Importing Car and CF 7501

[bv2116 0]

My fiance crossed the border from Canada 3/27/10 in Port Huron in his car filled with his belongings. He activated his K1 and he received his I-94. He also told the CO that he was importing his car, for which he had the letter of compliance. The CO said he didn't need to see it and didn't give him any paperwork for his car.

Now we are trying to register his car in the state of Utah, but they say he needs form CF 7501 completed by CBP to do so. We went down to the Salt Lake City port office and was told he owed 2.5% duty. He said he'd do some research and get back with them, as we thought we read that he could import his car duty free as long as it was less than one year from entry. The CBP officer stated that is correct, however if he wants his car to remain in the states permanently, which we do, then we need to pay duty. He said that duty free was only if the car would be in the US temporarily. Also, it's a BMW...German made, so again, it would incur duty.

My questions: Is the information the Utah CBP officer gave me ragerding duty correct? Should he have received paperwork from Port Huron regarding the importation of his car when he first activated his visa? Any help on the subject would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

BV2116

Edited April 21, 2010 by bv2116

[trailmix 77]

No that's not correct, I have never heard of anyone on VJ paying duty on their imported personal car when immigrating (including us).

The person at the border was also wrong, you did need to import your car.

So, now you need to go to your nearest POE and import the car.

The same thing happened (no import) to another Canadian just recently, they posted about it today in the Canada forum here:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/229096-faxed-copy-of-the-compliance-letter-for-vehicle-import/page__view__findpost__p__3886446

This thread will probably also be helpful to you:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/241351-importing-a-car-dodge-from-mexico-to-the-us/page__p__3701107entry3701107

[bv2116 0]

Thank you Trailmix!

So I called our local POE office...again...thought I was armed with new info...was wrong (as per the CO). He said that most people coming from Canada don't have to pay duty because their car was manufactured in North America so it falls under NAFTA, which makes the vehicle duty free. My fiance just had to buy a BMW in Canada that was manufactured in Germany, therefore making it ineligible for NAFTA vehicles, thus incurring duty. Arggghhh!!!

Anyone else out there import a BMW? Did you have to pay duty?

I'm chasing my tail! I guess we might as well bite that bullet and pay the darn duty

It's very crappy that, in the state of Utah specifically, to add him to my auto insurance he needs a driver's license. To obtain a driver's license, he needs his I-94 (have), SSN (have), and two forms of proof of residence (don't have as they are very specific as to what they will accept and nothing on the list is in his name). One of the forms they will accept is his auto registration, which is why we are going through this in the first place.

Edited April 21, 2010 by bv2116

[redBlue 1]

My fiance crossed the border from Canada 3/27/10 in Port Huron in his car filled with his belongings. He activated his K1 and he received his I-94. He also told the CO that he was importing his car, for which he had the letter of compliance. The CO said he didn't need to see it and didn't give him any paperwork for his car.

Now we are trying to register his car in the state of Utah, but they say he needs form CF 7501 completed by CBP to do so. We went down to the Salt Lake City port office and was told he owed 2.5% duty. He said he'd do some research and get back with them, as we thought we read that he could import his car duty free as long as it was less than one year from entry. The CBP officer stated that is correct, however if he wants his car to remain in the states permanently, which we do, then we need to pay duty. He said that duty free was only if the car would be in the US temporarily. Also, it's a BMW...German made, so again, it would incur duty.

My questions: Is the information the Utah CBP officer gave me ragerding duty correct? Should he have received paperwork from Port Huron regarding the importation of his car when he first activated his visa? Any help on the subject would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

BV2116

I've crossed the border on Apr 14,2010 with my car.

1.They did the paper work and gave me the copy of everything for importing my car

2.I've also registered my car here in california two days ago,I did NOT pay any duty for it.It was very smooth registration

3.I did take my car to the smog place which is required for registratrion

U gotta know ur stuff before u go to these places.

Thnx