Hello,

Background
I'm a Canadian Citizen on a J-1 Visa doing an internship (or "training" to be lawfully precise) in Redmond, WA from Sept 2007 to Dec 2007 (J-1 Duration of Status), after which I will go back to school in Ontario on Jan 2008. I have a Washington plated rental car subsidized by my employer ("J-1 Host," also Sponsor in my case). I have already received the Yellow Slip (Canada Non-Resident Inter-Province insurance card) from the rental company, and they say they're OK if I drive into Canada. I also have my Ontario Pink Slip (my own car insurance in Ontario) with me right now. My DS-2019 (J-1 Eligibility) has been endorsed for travel.

Situation
I want to drive up (via ferry) to Victoria, BC during the upcoming US Thanksgiving Weekend (22 to 25 Nov, 2007).

Questions
1. Canadian Customs Card - Am I a Canadian or US "Resident?"
2. Am I allowed to drive the WA plated rental car into Canada for leisure purposes (i.e. go see a friend, not visiting for emergency)? (If Q1 is "Canadian," then by law I believe Q2 will be "no.")
3. If I do get into Canada, do I declare my US purchases this trip (like a laptop that definitely goes over the C$750 limit), or do I declare it when I go back to Ontario?
4. Do I need to bring my Pink Slip (in addition to the Yellow Slip) with me during this trip?

What other guys have previously done
Some of the Canadian J-1 interns (from my school) have previously been able to drive a US plated rental car from WA into BC (by land) without a problem, but they never have to fill out the customs card - the officer just asked them questions - they've done it many times and never have problems. None of them (the Canadian J-1 interns) have filled out a customs card before since they have always travelled by land. My concern is that, if they treat me as a Canadian Resident, by law I'm not allowed to drive the WA plated car into Canada unless I plan to import it (in which I don't).

I don't want to be turned back at Victoria since I have to wait almost half a day before the ferry sails back to WA - which wastes a complete day. I don't want to drive up by land either since Blaine WA / White Rock BC will be a long line up that weekend - plus the time {travelling to Tsawwassen, BC / wait for / on board} BC Ferries.

Thanks in advance!

Well - looks like I got this answered myself. I phoned Canada Border Services Agency just now, and the official answer is that since I'm only there for 4 months, I'm being treated as a vistor by the US, and hence a Canadian Resident.

So
1 - Canadian Resident
2 - No - you cannot drive a US plated car into Canada - unless you have made arrangements to (immediately) exchange your US plated car with a Canadian plated car (or if you have import papers with you)
3 - Declare all stuff as if you're a regular Canadian resident - but MAKE SURE you retain your I-94 or you'll have to fill a new one out when you get back to the states
4 - N/A - I think it'll be a nice to bring thou.

Thanks for answering your own questions and letting us know the answers to them, Jef! I was monitoring your thread so I would know the answers too. lol

Glad we could be of assistance.

It's actually quite sad to find that kinda "blunt" official answer from CBSA myself. Now I have to arrange with my rental car company to exchange it with a BC plated one - hope they have one, or I'll have to rent the car in Victoria myself.

Nice work....you!

Well, I went back to Victoria, BC this weekend, and I just want to provide an update on this thread.

1. Vehicle Traffic on International Ferries (MV Coho, Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, BC) - Vehicle Passengers do not need to fill out a Canadian customs card (unlike foot passengers) upon arrival in Victoria. You drive off the ferry, and customs is right outside, as if you were driving normally from US to Canada by land.

2. Canadian Citizen on US J-1 Visa - Basically as soon as you show your Canadian passport, and you let them know that you're on a US visa (when it's still valid), their set of questions will immediately change to asking stuff like "How long are you staying in Canada?" "What's your purpose of this trip (to Canada)?" As if you were a visitor to Canada. I asked the CBSA officer directly (when I was clearing taxes for my US bought laptop), and his response was that they are treating me as a US resident for the duration of my J-1 status (which differs from what I was told on the phone by another CBSA officer earlier).

3. Since they treat you as a "temporary" US resident, they really wouldn't mind if you drive a US plated car into Canada (said by the CBSA officer). (But of course, once the J-1 Visa expired, you're not allowed to drive a US plated car into Canada).

4. As to whether you want to declare stuff (for duties and taxes) now or when you go back to Canada upon visa expirarion, that's up to you. But of course, if you declare earlier, you get another C$750 to spare for your next trip (provided you stay in the US for at least another week). Hence I declared the laptop when I entered Victoria last weekend. Oh - when you are declaring stuff, bring your receipt. They're going to put a dated stamp on the receipt. For your info, laptop is duty free - just pay GST and PST. (As to PST, some officers are quite nice to pick the lower one between the province of your "true" resident (on your Canadian driver's license), or the province of the port of entry. I'm an Ontario resident, PST = 8%. The CBSA officer say he'll take the lesser one - BC, which is 7%. I don't think, however, they're going to let you take the Alberta one unless you're really a resident of Alberta...)

Thanks for the update, Jef.

Perhaps i have misunderstood, but over the last few years (before any K1 business) I drove borrowed vehicles from USian friends to visit Quebec when I was in the U.S. as a visitor.
I was only there for a few months and only showed a driver's license once, not both times.
That is another story... (one of classicist biases, bleh).

In the end, I am under this assumption: everything that occurs with customs depends on the one human being you are dealing with.
It is at their discrepancy...everything and anything.

I had never thought to call ahead and ask about it...had not concerned myself.
Perhaps I was lucky?