Post
by markdrocker » Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:57 am
Neither of you HAS to do those B4/B4A forms. The only reason to do them is if either of you will have to pay duties/tax fees on the stuff you want to import.
Sounds like you and your partner do not intend to import a lot of valuable stuff. Still, if you do not do the forms, then you just get the standard exemption like tourists crossing the border (not sure what that number is), so you'd have to pay duty/tax fees on the value of your imports minus the value of the standard exemption. You can look up your exemption on the web (maybe Canada Customs website? or CIC website?)
To illustrate the purpose of these forms, imagine someone who lived in UK for 50 years, got rich, and accumulated a mansion full of valuables in UK (furniture, collectibles, paintings, sculptures, rugs, sports cars, jewelry, stereos, computers, bikes, flat screen TV, guitars, skis, everything). Now that person wants to immigrate to Canada with all that stuff. Well, the duties/tax fees would be VERY VERY high to import all that stuff, perhaps so high that the person would just say "Forget it, I'm not paying that much money, I'll just stay in UK instead." That's not a good Immigration policy, so the Dept created those B4/B4A forms which allow imimgrants to move all their stuff to Canada without having to pay any duties/taxes on it.
Itemizing: If your list has HIGH total value like the rich old guy above, then you might attract attention and scrutiny. However, if your list has a low total value, then they likely won't even read the items listed, or even look in your bags. Group low value items together on the list and pack them together, but list high value items separately, like:
1 blue bag of clothes $120
1 black bag of CDs, decorations, models $170
1 diamond ring $2000
1 pair skis (serial number: 9283742) $600
etc.
I'm not 100% sure you get to use the forms (depends on how long you were "moved away" from Canada), but your partner gets to do those forms for sure.
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