Wedding items and bring personal items over Canadian border

[kasia333]

hey everyone,

my fiance and I are getting married in Ottawa on 8/30/2013. He is driving here (to Chicago) next week and staying for a week. We planned for him to drive back with my wedding dress, wedding stuff, and some of my personal items (clothes etc.)

What should we do so we don't have problems at the border? What should we declare? my dress alone is worth $700 plus the shoes are $200 and the headpiece is $250. Does he need to declare everything? Does he need to declare my clothes as well?

I will be flying for the wedding 8/27 with my mother and coming back few days after. I will not be staying there right after the wedding. I will eventually move up few months after we get married and apply for inland sponsorship in Canada.

I just want him and myself to be prepared and for him not to be denied entry or my stuff being thrown away.

Please advise!!! Thank you

 

[kasia333]

Hi, anyone have any tips? Thank you

 

[zardoz]

As he can't claim them as HIS personal items and Canadian customs being particularly aggressive at times, he probably should declare them and hope that they don't collect any duty on the import.

 

[kasia333]

So he can bring my clothes, personal items, and wedding stuff as long as he declares them???

Thanks for your reply

 

[zardoz]

I see no reason why not. They are not prohibited items and as long as he declares them, there is no cause for Customs to be interested in anything except the importation value. Make sure he takes the receipts with him.

 

[scylla]

I would expect he'll have to pay duty on the value of the newly purchased items (i.e. wedding dress, shoes, etc.) where that value exceeds the individual duty exempt limit of $850. In other words, if your newly purchased wedding items cost $1200, I think there's a good chance he'll have to pay duty on $350 of that. Definitely declare everything at the border and don't play games with customs.

 

[kasia333]

Ok, I didn't keep a lot of receipts, but I can just print out copies of my debit card/credit card statements to give him.

Thanks for the advice