canadian resident CANNOT own a car with US plates. Since i am in US for most time of the year, that makes me a US resident.
Since i am a US resident, i will be covered in Canada while visiting.

I know its illegal to have someone else drive my car with US plates in Canada. But the officer told me even my wife cant drive it.
I checked with the insurance and they dont have any problem with my wife driving the car as her name is on the insurance as well.
Once i told him my wife got TD as well, the officer told me to keep her visa copy in the car.

Need some clarity on this:
My wife have TD but shes not moved to US yet. Have her name on the insurance as well with a Canadian licence.
I know i cannot keep the US plate car in Canada but since i drove from AZ to Canada, i was planning on keeping it there for a month and bring it back.

I just want to make sure what i am doing is not out of the line and within expectation.

I am flying from Bellingham,WA to Phoenix,AZ the next couple of weeks.
Am i expected to bring the car back to US everytime i go back?

Can i leave my car in Canada for one week (Parked and no one will be driving it) till i am gone to US?
 
There seems to be some confusion on the officer's part.

What is not permitted is a Canadian resident from driving a US-plated vehicle (owned, leased, or rented) with out formally importing it.

A US resident can drive a US car in anytime. It has nothing to do with what you do after crossing into Canada.

So, how did you establish that you reside in US? Your TN does not establish this (as you can live in Canada and work on TN in US). However, a US driver's license would be all that is required. You do have a US DL, correct? As a foreign worker living in US, you are required to get that state's license within 30 days of moving. That would be sufficient. A lease agreement should not be needed with the DL.

As for insurance, your US insurance is good in Canada, of course. It can remain in Canada as long as you reside in US.

But, just so we are clear, because your spouse has a Cdn DL, she should not drive it across the border, as she is not allowed to bring it back to Canada. Her TD (just like your TN) doesn't permit this.
 
nelsona said:
There seems to be some confusion on the officer's part.

What is not permitted is a Canadian resident from driving a US-plated vehicle (owned, leased, or rented) with out formally importing it.

A US resident can drive a US car in anytime. It has nothing to do with what you do after crossing into Canada.

So, how did you establish that you reside in US? Your TN does not establish this (as you can live in Canada and work on TN in US). However, a US driver's license would be all that is required. You do have a US DL, correct? As a foreign worker living in US, you are required to get that state's license within 30 days of moving. That would be sufficient. A lease agreement should not be needed with the DL.

As for insurance, your US insurance is good in Canada, of course. It can remain in Canada as long as you reside in US.

But, just so we are clear, because your spouse has a Cdn DL, she should not drive it across the border, as she is not allowed to bring it back to Canada. Her TD (just like your TN) doesn't permit this.
Click to expand...

I do have a US driving licence. The car is registered in AZ under my name.

They told me to bring rental agreement or Utility bills showing the ties to US.
This time they let me cross with the car but warned me about the insurance not covering.

I checked with the insurance (State Farm) and they are totally fine with me and my wife driving the car in US and CAN.
According to them, a lot of snowbirds go back and forth to US/CAN for extended periods of time and its totally fine.

I am planning on driving back to US this Sunday and bring back to Canada the next Thursday.
Lets see how that goes since they have flagged my Car's plate.


On a side Note, when i got my US licence i had to give both the written and driving test.
They did not take my Canada Licence away from me.
They told me to use the US licence in US and the Canadian licence in Canada.

Can i have 2 licences at the same time?
 
You can have 2, as long as they are from different countries. *Most* states take the Cdn one when giving you theirs, but this is completely per agreements between each state and each province (ie. they usually have a memo that tells them what to do with the DL for each province).

I suspect because there are so many Cdn snowbirds in AZ, AZ made the decision to issue "tourist" DLs (Florida does this). And that may be why the border guard didn't think the AZ DL meant anything.

In any event, they have no business telling you what insurance works or not, and were wrong on the car issue -- proof being they let you in. If it wasn;t allowed, they wouldn't have let it in.
 
nelsona said:
You can have 2, as long as they are from different countries. *Most* states take the Cdn one when giving you theirs, but this is completely per agreements between each state and each province (ie. they usually have a memo that tells them what to do with the DL for each province).

I suspect because there are so many Cdn snowbirds in AZ, AZ made the decision to issue "tourist" DLs (Florida does this). And that may be why the border guard didn't think the AZ DL meant anything.

In any event, they have no business telling you what insurance works or not, and were wrong on the car issue -- proof being they let you in. If it wasn;t allowed, they wouldn't have let it in.
Click to expand...

The Officer who denied entry last week was pretty rude. He did not even ask me for a DL.
All he asked me was home rental agreement, which i said i don't have it on me right now as i didn't know it was required.
He kept saying he's done talking to me and either go back or import the car.

Anyways, now i have some clarity on this issue. Thanks Nelsona !!!
 
CBP officers may be stern, but are obligated to be professional and courteous. Often times that sternness is misconstrued as rudeness. Officers are human, they may come across a certain way, but in the end they do their job irrespective of an applicant's feelings.
 
This would of course have been Cdn CBSA officers, but we get your point. They are paid, so I guess they are are professional, but I'm not so sure of the 'obligation'to be courteous; sometimes they may simply be reacting to an unpleasant border crosser.
 
Sounds like the first Officer was needlessly difficult.
As a Canadian citizen I would not be afraid to ask for a supervisor. I'd make the case that TN-Permit + US based car registration + US DL + US based cell phone (I assume you have one) is sufficient to prove US residency, and if not, they can still look up in the computer how long you've been outside the country.
 
grant2 said:
Sounds like the first Officer was needlessly difficult.
As a Canadian citizen I would not be afraid to ask for a supervisor. I'd make the case that TN-Permit + US based car registration + US DL + US based cell phone (I assume you have one) is sufficient to prove US residency, and if not, they can still look up in the computer how long you've been outside the country.
Click to expand...

I have all of that. The 1st Officer didn't even ask for anything and made up his mind for not letting me through.
Anyways, now i go back and forth and no issues at all. They have also taken the flag of the car plate.
 
Can someone help me clear this thought? If you want to drive (US plate and US car) up to the border to apply for a renewal TN, you could be stopped by the US officer? or the Cdn officer?
 
Well,, when you drive to Canada, you only meet up with the Cdn officer. It is on your return to US that you meet US officer.

But, in your case, you live and work in US already (and thus have a US driver's license) , so you are not a Cdn resident, so the Cdn officer shouldn't care that you have a US car, which should have been the case with our original poster.
 
nelsona said:
Well,, when you drive to Canada, you only meet up with the Cdn officer. It is on your return to US that you meet US officer.

But, in your case, you live and work in US already (and thus have a US driver's license) , so you are not a Cdn resident, so the Cdn officer shouldn't care that you have a US car, which should have been the case with our original poster.
Click to expand...

I see, thank you.
 
I just renewed my TN and planning on getting AZ plate for my Canadian truck. I have the Compliance Letter stating it is at par with US standards. I called the US Port Office and they need to see the Compliance letter and the Registration of the truck for inspection. Once done, there will be another inspection by the DMV i think.

My understanding is that i will be exempted form paying any duty on the importing a car to US. is that correct?

I need to do the math on how much will it cost to import to see if its worth it or not.
 
Last edited:
I believe it depends where your care was built. You don't have much choice at this point, since you were suppoed to plate it within 30 days of arriving in Cali as a TN worker. you are not a student.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top