Border Shopping

How much can I purchase tax-exempt over the US border on a one day, roundtrip?

I found personal exemptions of 50$ for 24 hours, 400$ for 48 hrs, and 750$ for 7 or more day absences from Canada.

But what if you don't spend the night? I'd like to buy my daughter's favourite Shrek cereal in New York every once in a while, and a few more things to make the trip worthwhile. Is that the 24 hours? I saw so many Quebecois in the grocery store on the NY side, one lady told me she always buys her milk there, so there must be a rule without having to sleep in the US.

24 hours is 24 hours. You're allowed $50. You can bring more across but you'll possibly be charged GST if you declare it. Thats what they told me last time I crossed. But it still makes sense to do that now. Cliff bars that I like are more than half price across the border! So paying an extra 6% on them when I come back, means I'm still saving a huge percentage.

You could probably also just order food off the internet somewhere and save yourself the hassle of the trip.

Hold on, groceries aren't taxed, anyway. Is that why the grocery store on the border is so huge? The meat section is enormous.

The border website mentions limits, like 2 dozen eggs. Other than that, is grocery shopping doable in a one day, roundtrip without paying duty? The border is only 30 minutes away.

I believe you would still be subject to the allowed $$ amounts for the time that you were in the US. If the $$ amount for a 24 hour period is only $50, then that's all you can bring back. And now with the Canadian dollar at par, its a bit easier to figure the conversion

Here's the Canada Border Services Agency page for what items are allowed in from the US http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/general/othe ... aws-e.html

Here is the page at CBSA for $ amounts that you can declare
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/E/pub/cp/bsf ... 6-eng.html

What are your personal exemptions?
After each absence of 24 hours or more
You can claim up to CAN$50 worth of goods without paying any duties. This is your personal exemption. You must have the goods with you when you arrive and you cannot include tobacco products or alcoholic beverages in this exemption. If the goods you bring in are worth more than CAN$50 in total, you cannot claim this exemption. Instead you have to pay full duties on all goods you bring in.

After each absence of 48 hours or more
You can claim up to CAN$400 worth of goods without paying any duties. You must have the goods with you when you arrive. Although you can include some tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, a partial exemption may apply to cigarettes, tobacco products or manufactured tobacco. See the section called "Alcohol and tobacco" for more details.

After each absence of 7 days or more
You can claim up to CAN$750 worth of goods without paying any duties. Although you can include some tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, a partial exemption may apply to cigarettes, tobacco products or manufactured tobacco. See the section called "Alcohol and tobacco" for more details. With the exception of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, you do not need to have the goods with you when you arrive.

To calculate the number of days you have been absent, do not include the date you left Canada but include the date you returned. Dates matter, not times. For example, we consider you to have been absent seven days if you left Friday the 7th and returned Friday the 14th.

Who is eligible for these exemptions?
You are eligible for a personal exemption if you are one of the following:

a Canadian resident returning from a trip outside Canada;
a former resident of Canada returning to live in this country; or
a temporary resident of Canada returning from a trip outside Canada.
Even young children and infants are entitled to a personal exemption. As a parent or guardian, you can make a declaration to the CBSA for a child as long as the goods you are declaring are for the child's use.

The conversion is based on the CBSA tables, which have little to do with reality. But it's $50 Canadian for all practical purposes. I had this discussion with them the other day when I came back from Great Falls after going to the supermarket. They do calculate the number of hours if you're out for the 48-hour thing, because that's a big exemption but otherwise they don't seem to care.

If they ask you the value, just make sure you tell them what you think it is in Canadian dollars.

What border crossing is this with the huge supermarket anyway? There's bugger all between Lethbridge and Great Falls.

Montreal to Lacolle, QC/Champlain, NY border.

Too bad about Calgary, because that city is expensive.

I think we can order food from home by phone or by online in the case we cannot go outside.