Declaring my Laptop to US and back to Canada

[Ogata]

So I'm going to be heading for vacation next week. My co-worker just informed me that if I am bringing valuable items such as a laptop, camera , GPS to my trip, I need to declare it on a "green card" which the airport provides so that I can say I brought this unit from Canada and remove the hassle of being questioned on my return. Has anyone heard of this? If so, where do I go?

[gabbygenier]

i have travelled a lot and i have never had to declare anything other then if i had tons of cash on you.

[JadeButterfly]

i have done this on many occasion, but only when driving to the US (usually done at the customs office right before you cross the bridge).

it takes less than 10mins to fill out the app. you just need to write down the items and the S/N of the devices. when your going thru duty, just show them the green card and they will not question you (at most verify the S/N).

[x_o_k_x]

Once you get to customs in airport, thats where you would have to declare it. And they will give you cards to fill out.

[mazda_gurl]

So I'm going to be heading for vacation next week. My co-worker just informed me that if I am bringing valuable items such as a laptop, camera , GPS to my trip, I need to declare it on a "green card" which the airport provides so that I can say I brought this unit from Canada and remove the hassle of being questioned on my return. Has anyone heard of this? If so, where do I go?

I travel back and forth to the US through pearson, and have a work laptop that I have to bring everytime. I have never had to declare it going out, or coming back in. Ive never been hassled by US or Canadian customs about it either.

My team supports a US company and we all travel ALOT (like there is one of down in our US office each week) - no one has ever questioned any of our laptops.

I have also brought my Playstation 3 with me to keep me company on our long trips, and I have never had to declare it either.

You will be fine

[Gizzmo_jr]

I like others, I've never been hassled but I alway error on the side of caution.
Your going to want to get a Y38 form.

DOCUMENTATION OF GOODS FOR
TEMPORARY EXPORTATION
This memorandum outlines the conditions under which
goods being temporarily exported by individuals may be
documented to facilitate their reimportation into Canada.
GUIDELINES AND
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Canadian residents may temporarily export personal
effects for use on trips abroad.
2. On returning to Canada, it is the individual’s
responsibility to establish that such items were initially
taken out of Canada and were not acquired abroad. To assist
individuals in meeting this requirement, certain goods may
be documented on an identification card before leaving
Canada. At the time of reimportation, the border services
officers will accept this identification card as satisfactory
evidence of the origin of the goods. This procedure is
optional and is provided free of charge at the Canada Border
Services Agency (CBSA) offices across Canada. For the
Directory of CBSA offices, please visit the CBSA Web site
or call the Border Information Service (BIS) line within
Canada at 1-800-461-9999 or from outside Canada at
204-983-3500 or 506-636-5064.
3. Personal effects subject to temporary exportation may
be presented for identification at a CBSA office any time
prior to the individual’s departure from Canada.
4. A border services officer will examine and identify the
goods prior to exportation. The articles will be documented
on a wallet-sized card called Form Y38, Identification of
Articles for Temporary Exportation. The individual will
then be asked to sign the declaration on the front of
Form Y38, certifying that the goods listed were, to the best
of his or her knowledge, either produced in Canada or
lawfully imported into Canada. Individuals are not required
to produce sales receipts or other proof of lawful purchase
or importation when issuing Form Y38.
5. A properly completed Form Y38 indicates that the
individual presented the goods to the CBSA before leaving
Canada. Since there is no expiry date on the form, it may be
retained and used by the individual for as long as it remains
legible.

It's a wallet sized green card. Just put a serial number on it and your good to go for all your electronics. I do it all the time, when I go to Vermont and NY.

[Ogata]

I like others, I've never been hassled but I alway error on the side of caution.
Your going to want to get a Y38 form.

DOCUMENTATION OF GOODS FOR
TEMPORARY EXPORTATION
This memorandum outlines the conditions under which
goods being temporarily exported by individuals may be
documented to facilitate their reimportation into Canada.
GUIDELINES AND
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Canadian residents may temporarily export personal
effects for use on trips abroad.
2. On returning to Canada, it is the individual’s
responsibility to establish that such items were initially
taken out of Canada and were not acquired abroad. To assist
individuals in meeting this requirement, certain goods may
be documented on an identification card before leaving
Canada. At the time of reimportation, the border services
officers will accept this identification card as satisfactory
evidence of the origin of the goods. This procedure is
optional and is provided free of charge at the Canada Border
Services Agency (CBSA) offices across Canada. For the
Directory of CBSA offices, please visit the CBSA Web site
or call the Border Information Service (BIS) line within
Canada at 1-800-461-9999 or from outside Canada at
204-983-3500 or 506-636-5064.
3. Personal effects subject to temporary exportation may
be presented for identification at a CBSA office any time
prior to the individual’s departure from Canada.
4. A border services officer will examine and identify the
goods prior to exportation. The articles will be documented
on a wallet-sized card called Form Y38, Identification of
Articles for Temporary Exportation. The individual will
then be asked to sign the declaration on the front of
Form Y38, certifying that the goods listed were, to the best
of his or her knowledge, either produced in Canada or
lawfully imported into Canada. Individuals are not required
to produce sales receipts or other proof of lawful purchase
or importation when issuing Form Y38.
5. A properly completed Form Y38 indicates that the
individual presented the goods to the CBSA before leaving
Canada. Since there is no expiry date on the form, it may be
retained and used by the individual for as long as it remains
legible.

It's a wallet sized green card. Just put a serial number on it and your good to go for all your electronics. I do it all the time, when I go to Vermont and NY.


Thats the answer I was looking for! Where do I obtain this? My trip is on Monday.

[Gizzmo_jr]

You can get it before you cross the border. Stop on the Canadian side, and walk over to the US office (the crossings I use are tiny quiet ones). Ask for the electronics green card and you'll be good to go. Wish I knew where mine went, wanted to take a pic for ya.

Edit, if it's an airport I'm not 100% sure. i did it when I went to the DR but can't remember how I got it.

[k-existence]

I did this in Vancouver on my way to Korea. More likely to occur if your going to asia to buy cheap goods I think
.
Not hassle on the way back but I heard a story when I friend brought their DSLR camera to Japan and when they were coming back to canada... they have no proof that they bought it in canada... so they were charged customs. :flaming

Just go to Customs. Or ask customs when your going through them.
Pretty easy (i did it vancouver my stopover bc i ran out of time from Tor) just fill out small form... add product serial number and an officer stamps and dates it =D

[Ogata]

You can get it before you cross the border. Stop on the Canadian side, and walk over to the US office (the crossings I use are tiny quiet ones). Ask for the electronics green card and you'll be good to go. Wish I knew where mine went, wanted to take a pic for ya.

Edit, if it's an airport I'm not 100% sure. i did it when I went to the DR but can't remember how I got it.

Thanks!

I shall look for that card on my flight tomorrow! Pics...anyone?

[whiteomega]

You can get it before you cross the border. Stop on the Canadian side, and walk over to the US office (the crossings I use are tiny quiet ones). Ask for the electronics green card and you'll be good to go. Wish I knew where mine went, wanted to take a pic for ya.

Edit, if it's an airport I'm not 100% sure. i did it when I went to the DR but can't remember how I got it.

Airports typically have a Canada Border Services kiosk somewhere where you can get the forms.

[rajin929]

I've travelled to the US and back with my laptop with no issues.