GOOD advice about bringing STUFF over THE BORDER!!!! THANKS!

[HighFlyer]

arrivals level   :?  These Canada Customs people must be
smart.  :wink:  Can any one tell me the reason to put the
green card at the arrivals level?

Because that is where all of there agents are stationed for their main purpose.... to check all incoming international flights. Your items (and corresponding serial numbers) have to be verified by an officer and recorded on the card by them. It also carries the CCRA stamp. If you plan on doing this, go to T1, the walk is shorter than T2 or T3.

[timmy!]

Thanks for all the tips guy CDRW, CDr's and HD getting shipped tomorrow(To friend's place in MI). i'll pick them up before the end of the week.

I think i am going to pay the duties, cause i cross the border often and don't want no hassle(it can be pretty bad even just with the traffic volume)!anyway will let u guys know how much duty i was charged and how it ALL worked out. still hoping to hear from the guys on the west coast who have mail boxes in the states.

just another thing why the *hell* does my message get deleted when i try to add a smiley ><

[Melchior]

As far as duty rates go, download the duties document from here:
http://www.mtrs.org/temp/t2003-1_01-99acce...ssversion-e.zip

You'll need MS Access or some such program to view it. Unzip the file, open it, and open the TPHS table. Search the description field for items of the description that you're brinding in. US-made products carry zero duties. Products made overseas generally have duties from the MFN (Most Favourde Nation) column. You'll have to pay GST+PST on everything (unless certain items are PST/GST exempt in your province).

Edit: I should note that I have a mailbox down in Point Roberts WA, and most of the time the customs people are great coming back into Canada.

[Keelie]

not worth it to try and hide something. i mean if i buy some new clothes or what not, thats different, hard for them to tell if you had them or just bought.

i've only been searched once, but they ripped the whole bloody car apart. eveything in my suitcase was thrown all over the place and left in a horrible mess. was not impressed :P

of course you could always take a bare computer with you and tell them you have it, they write you up a ticket that you show when you come back across. then throw the new stuff in it.

[TheBlueShirt]

The top post's idea is nice....for computer parts, just buy a cheap case for 30 bucks and find a used mobo(doesn't matter if it works), then just put new parts inside and bring it back.

Still, 7% here, so not a big deal.

[timmy!]

of course you could always take a bare computer with you and tell them you have it, they write you up a ticket that you show when you come back across. then throw the new stuff in it.

clever idea :wink: but....have you ever tried this? i'm not sure how it could work, because when you are going to the US we pass the toll booths and then the US CUSTOMS, we never pass any CANADIAN CUSTOMS when going over so when do they give us the slip/ticket??? :? :?

Melchior: thanks for that link. but i gotta say that table is a HUGE. i can't even find anyreference to computer parts. so, are u just paying GST/PST for computer parts when you bring them over from Point Roberts???? have u ever had to pay custom charges on some computer product that was manufactured abroad but bought from the US??? :?

[HighFlyer]

clever idea :wink: &nbsp; but....have you ever tried this? i'm not sure how it could work, because when you are going to the US we pass the toll booths and then the US CUSTOMS, we never pass any CANADIAN CUSTOMS when going over so when do they give us the slip/ticket??? :? &nbsp;:? &nbsp;

I've registered about 10 items, and every time I have been asked for the receipt. If you can't produce a receipt, they will ask lots of questions as to it's origin, where you bought it, how long ago, how much, etc. Make sure there is a serial number or some unique code, it'll make it easier for the CCRA agent to identify the item and reduce the number of questions. The exact name of the card is "Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation". Perhaps the process is not as bad at land crossings. But in particular, avoid the red head at YYZ (Toronto) Terminal 2 US arrivals.

Customs agents are also located at airports. I've posted about this procedure a few posts up.

[timmy!]

clever idea :wink: &nbsp; but....have you ever tried this? i'm not sure how it could work, because when you are going to the US we pass the toll booths and then the US CUSTOMS, we never pass any CANADIAN CUSTOMS when going over so when do they give us the slip/ticket??? :? &nbsp;:? &nbsp;

I've registered about 10 items, and every time I have been asked for the receipt. If you can't produce a receipt, they will ask lots of questions as to it's origin, where you bought it, how long ago, how much, etc. Make sure there is a serial number or some unique code, it'll make it easier for the CCRA agent to identify the item and reduce the number of questions. The exact name of the card is "Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation". Perhaps the process is not as bad at land crossings. But in particular, avoid the red head at YYZ (Toronto) Terminal 2 US arrivals.

