Canada - Crossing border to purchase engagment ring

I'm currently living in Canada (on an expat assignment from the US) and I'm visiting the states this weekend for a family event. I have been looking at rings in Canada and the US for sometime and finally settled on one. I trust the dealer (my family has gone to this jeweler in the past), the ring is beautiful, fair price, and no sales tax (my address is registered in a separate state).

I am planning to purchase during my trip and take it back to Canada on Sunday. Should I suspect any trouble at security or at customs (at the destination airport in Canada)? I plan to put the box in my carry-on bag.

I suspect that as long as you declare it when you re-enter Canada you will have no issues (other than a potential liability to pay duty and taxes). If you don't declare it and get "caught" I suspect you'll have lots of issues. You can always call the CBSA for information - their toll-free number is 1-800-461-9999.

As per the CBSA website:

When you return to Canada, you have to declare all of the goods you acquired while outside Canada, such as purchases, gifts, prizes or awards that you are bringing with you or are having shipped to you. Include goods that are still in your possession that you bought at a Canadian or foreign duty-free shop. As well, make sure you declare any repairs or alterations you made to your vehicle, vessel or aircraft while you were out of the country.

If you aren't sure if an article is admissible or should be declared, always declare it first and then ask the border services officer. Remember that officers are there to help you and will work out your personal exemption and any duty and taxes you owe in the way that benefits you most.

Edit: You didn't say if you would be gifting the ring to your SO when you come back to Canada or if your SO is actually in the US and will be receiving it at a later date (in the US). This could have a bearing on your case.

I'm no expert on the legal aspect, but in my entire life of traveling around the world, and across the US/Canada border probably 100 times, I have never, ever, ever had anyone question my customs declaration, let alone search me or my bags.

I'm no expert on the legal aspect, but in my entire life of traveling around the world, and across the US/Canada border probably 100 times, I have never, ever, ever had anyone question my customs declaration, let alone search me or my bags.

I trust you're not suggesting that no one ever gets searched at the border as a mantra for not bothering to declare goods being brought into the country. I have been searched more than once when making full and complete declarations. It happens and I'm pretty sure that when it does you don't want it to be that one time you decided not to declare something. Why do people get searched? Often it's random, but border agents are trained to detect nervousness or subterfuge - that's why they ask some of the questions they do. You might be comfortable taking the risk of not declaring, but in the OP's case, being on an expat assignment he may not want to jeopardize not only the cash cost of getting caught but his ability to enter the country at all in the future.

Just declare it's value on the form. Likely it is not within your duty free limit, so you will probably need to make a payment at the airport on arrival, but other than a few more minutes to do so, shouldn't be a huge issue.

(And yes, I have had my bags randomly checked flying US to Canada [no red-flag issue, just a random search, and nothing dodgy in my bag, so it took a couple of minutes and I was on my way] I am not even sure that it was destination related, as there were arrivals from all over the world in the baggage claim area, I could have been coming in from NY (as I was) or Timbuktu as far as the bag searchers were concerned, although they could easily tell once they saw the bag I guess, with the tag on it).

1. Simply declare the item on your Customs Declaration upon re-entry to Canada. Have the receipt handy and you will have no issues.

2. If you are concerned about what the duty might be, you can look that up on CC's website and simply apply it to the purchase price. Likely minimal.

3. If you don't declare and get caught, at an absolute minimum, you will pay a significant penalty, forfeit the item and be flagged for secondary inspection from now until the end of time. Not worth it.

Please continue to follow this thread in the FT Canada Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

Not sure what type of $$ you are talking about here, but here is a tale of one woman having to pay $80,000 in fines and penalties for undeclared jewelry.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2012/01/12/ottawa-undeclared-goods.html

Not sure if there is duty[/i[] to be paid on jewellery these days [i]vs sales tax but in times of yore, people would buy the stones and ring separately as stones were imported on a lower/no duty basis than set jewellery.

and no sales tax

If it exceeds your duty-free allowance you will likely have to pay Canadian sales taxes when you enter Canada with it, unless you intend to smuggle it which, as others have said, is not advisable - If you're caught you'll have a black mark against you in the computer system and subsequent border crossings will become a nuisance as you'll be constantly red-flagged.

I have been searched more than once when making full and complete declarations.

As have I.

In all cases it was followed by a 'thank you very much, sir' and I was sent on my way, but it does happen.

Forget the box, and carry the ring, if you ship the box they will catch you.

Take her with you and let her wear the ring back in,

Would never bring one in with the box.

You will pay duties, PST and GST.

This adds to be a lot of money however less than having it seized.

A former client of mine purchased an engagement ring AND proposed to her in LA. She said "yes" and she had it on her finger when they came back to Canada.

Custom officer asked why were you out of country? She replied, we got engaged. Officer said "that's a pretty ring - where did you buy it?"

Yada, yada, yada. Total cost extra was an extra $3,000 that he had to pay. He was NOT happy. She told me that she couldn't stop crying.

Looks like there is no duty on Diamond Rings, but there you would have to pay applicable Canadian tax on the ring. You have not stated what province you live in, but if Ontario, that would be HST.

....l. I am not even sure that it was destination related, as there were arrivals from all over the world in the baggage claim area, I could have been coming in from NY (as I was) or Timbuktu as far as the bag searchers were concerned, although they could easily tell once they saw the bag I guess, with the tag on it).

The above just shows how little people know about how the system works. Smuggle at your own peril. And if you are working in Canada, is it really worth risking that as well?

Declare it. No question.

I bought my wife an anniversary ring in Mexico. It was over the limit by itself, but only by a few hundred. Declared it, and told the story about it being our 20th, etc. The agent just said "Happy Anniversary!" and sent us on.

Now, understand, they are in their rights to make you pay, that is their job. Whenever you bring something into the country that is over the duty-free limit, you need to be prepared for that, and willing to accept whatever happens. If not, buy it in Canada.