Canadian Moving to NV - Questions

[david.milstead]

Hi All,

I'm moving to NV under a TN visa in a few weeks and have some questions. I did a quick search for the answers, so hopefully not repeating anything...

1. When arriving I will need to purchase a car. Could anyone suggest the best way to have the funds available to purchase one the day I land. How straight forward is it to set up a US bank account over the phone before I get there (is it even possible?)

2. Car insurance - after I do purchase a car, can anyone suggest the best way for me to obtain car insurance the day of?

3. Car registration - this one I am a little fuzzy with. If I purchase a used car, will I have to get the registration and plates transfered in my name. If so, what is the procedure for doing this?

4. Drivers licence - there have been a few posts on this, and I have been able to find out that I will need a NV drivers licence within 30 days of being in state and that I will have to do the full written and road test again (hooray!). Does anyone know if they take your Canadian licence away from you?

5. Purchasing a car from out of state - as of right now I have been able to find a suitable vehicle for my work, but the problem is it is located in California. Am I just making my life significantly more difficult if I purchase out of state? I'm referring to having to register the car in NV, get new plates, etc. Or is this process rather straight forward, and may be done in a day or so (I'm specifically looking for someone to answer who may have experience bringing a car in from our of state).

Thanks everyone!

Dave

[CanadianinLasVegas]

Welcome to Nevada!

I have lived in Las Vegas for 7 years and I am originally from Timmins, Ontario.

I believe you will need to be here to open a bank account. You are not an American citizen and these days the banks require valid photo ID etc. to open an account. I do my banking with Bank of America. When you initially go in make sure to have your passport and visa information with you. They will ask for you social security number but if you don't yet have one you can still open the account, just let them know you don't have one and that you are Canadian. Bring all the proof you have of your legal status.

When I first opened my account I had brought a money order in Canadian funds to deposit. I believe I had access to about $500-$1000 of the deposited funds while the rest were held 7-10 business days for the money order to clear (yes, even though it was a money order and not a check they still held it). If you need the money immediately upon arrival don't plan on depositing all of it.

Will you be financing the car or paying cash? If you plan on financing you will definitely need a US social social security card. Once you obtain that (usually 7-10 days from application) there are some dealerships that will run it (and find no credit), but will allow you to use a check of Canadian credit. You will need to provide proof of your immigration status. You will save time by calling dealerships before hand to explain your situation and if they will run Canadian credit. Also, if you finance the dealership will require proof of insurance BEFORE you leave the car lot. I suppose you can sign all the paperworks, go to an insurance agency, and then come back.

Most insurance companies are open M-F and I believe you can just go in and do the necessary paperwork etc. However, there are very few who will insure you with a Canadian license. When I first arrived Allstate was the only company I could find and they were on the pricey side. Once you obtain a Nevada licencse you can easily switch. American Family Insurance is great (you might want to check if they wil accept the Canadian license).

Yes, you will need to have Nevada plates and registration. When you purchase a car from a dealer they will give you temporary plates that are good for 30 days. You will receive additional paperwork from the dealer about a week after purchasing. You can then take all of the paperwork (including proof of insurance) in to the DMV to register the car and receive actual plates. Registration in Nevada is based on the value of the car and quite be quite expensive. For example, we bought a 2007 Chrysler 300 last September and the registration for the car was $450.00 (and that is only for one year). The more expensive the car, the higher your yearly registration fees will be.

You should be able to also apply for your Nevada license at this time. Bring your passport and all documents related to your visa and proof of legal status. Be prepared to spend a bit of time at the DMV. On a good day it is quite a long wait and that is without having to explain immigration status! Yes, you will need to take the written and driving test because you have an "international" license. In the past they took away the one you had but this may have changed. They now mail you the Nevada license instead of giving it to you right away so you can usually keep your old one, but they will invalidate it with a hole punch or the like.

I can't help with purchasing the car out of state. I assume the process would be somewhat the same but there will probably be differences with sales tax etc. between the states. The dealer should know the details for you. Registration etc. in Nevada will be same process as above.

So, hope some of this helps. Welcome to Nevada!

Stephanie

[Steven]

1. When arriving I will need to purchase a car. Could anyone suggest the best way to have the funds available to purchase one the day I land. How straight forward is it to set up a US bank account over the phone before I get there (is it even possible?)

Under the Patriot Act, banks have to identify their customers, which usually means you have to open the account in person although there may be a few that will do it with sufficient evidence, copy of your passport etc. Helps to get your SSN first although it's not absolutely necessary, just makes the taxes simpler when you get your 1099.

2. Car insurance - after I do purchase a car, can anyone suggest the best way for me to obtain car insurance the day of?

Get your DL sorted first, Nevada is really tough on the residency requirements to get one, I get the impression from talking to them and from prior posts on here they aren't clear what "TN-1" is because you only have an I-94, but you should be able to get one with the I-94 and your passport. Once you have the DL then you're just another customer as far as any insurance agent is concerned, although having access to your insurance records may help in getting a lower quote - simplest way is to use the same company you use in Canada if possible.

3. Car registration - this one I am a little fuzzy with. If I purchase a used car, will I have to get the registration and plates transfered in my name. If so, what is the procedure for doing this?

4. Drivers licence - there have been a few posts on this, and I have been able to find out that I will need a NV drivers licence within 30 days of being in state and that I will have to do the full written and road test again (hooray!). Does anyone know if they take your Canadian licence away from you?

I think you should look at the Nevada DMV website where all of this is covered: http://www.dmvnv.com/

5. Purchasing a car from out of state - as of right now I have been able to find a suitable vehicle for my work, but the problem is it is located in California. Am I just making my life significantly more difficult if I purchase out of state? I'm referring to having to register the car in NV, get new plates, etc. Or is this process rather straight forward, and may be done in a day or so (I'm specifically looking for someone to answer who may have experience bringing a car in from our of state).

It is a little bit more tricky if you do it yourself, because you have to get the title transferred to a Nevada title to register it and get the plates.

[david.milstead]

Thank you Stephanie & Steve for getting back to my post!

The advice both of you have provided has been a real help in allowing me to get set up for NV.

Take care,
Dave

[kelapstick]

I had a big issue with my DL when I moved to Nevada last year. I am in "rural" Nevada and I don't think they see many Canadians here, although there are lots of migrant workers from Mexico. They said since I was a "visitor" I was not eligible for a licence. You are permitted to get a drivers licence on a TN, but you need your SSN and Passport with I-94 (although you can sign an affidavit if you are not to be given one, i.e. on a TD (spouse). If you have not ever taken a driving test in the Untied States you will have to take both a written and driving test. If you have any trouble at the DMV send me a message and I will give you the contact information for the supervisor in Carson City who can explain to the local office why residents on TNs can get a drivers licence. They took my Ontario licence, but are keeping it in the safe at the local office so I can reclaim it when I return to Canada.

[Steven]

Actually Nevada won't recognize the test from many other States either, the main one being Texas. They really don't want people getting Nevada DLs. I even wrote to the AG about it and the response I got from them basically was: "get stuffed".

[kelapstick]

They asked on the form if I had held a licence anywhere else in the US, but I think I remember reading something to the effect of what you say. I found it amusing, there aren't even traffic lights where I had to do my driving test, and you can't parallel park on main street.

[Steven]

I've taken two driving tests in the US, in neither State did I actually go out on the road, I just drove around the parking lot. One time the examiner was a woman who I'm not kidding must have weighed 280 pounds, I was driving a stick shift and I couldn't reach the stick. I got into second gear after much struggling for about 20 seconds and she told me to park the car and that was it.