TN worker with US registered plates - ok to re-enter US?

har1yquinn
New Member



Joined: 15 Jul 2008
Posts: 1
Location: Philadelphia

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:02 am

 

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I am Canadian, working the US under TN status. A few months ago, I bought a car (paid in full) in the US. I have a US driver's license and my car has US plates. I want to visit Canada, but I am worried about what might happen when I try to re-enter the US. Will the fact that I am a TN worker with a US registered car be a problem? Are they going to question my non-immigrant intent? I bought a car while in the US because I need it for work, and I plan to sell the car when my work status here ends. I feel that my rationale makes sense, but I wonder if US customs are going to understand.

Does anyone have experience with this?

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Steven
CanuckAbroad VIP



Joined: 28 Sep 2007
Posts: 1637
Location: Calgary

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:34 am

 

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There was a post on here awhile back where someone was refused TN-1 re-entry because the USCIS guy didn't believe they had non-immigrant intent when they did this. Which is not to say it will happen to you, but clearly it can happen. One of these "depends on their mood" situations I'm afraid. It's highly subjective as to whether you have "non-immigrant" intent.

Even when people rent cars in the US it can cause problems because CBSA sometimes get their noses out of joint because they think it might be an import you're not declaring.

The thing that always makes me wonder when I hear these stories though is sometimes you go to car rental places near the border and see cars with foreign plates on them.

So like I said, totally subjective it appears to me.
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Steve.

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SarniaGrl
CanuckAbroad Regular



Joined: 18 Mar 2008
Posts: 45
Location: Tennessee

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:20 pm

 

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When I worked in Kentucky, I had a US bought car, tag, and Kentucky DL. I used to cross at Port Huron/Sarnia and Detroit with no problem at all. Coming back into the states was no problem with the TN visa, I would declare my citizenship and place of residence in the US, no questions on the car whatsoever. On the Canadian side they would ask about the car abit (wanting to know to whom it was registered) but it was only when I was moving back home did it come up (at Windsor) that I would need to pay duty on it if I planned on keeping it very long in Ontario (which I didn't). As for regular trips across the border, I didn't have a problem either way.

But like Steven said, you never know who'll you get at the bridge.

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can_bos
Junior Member



Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Posts: 16
Location: boston

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:34 pm

 

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I did drive my car with US licence plate across the Quebec-Vermont border and Niegara Falls many times within a day. Nobody challenging me on that issue. Maybe I am lucky.

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gescores
Junior Member



Joined: 24 May 2008
Posts: 25
Location: Virginia

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:49 pm

 

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I don't see why they would mind. You need a car for your job, you are not selling it, the State you live in probably require that you register there anyway. TN allows you to work for your employer in the US for a year. Your State probably give some delay before you need to register a car with them as a non-resident. In MA it's a year and in VA it's 6 months. At one point you don't have the choice.

Has for the duty, if you own the car for more than a year, that it is registered to your name and don't intent to sell it then you should not have to pay any import duty

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Steven
CanuckAbroad VIP



Joined: 28 Sep 2007
Posts: 1637
Location: Calgary

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:29 pm

 

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I doubt CBSA would mind, but it is possible USCIS might think you live in the US permanently and have violated the "non-immigrant intent". Like I said though, depends on their mood.
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Steve.

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