Can I bring a laptop?

[Freddie Beach Shelly]

My DBF would like to bring his laptop with us on our November trip. We're driving across the border and flying out of Bangor. Is there some sort of arrangements with the border that we have to make so they know we didn't purchase the laptop in the US? Who do we contact to get the appropriate paperwork? Do we do it before we cross the border or at the border?

So many little things to think about....

 

[MaMudduck]

I've taken my laptop on a zillion trips across the border, both driving & flying and never once have i been asked to show a receipt to show which country it was bought in.
I don't think you'll have problems unless it's still in the orginal packaging and hasn't been openned.

 

[xipetotec]

I've taken my laptop accross the border tons of times on business and pleasure. By Land and Sea and Air ... never had a problem.

The only thing is that they may ask him to turn it on at the Airport. They will most certaily ask him to take it out of its case for chemical testing. But that takes all of 10 seconds and you're on your way.

 

[sympatico]

I've taken my laptop too and didn't declare it, didn't even think of doing it and nobody mentioned it. In this day and age it would take too much paperwork if they did this for everyone that took a laptop across the border.
You will have to take it out of it's case and put it in one of those grey containers when you go through airport security but it's no big deal.

 

[OntFamily]

As the other posters have mentioned, you'll have no problem.

However, for 100% certainty, you can get a form from Canada Customs, which will provide proof you bought the computer (or any item with a serial number) in Canada.

Simply vist your nearest Canada Customs office, and bring the item that you will be exporting (in this instance, your laptop computer). The customs officer will record the serial number on a special export form (form y38 - Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation -- or, just ask for the green export form), and then apply a Canada Customs stamp on the form. When you re-enter Canada, this form will be proof you had the equipment already in Canada, before you left (and as such, no duty or taxes will be payable upon return).


I've picked up these forms several times, and they only take a few minutes to complete. It can be completed at any customs office, and not necessarily the one at the border, when you leave.

 

[happycamper83]

I've taken laptops and other much more expensive equipment across the border in my carry on luggage many, many times and never had any issues.

 

[101DalmFan]

It used to be that any electronic item crossing the border aroused suspicion. But that was more common when Canadians had a smaller personal exemption, duty was charged on just about everything, and items like computers and cameras were really expensive. That was then, this is now

Laptops are now so common that they would not be suspected of being a new purchase unless they were brand spankin' shiny new, still in a box Like cell phones, just part of our day to day lives now. I know I never go on vacation without one. Mine is older, but it has wireless capability and most hotels offer free highspeed, so it's very handy to have with us.

Also, laptop prices are pretty low in the states now so if you were away for a week, a laptop would likely fall within your exemption anyway. And if it were American made, there's no duty -- so even if it didn't fit into any exemption you had AND it was new, you'd only be paying the tax

Another thing to keep in mind ... personal files like photos and emails on the laptop make it pretty easy to show that you've had it for a while

 

[dhluvsDisney]

DEFINATELY follow the advice of checking it in at customs (and that goes for ANY electronics or expensive items) and get a one time card that proves you registered it with customs. You may not have a problem once, but should you leave something accidently in another country and they have to ship it back (this happened to us), they WILL make you pay the duty on YOUR item if you don't have a way to prove (receipt) it's yours. When a portable DVD player was left a year ago in the hotel shuttle, the hotel mailed it back, but put a value of $2500 Canadian. Can you imagine paying duty on an item that only costs $150, plus brokerage fees. No thanks. Registering only takes a moment for piece of mind.