Land Border Crossing Between US and Canada - Questions
Discussion
So I might have a forthcoming trip which involves being in Washington state, then crossing the border to Canada for a few days and driving back again, before a flight home.
I already have an ESTA in place, do I need anything else in advance?
Secondly, I've got my eye on picking up a few car parts in Canada. What's the deal with bringing them back into the US? Will I need to declare purchases?Will there be sales tax and/or duty at point of entry? If I end up paying the taxes twice then I might as well just pay the shipping back to the UK!
I already have an ESTA in place, do I need anything else in advance?
Secondly, I've got my eye on picking up a few car parts in Canada. What's the deal with bringing them back into the US? Will I need to declare purchases?Will there be sales tax and/or duty at point of entry? If I end up paying the taxes twice then I might as well just pay the shipping back to the UK!
MrBig said:
So I might have a forthcoming trip which involves being in Washington state, then crossing the border to Canada for a few days and driving back again, before a flight home.
I already have an ESTA in place, do I need anything else in advance?
Secondly, I've got my eye on picking up a few car parts in Canada. What's the deal with bringing them back into the US? Will I need to declare purchases?Will there be sales tax and/or duty at point of entry? If I end up paying the taxes twice then I might as well just pay the shipping back to the UK!
It's been a few years since I did this (used the Peace bridge)I already have an ESTA in place, do I need anything else in advance?
Secondly, I've got my eye on picking up a few car parts in Canada. What's the deal with bringing them back into the US? Will I need to declare purchases?Will there be sales tax and/or duty at point of entry? If I end up paying the taxes twice then I might as well just pay the shipping back to the UK!
I had driven up from NYC in an NY plated hire car and crossed the border and back same day (just to visit the falls)
No issues into Canada at all (remember you'll need the correct additional docs from the hire car company if you're in a hire car) no other docs were required.
Coming back into the US we (I was with my Mum) got the 3rd degree about our travel intentions but there was no inspection of the car at all (in fact we stayed sat in it) and no real interest from a customs perspective at all.
K50 DEL said:
It's been a few years since I did this (used the Peace bridge)
I had driven up from NYC in an NY plated hire car and crossed the border and back same day (just to visit the falls)
No issues into Canada at all (remember you'll need the correct additional docs from the hire car company if you're in a hire car) no other docs were required.
Coming back into the US we (I was with my Mum) got the 3rd degree about our travel intentions but there was no inspection of the car at all (in fact we stayed sat in it) and no real interest from a customs perspective at all.
My exact experience too but kicked onto Toronto after the falls. Canadian guards couldn't have been any friendlier. Americans on the way back acting like pricks and quizzed me for a few minutes because I had the absolute audacity Türkiye for a family holiday.I had driven up from NYC in an NY plated hire car and crossed the border and back same day (just to visit the falls)
No issues into Canada at all (remember you'll need the correct additional docs from the hire car company if you're in a hire car) no other docs were required.
Coming back into the US we (I was with my Mum) got the 3rd degree about our travel intentions but there was no inspection of the car at all (in fact we stayed sat in it) and no real interest from a customs perspective at all.
No car parts but missus did have a day at the outlets with the boot full of goodies and they never checked the car nor checked any cars in front of us either.
I've crossed the land border quite a few times. I used to have to go from Toronto to Getzville/Amherst, just north-east of Buffalo.
ESTA and ETA aside, crossing to the U.S side is always more of a pain in the ass.
You have to park up, go in the office and wait to see an immigration officer.
You have no idea how long that may take.
You have to pay a fee (think it was $12?) for them to stamp your passport.
If you fly, that cost is in the ticket / taxes.
On that border crossing, the Fort Erie immigration is less busy than Niagara.
ESTA and ETA aside, crossing to the U.S side is always more of a pain in the ass.
You have to park up, go in the office and wait to see an immigration officer.
You have no idea how long that may take.
You have to pay a fee (think it was $12?) for them to stamp your passport.
If you fly, that cost is in the ticket / taxes.
On that border crossing, the Fort Erie immigration is less busy than Niagara.
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