moving with new household items

[mapleleafmanny 11]

My family and friends threw me a bridal shower in Canada and I received new household items. Am I allowed to bring these across duty-free on my move to the states next week? , Or will I have issues because they're"New"?

I don't want to take things out of boxes because they might break; should I just open the boxes and crinkle the box a bit so it looks used? Lol or will they be satisfied with the answer that they were gifts prior to departure?

Please let me know.

[Krikit 1,163]

I honestly wouldn't worry about it. Which POE are you going through?

Moving from K-1 Process to the Canada regional forum.

[VeeNDee 44]

This question really bothered me. At first I took things out of boxes but then realized that when I moved I'd have to put them all back in boxes and some of them were best stored in the boxes they came in. What I ended up doing was making two lists for when I moved. One a list of what I was bringing overall, aka 2 boxes of books, 4 boxes of kitchen supplies, 5 boxes of clothes or whatever the amounts were. On the boxes themselves I just wrote where the items came from, aka "bottom shelf of bookshelf". Then I made a second list and wrote down all the gifts I had received (that was easy since I had to write thank yous I had made a list anyway) just in case they wanted to know which items were gifts for the wedding. When I crossed the border at Blaine POE they didn't even ask to see any lists and as far as we could tell, didn't even open the UHaul truck. They don't really seem to care.

[ricnally 258]

Maybe bringing along the cards that came with the gifts would help (especially if it was notated on each card what the gift was)?

[Rob & Monika 87]

When I pulled up to the booth at the border in a U-Haul, she asked for the inventory list. I said that my fiancee had it, whom had just been sent to secondary. She just sent me secondary as well and they did not ask for any information about the U-Haul or what was in it once we were inside processing the paperwork. We did import a vehicle and the guy processing those papers said he was going to go out and inspect the vehicle, but I don't remember him being gone long enough to do so.

[canuckbos 10]

My family and friends threw me a bridal shower in Canada and I received new household items. Am I allowed to bring these across duty-free on my move to the states next week? , Or will I have issues because they're"New"?

I don't want to take things out of boxes because they might break; should I just open the boxes and crinkle the box a bit so it looks used? Lol or will they be satisfied with the answer that they were gifts prior to departure?

Please let me know.

They don't care about your personal stuff, only things such as plants, fruit, etc. You are allowed to bring everything else with you. We had a list and gave it to them and they gave it a cursory glance and handed it back without a word. Just no illegal items that are part of everyone's admittance. No cash over $10,000 either. Cheques, no problem.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

You can actually bring in houseplants as well as long as you have a phytosanitary certificate for it issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Like VeeNDee, I was worried as well, so I made 2 lists - new stuff- and stuff I had had for more than a year. I also brought along with me on our drive south all of the 'new' items I had in my possession, including my wedding dress, and my houseplants. I also had 6 cats in carriers. The rest of my belongings were shipped with professional movers. At the POE, I brought in my file with the different lists and the phytosanitary certificates, but no one was interested. No one inspected the rental SUV we had either, so I would be prepared by having our gifts and new items itemized on a separate list, but I doubt you will have even be asked about it. What they are really interested in is someone smuggling in new items with the intent to resell them in the US and bypass paying duty. So, as long as you are not bringing in volumes of brand new music CD's or lots of electronics beyond what is usual for personal use, they are probably not going to be concerned.

Actually cheques that can be cashed that are over $10,000 do need to be declared as well. Any sort of foreign currency that is immediately negotiable needs to be properly declared, not just cash.There is no tax or anything on it, but they want to know about it - again because it is part of ensuring foreign money isn't being used to support terrorist or criminal activities. There is a form that you fill out at the border if you are bringing in more than $10,000.

Edited April 10, 2013 by Kathryn41