TN Visa and Car import

M

manjit singh

New Member
Hi,
I am offered a job in USA and will be going for a TN Status soon. I have couple of questions related to my car Import.
(1) Can I declare car import while I go for the Initial TN Visa interview or does it create any misgivings regarding the stay intentions.
(2) If I don't declare the car in the initial visa stamping, can I take it with me and Import while I start working?
(3) I can certainly get a compliance letter from the manufacturer(mine is a us manufactured car) but seems like there are couple of recalls on it. my question is if they deny importation based on recalls, will they still allow me to take the car with me to fix recalls and register . I don't want to just get stuck at the border in case of any discrepancies related with car .
Thanks in advance for your help
MS
 
Different states have different rules...here's what happened in my case:

1. when you go to request TN status (yep not visa ... Canadians are visa exempt), there's no real need to declare car import
2. Yep. In my case (and I know nelsona has pointed out some links in previous posts about importing), I took the car and the compliance certificate to the local DMV. They had me get the vehicle inspected by a local inspector for compliance and approved it
3. If there are recalls on your vehicle and if those services are yet to be done, they might deny title registration for your vehicle. However, i dont think this is something to be worried about too much since (i) you can still drive your car until the state allowed max time allowed to get a car registered has elapsed and (ii) recalls are processed free by the manufacturers. Just get those done and only then show up to get your inspection done...
 
1. Not sure what Mister meant by "no real need to declare car import". As a TN worker, if you intend to live in US, then you are considered US (state) resident for driving purposes and will need to plate car locally ,which almost always means formally importing the car. You need a letter from car maker in canada to do this. If you have all that ready when you cross, then go ahead and formaly import when you get your TN. But if you do not, or if you simply want to focus on getting TN then import it later. But you WILL need to import the car if you intend to drive it for the time you will be on TN.
2. Yes. you can import it at a local POE with the paperwork.
3. they will not deny based on recalls.
 
To clarify, #1 is what i (and several other TN holders that i know) did i.e. we moved to US, went to local dmv with compliance letter ajd got the car registered. If thats importing, then my vehicle is imported.... I dont personally know anyone who imported with cbp but maybe its either/or... Either register with dmv or at the border
 
Hello Mister said:
Different states have different rules...here's what happened in my case:

1. when you go to request TN status (yep not visa ... Canadians are visa exempt), there's no real need to declare car import
2. Yep. In my case (and I know nelsona has pointed out some links in previous posts about importing), I took the car and the compliance certificate to the local DMV. They had me get the vehicle inspected by a local inspector for compliance and approved it
3. If there are recalls on your vehicle and if those services are yet to be done, they might deny title registration for your vehicle. However, i dont think this is something to be worried about too much since (i) you can still drive your car until the state allowed max time allowed to get a car registered has elapsed and (ii) recalls are processed free by the manufacturers. Just get those done and only then show up to get your inspection done...
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Thanks Hello Mister for the prompt answers,
what I understand from your answers is we can import the car locally and don't need to do it at the border...but the most of the posts I read suggested filling import form, epa form, hs7 etc at the border...it's a bit confusing....my manufacturer said they will do the recalls for free once I enter the USA...thanks again MS
 
Its also good to check with dmv in your target state.... Nelsona has a valid point.... Some states might require formal import with all forms uou mention while others might not
 
nelsona said:
that may be a rule in your state, and you are only talking aboiut registration. Most states require "formal" importation first.

But universally, DMV's don't import cars, CBP does. CBP doesn't register cars, DMV does. Your state DMV may simply not need importation to register.

NJ may not require importation for example. NY does. TX does
Click to expand...
Thanks nelsona for the direction,
As I understand it, I think I should formally import it when actually starting to work...How can a vehicle be registered with out importing it...where does the car belong to in this case ?....wont it be a problem if later when some one wants to bring back the car to register it in canada or to resell it with in the usa ?
thanks
MS
 
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Yes, the CBP specifically states that a car cannot be sold in US if it has not been formally imported. I would venture that of one were to try and sell (or write-off) such a car, they will have problems.
CBP also offers "informal" importation if you are entering for less than a year, but this is not satisfactory if you are going to live there, and really is only for students..
 
Trying to find answers, please help:
I’m Canadian, currently working temporarily in the USA on a TN-status visa. When moving to the US, I drove my personal vehicle across the border, and completed all the necessary import paper.
I got a Florida driver's license and car insurance to cover me while I live in Florida.
I've been told that I need to register my vehicle Florida (license plate), where I now reside under the TN-status (I still have my permanent address in Canada). In order to register my vehicle, Florida requires that I pay the sales tax (7.5%!!) on the vehicle’s current value. Is this correct? This does not seem right to me (my vehicle has been paid in full in 2010). Shouldn’t the TN status (NAFTA free trade) make that sales tax exempt, given that I am taking my vehicle back to Canada when my work is done? I cannot seem to find any information on this. Any help is appreciated.
 
I read in another forum that CBP at the POE (Buffalo)said to a person that you don't have to import the car since you are only going to US on a temporary basis and if you quit your job you can bring it back easily. How true is that?
 
capricorn3 said:
I read in another forum that CBP at the POE (Buffalo)said to a person that you don't have to import the car since you are only going to US on a temporary basis and if you quit your job you can bring it back easily. How true is that?
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In theory, you can keep a car plated in Canada or Mexico and drive it within the US for up to 1 year, and simply leaving and re-entering would reset the clock.

In practice, insurance companies will not like this. They don't even allow you to go to another province inside Canada for more than a few months. If you're actually living in the US and are driving a Canadian-plated car and get into an accident where you are at fault, the first thing the insurer will investigate is how long the car has been in the US and why it's in the US in the first place. If they determine that you weren't a visiting tourist and that you actually moved there, they will consider this fraud (attempt to misrepresent car's registration address) and deny payouts.

I have lived in Ontario and BC and if you're driving a car that was registered in either province, the insurers there by default only cover you up to 90 days out of province. Consider that a "grace period" to handle paperwork.

Some Canadian insurers will issue coverage for extended periods of time out-of-province (e.g. snowbirds spending 6 months in Florida) but that will cost you extra.

Consequently, it is best to just import the car formally if you're staying more than 1 year. Bringing it back to Canada will be a little complicated (re-importing) but perfectly doable.

Besides, insurance is generally much cheaper in the US, so it's in your financial interest to formally import the car.
 
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Agreed. The one year or less "import-lite " provision is impractical for anyone living and working in US, since all states require getting DL and plating in such cases, which almost always requires formal importation. It really is only for tourists and students.
 
John Smithers said:
In theory, you can keep a car plated in Canada or Mexico and drive it within the US for up to 1 year, and simply leaving and re-entering would reset the clock.
Click to expand...


That means my 1 year is reset every week as i am travelling back and forth to US/CA every week.
If my insurance company is fine with me driving in US for long term.
Can i still keep my Canada Plates on my truck?

I think i'll be spending more money (inspections after aftermarket parts installed) to complete the import process to US and back to CAN which is not worth it.
I rather sell my truck and get something new.
 
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