Customs agents are also located at airports. I've posted about this procedure a few posts up.

What i am trying to say is that when we go over to the US by car, is it even possible to get this card??? because you don't go through CANADA CUSTOMS when going over by car(at least in windsor).
you pay the TOLL on the canadian side, go through the bridge/tunnel, and then next ppl you see is US CUSTOM. no Canadian custom involved, so no opportunity to get the items listed???(unless US CUSTOMS makes a note of what u are taking over and exchanges that infor with CANDIAN CUSTOMS?)

[HighFlyer]

Haven't done a land crossing recently, but I do recall at the Queenston/Lewiston bridge (Buffalo) there were signs pointing to Canadian Immigration (possibly customs?) right before US INS/customs. You might want to check there, or just give the CCRA a call.

[timmy!]

yup i'm gonna give CCRA a call before i go over.
thank again for all the tips!

[sfu_lifer]

I've registered about 10 items, and every time I have been asked for the receipt. &nbsp;If you can't produce a receipt, they will ask lots of questions as to it's origin, where you bought it, how long ago, how much, etc. &nbsp;Make sure there is a serial number or some unique code, it'll make it easier for the CCRA agent to identify the item and reduce the number of questions. &nbsp;The exact name of the card is "Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation". &nbsp;Perhaps the process is not as bad at land crossings. &nbsp;But in particular, avoid the red head at YYZ (Toronto) Terminal 2 US arrivals.

Customs agents are also located at airports. &nbsp;I've posted about this procedure a few posts up.

Wait, even with that registration card they will still ask for a receipt?
I'm afraid of bringing my laptop over just because of this. I got it across last time since I got it from ebay and it fit my $750 exemption.
I was hoping that registration card will keep the agents from harassing me if they ever decide to search me .

[Melchior]

Melchior: thanks for that link. but i gotta say that table is a HUGE. i can't even find anyreference to computer parts. so, are u just paying GST/PST for computer parts when you bring them over from Point Roberts???? have u ever had to pay custom charges on some computer product that was manufactured abroad but bought from the US??? :?

Heh, it kinda catches you off-guard when it unzips to 60 megs, eh? ...The last time I came back up from the US, I'd $50 worth of computer parts (amongst hundreds worth of other items), and I was charged $0 in duties on those computer parts. Thinking about it, I've never paid any duties on computer parts. However, I'm not sure that I've ever had to tell the customs officials *where* my computer stuff was manufactured-- I've usually just said "probably overseas somewhere, I haven't bothered to check", and they havent' asked questions beyond there.

[timmy!]

but you had to pay GST/PST?

[Melchior]

but you had to pay GST/PST?

Yup. Always GST, and almost always PST-- I'm a cyclist, and in BC, bike parts aren't subject to PST, thus I don't get charged PST on bike parts.

[SleepyGSR]

At all the crossing in Vancouver, we do drive by Canada Customs before we get to the US border people. I just park the car and walk into Canada Customs to declare my items. They write me up a green card, and I'm on my way.

I have forgetten to declare some things and I just told the US border guy that I forgot to declare some items. He just told me to drive around back to Canada Customs to declare them. Then when I get to the Canadian border people, I had to tell them the same story. They just told me where to park. No problems.

clever idea :wink: &nbsp; but....have you ever tried this? i'm not sure how it could work, because when you are going to the US we pass the toll booths and then the US CUSTOMS, we never pass any CANADIAN CUSTOMS when going over so when do they give us the slip/ticket??? :? &nbsp;:? &nbsp;

I've registered about 10 items, and every time I have been asked for the receipt. If you can't produce a receipt, they will ask lots of questions as to it's origin, where you bought it, how long ago, how much, etc. Make sure there is a serial number or some unique code, it'll make it easier for the CCRA agent to identify the item and reduce the number of questions. The exact name of the card is "Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation". Perhaps the process is not as bad at land crossings. But in particular, avoid the red head at YYZ (Toronto) Terminal 2 US arrivals.

Customs agents are also located at airports. I've posted about this procedure a few posts up.

What i am trying to say is that when we go over to the US by car, is it even possible to get this card??? because you don't go through CANADA CUSTOMS when going over by car(at least in windsor).
you pay the TOLL on the canadian side, go through the bridge/tunnel, and then next ppl you see is US CUSTOM. no Canadian custom involved, so no opportunity to get the items listed???(unless US CUSTOMS makes a note of what u are taking over and exchanges that infor with CANDIAN CUSTOMS?)