The Life of a Military Family
Moving To Canada? Avoid Border Hassles
Edwin Howard
Planning to move to Canada in the near future? If so, then one potential problem you definitely want to head off in advance is any difficulty or complication when you bring your belongings into the country. The customs officials in Canada have very specific rules and regulations concerning all items that are brought in from other nations. This article examines how to bring your personal possessions into Canada as efficiently as possible.
Duty
Fortunately, you are allowed to bring most of your belongings over the border without paying any duty. This includes furniture, appliance and clothes, so most of the items you place into your moving van will be duty-free. Jewelry, stamp or coin collections and musical instruments are free of charge as well. If you do not own an item outright, but are leasing or renting it, however, then you must pay a duty. Another exception on the duty-free items are vehicles that you plan to use for business purposes.
Presence
Your presence will be required at the customs office when your belongings enter the country, so make arrangements to meet the driver of the moving van at the appropriate time and place. You will be required to show various types of identification, such as a passport or birth certificate, for yourself and any family members who are traveling with you. You will also need to give the customs officer two copies of a complete inventory of what you are bringing into the country.
Vehicle
Before attempting to bring a vehicle or vehicles into Canada, your should contact the Registrar of Imported Vehicles, also known as the RIV. This agency will tell you what types of vehicles are allowed into the country and what standards any vehicles must meet. You must show the original title and various other documents to the customs officers at the border.
Firearms
If you intend to bring any firearms into the country, then you must follow certain rules to the letter, as firearms are strictly controlled. You will need to fill out a form and sign it in front of a customs official. Certain types of firearms are not allowed into the country, however. This includes handguns with barrels that are less than 4 inches and assault rifles. You must declare all firearms to the border officials. Failure to do this may result in your firearms being seized.
Moving your belongings into Canada should not be troublesome as long as you follow the relevant rules. For more information on this topic, contact a company that specializes in long distance moving between countries.
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Hello! My name is Maggie Thompson. My husband James has been in the military for our entire married life. We have two children; he was deployed at the time of both of their births. We have moved five times in nine years. James plans to remain in the military for many more years, and I know this means many more moves for us. I feel as if I’m becoming a professional in the area of moving. I've learned some very handy ways to pack, load trucks, and unpack. I’ve also learned how to pack a storage unit. You see, not every house we move into is the same size. A few times we haven’t been able to fit all of our belongings into a new home. Rather than sell them, we have stored them. I’m going to share some of my moving tips with you. Enjoy!