Customs procedures for Canadian teams

[Marc Jaxa-Rozen]

This is the first time we're going to Detroit, so I was wondering whether any teams from north of the border have tips or horror stories to share. What sort of paperwork and inspection procedures should we expect? Is getting the car back to Canada much of a hassle?

One of our guys used to work for Canadian customs so we mostly know what to count on, but I'd rather make sure just in case.

Thanks-

Marc Jaxa-Rozen
École Nationale d'Aérotechnique

[Marc Jaxa-Rozen]

This is the first time we're going to Detroit, so I was wondering whether any teams from north of the border have tips or horror stories to share. What sort of paperwork and inspection procedures should we expect? Is getting the car back to Canada much of a hassle?

One of our guys used to work for Canadian customs so we mostly know what to count on, but I'd rather make sure just in case.

Thanks-

Marc Jaxa-Rozen
École Nationale d'Aérotechnique

[Kevin Hall]

Have a serial number stamped on the car somewhere. Thats about it. They have never checked ID or anything with us on the way down. We just want them to have record of taking a car down so that they don't ask us to pay 14% tax on 25000 on the way up.

[flybywire]

Queen's had trouble going to Detroit last year--for the first time ever. Delayed for a while at US customs crossing from Canada, making a list of all the things we had in our trailer and their values. Not to mention listening to a long lecture from a rather rude cutoms official. I beleive one of our team captians had to sign that he would be responsible for paying the import duties if everthing wasn't returned. The customs official basically decided to treat the crossing as a commercial not a personal crossing and made us go through the whole shebang.

I don't know exactly what the correct procedure is but I suggest checking things ahead of time with the US officials and at least getting all your documentation together. Commercial businesses use clearing agents who do nothing else but handle the transfer of goods across the border and they "know the ropes." Maybe someone who works in this field would be willing to lend your team a hand? I would have liked to see more help from our university though because in our case the car technically belongs to the university anyway.

I think at least one team from Ottawa went as far as to get their trailer pre-cleared at the US embassy or something like that...

Baring that, make a giant "Engineering sample; no commercial value. Value = $0.00" sticker for the side of your trailer. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Ryan Schoffer]

it might be a good idea to just inventory everything in the trailer as you load it - then if the customs guy asks, you can hand him a hunge freaking list and that will probably make the problem go away - especially if they open the door of the trailer and see it packed full of stuff that they really dont want to go through

[Andy K]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by flybywire:
Queen's had trouble going to Detroit last year--for the first time ever. Delayed for a while at US customs crossing from Canada, making a list of all the things we had in our trailer and their values. Not to mention listening to a long lecture from a rather rude cutoms official. I beleive one of our team captians had to sign that he would be responsible for paying the import duties if everthing wasn't returned. The customs official basically decided to treat the crossing as a commercial not a personal crossing and made us go through the whole shebang. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I think we met up with the same customs official... We got the ball rolling by having one of our team members declare that he's a US and Canadian citizen (which is legit because I'm one as well, but know well enough not to say so at the border). In the US you either a citizen or you're not. That got us all pulled over and so we met up with the rude customs agent (although he was VERY pleasant with me once I showed him my US passport... go figure http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif ). We had to make a complete inventory of our trailer AND personal items including the 4-5 laptops, projector, 10-15 digi cams, with our team captain claiming responsibility for anything not brought back.

This year I am taking care of everything because my dad has contacts in the shipping industry as well as US and Canadian customs. I should have more info by the end of this week.

[Ben Beacock]

We had the same problems last year. We plan to inventory everything this year before we head out and hopefully it will make a smooth crossing.

Don't forget a letter from your university stating that you are representing them in a competition. Also get one from SAE saying that you are a registered participant.

[Garbo]

We've had the whole spectrum over the last few years... one year they took exception to the fact that we were sponsored by molson and there were members of the team who were under age. We've also had to inventory the trailer a couple times. Ironic thing there was that they never checked on the way back across. Generally not too many troubles, though... we've never called ahead or pre-cleared anything to the best of my knowledge but I've been sweating in that Windsor-Detroit office a couple times now...

garbo