TDC question
 

The TDC cards represent an simplified way of importing goods. Because of the limited space on the card you can't really get too complex regarding goods from certain countries that are duty free. For example, you can only choose between USA or other as a country of origin. With certain types of goods, for example a rug, if you fill out the TDC correctly you get hit with a 20% duty when in reality the duty may not apply.

In my case, I bought a rug with a total cost of 350 USD. It was made in India and after a little research on the CBSA website I found out that rugs from India are duty free (still need to pay GST and PST in Quebec). But there is no way to indicate this on the TDC currently. So my choices were to check off the USA box and pay the correct amount; or tick off "other" and pay 20% duty; or not use NEXUS.

I went in the regular lane and had to talk to a CBSA agent who was maybe 20 years old. Clearly a summer-time student. The agent actually asked me what a customs tariff classification code was. She did not understand that just because something was made outside of the USA that duty may not apply. Even with the tariffs in hand and having all the paper work in a folder for her she still had to go ask the boss what to do.

My question is is there way to use a TDC and NEXUS but still pay the correct duty in this scenario? I asked at the cashier desk and they shrugged their shoulders and said to call NEXUS...

I thought about buying 351 USD of groceries and then checking off USA as the country of origin for everything, but that would have put me over the 500limit to use NEXUS.

What is up with that? I didn't realize having a borrowed jacket is a customs violation.. I did my interview at yyz and didn't get told much about land crossings, as I haven't done one in close to 20 years..

You're getting a bit pedantic about this "country of origin" thing. When one imports an item on a personal trip, all that matters is the country it was purchased in, not the country it was made in. Let's face it, next to nothing you'd purchase in the US was made in the US (maybe designed but not manufactured). The whole concept, I admit, is quite outdated in this day and age of global outsourcing. Under the personal exemption, neither origin nor nature of the product is considered in the equation. Just the amount spent. (Other than alcohol and tobacco, of course, and for agricultural controls, food products.)

Customs forms need to be overhauled, I agree. That stupid line about not having financial instruments over $10,000 is also specious considering the credit cards in our wallets likely exceed that limit many times over. And would not milk chocolates constitute a dairy product? I am told when going through customs that chocolates are not considered a dairy product so I should not check that box any more. But if I enter Australia or New Zealand I had better declare them because they do constitute a food category that may violate their entry rules on food stuffs.

I believe that none of the above is true. As an example, I bought an Italian jacket in Hong Kong last year. When I declared it at YYZ, the duty payable was based on the country of origin, not the place of purchase.

......

Your information is not correct. Customs tariffs and treaties exist for a reason. In theory, they are supposed to protect Canadian industry from unfair trade practices etc. We can argue about the tariff policy but country of ORIGIN and not PURCHASE is what determines how much duty is to be paid.

In my case, I dove to Champlain NY for about 20 mins to pick up my item and could not claim any personal exemption.

What 500 limit do you mean? I'm not aware of one.

This is so not true it would be hard or impossible to be less true. I know people who went shopping in Plattsburgh for the day and were hit with duties on linens originating in China (in addition to the taxes).

Now this part is partly true (the origin part, since the nature of some goods is significant, including but not limited to, tobacco, alcohol, cheese, other dairy products, chicken, turkey, and others -- many of these are tax free yet have quantity or value limits on importation).

=aw

The thing that bugs me most about the TDC in this area is that Canadian-manufactured goods are lumped in with foreign and not with US! (Mexican should probably be in with US as well, but it's the Canadian that bug me).

=aw

From http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-vo...tions-eng.html

Maximum dollar amounts that you can declare on a TDC:

For more information concerning your personal exemptions
Same day: $500 (no exemption)
24-hour absence: $500 (includes $50 exemption)
48-hour absence: $1,000 (includes $400 exemption)
7-day absence: $1,550 (includes $750 exemption)

Values that are more than those indicated above must be reported to a CBSA officer.

I really would have bought 351 $ of water at wal-mart if I could have. :D

Thanks, I wasn't aware of those limits.

=aw

Good thing to know. Breaking those limits (even by ignorance) as well as wrongly stating country of origin for the majority of goods could result in having your card lifted.

Two more interesting items from that page.

First, the statement that if you're over your exemption limit you must use a TDC with Nexus Air (contrary to what everyone here says is their instruction and experience).

Secondly, Canada-produced goods are lumped in with US-made goods (which addresses my supposed aggravation posted earlier):

=aw

The form is so convoluted it is ridiculous. And yet they expect every member to know every rule by memory as ignorance is not an excuse.

I also find the time limit check box silly, as there is no box for "under 24 hours" - they should bold the fields that are required.

I was told if less than 24 hours, just leave it blank.

Furthermore, I was under the impression that TDCs were only for use at land crossings - I leave them in my car and don't take them with me when I travel by air.

Right, but as it is at the top of the form many get confused and check of 24hrs even if it was a day-trip. There should be a "less than" option or some indication that the field is not required.