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TheSevenDuffs
Joined: 17 Sep 2010
Posts: 1870
Location: Mississauga
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 Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:49 am Post subject: |
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Just to highlight the luck element...
Went to Buffalo yesterday. Volume equivalent of 2 cases worth about $300. Had a few other non-beer items too.
My entire conversation with the border agent:
Him: Where do you live
Me: Mississauga
Him: How long were you gone
Me: About 2 hours
Him: Value of goods in the car?
Me: About $350.
Him: Have a good day.
I was shocked!!! Saved me about $100 in duty. Score. |
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Belgian
Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 7067
Location: I Heart TO
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 1:04 am Post subject: |
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Here is a mindset you might want to consider - border personnel, like policemen don't LIKE being a Revenue Collection Agent, but they are. If you don't give them a reason they HAVE to collect revenue from you, and you aren't being an jerkbag to be made an example of then they would just as soon let you go.
I'm always personable with cops as well, I've been stopped for missing a very hard-to-read street sign for example and pleaded for a break because of my bitch insurance company - though the officer had to write a ticket as a Revenue Collection Agent for our greedy system, he wrote it as a 'municipal bylaw' instead of a 'highway traffic act' offence. He never showed at the trial for those Municipal ones! Be nice to cops and to border control people.
Border control don't care that we just want to buy beer, and they'd rather we didn't wave around a red flag about it.
_________________
In Beerum Veritas " ...John Malkovich ... mere mortal, or scarf-healing secret super power?" |
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NRman
Joined: 07 Feb 2010
Posts: 519
Location: Waterloo
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 8:44 am Post subject: |
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Good advice here, especially around the honesty part.
As someone who many many years ago has spent at night at the Peace bridge waiting for drugs dogs to arrive and the veiled threat of cutting torches (I was 100% clean... just a scared ^&&$less kid with no idea to this day why we were pulled) , I'll just say: do NOT F#$ with these people including hints of a lie. They will tear you apart for no reason you can discern.
The only other thing I will add is NEXUS NEXUS NEXUS.
If you cross more than 1-2 a years, its worth it.
$50 for 5 years and a trip to YYZ or Buffalo for a scheduled interview, finger printing and retina scanning (obviously you need to be comfortable with CBSA and Homeland Security being in your shorts but that's another thread that requires my tinfoil hat)
There is even a NEXUS bypass in Sarnia when the 402 is backed up you exit at Modeland(?) and take back streets up to just before the bridge and then swipe thru a NEXUS gate and slide right onto the bridge (Centre lane on bridge is NEXUS only) We saved at least 2 hours on our last crossing. The Whirlpool Bridge in Niagara is NEXUS only (swipe on, bridge toll deducted from an account attached to NEXUS card, PDF declaration card dropped in box and a 2 sec chat with an official and you're gone). Any duty will be charged to the credit card you can attach to the NEXUS account - if they decide to charge at all. In 4 trips across with declared overages each time they decided to charge $17 once.
I won't even begin to describe the benefits of the NEXUS retina scanner vs lining up for a CBSA agent at T3 YYZ on a friday night when 7 international flights and 5 more full of Caribbean vacationers who have never been in an airport before all storm the gates. You'd pay $100 to avoid that just once. 
Apply here
https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes
Now.
You will kick yourself for not having done it years ago. |
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TheSevenDuffs
Joined: 17 Sep 2010
Posts: 1870
Location: Mississauga
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 8:48 am Post subject: |
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| NRman wrote: | Any duty will be charged to the credit card you can attach to the NEXUS account - if they decide to charge at all. In 4 trips across with declared overages each time they decided to charge $17 once.
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This is the most interesting part of your post. I was under the impression that they always charged duty at Nexus when you declared an overage. That is obviously not the case. Did these overages that you often don't get dinged for include declared beer over your exemptions? |
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NRman
Joined: 07 Feb 2010
Posts: 519
Location: Waterloo
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:04 am Post subject: |
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| TheSevenDuffs wrote: | | NRman wrote: | Any duty will be charged to the credit card you can attach to the NEXUS account - if they decide to charge at all. In 4 trips across with declared overages each time they decided to charge $17 once.
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This is the most interesting part of your post. I was under the impression that they always charged duty at Nexus when you declared an overage. That is obviously not the case. Did these overages that you often don't get dinged for include declared beer over your exemptions? |
Yup.
We list everything and the beer is usually the only "dutyable" thing. We are never grossly over the exemption maybe 25-50% on the "number of bottles"(see PDF form below) and almost always on a 48hr or longer stay. I think its the same idea mentioned above - that these guys really don't want to be duty/tax collectors even if its dead easy, like this case where I do all the work and write it all down...remember the CBSA agent only sees me drop the form in a locked box... the duty/tax happens days/weeks after, if at all.
The form itself is a thing of beauty as it asks for a quantity of bottles or cans in dozens(!?) , not volume in litres like it does for wine or liquor, so 72 bottles is probably read as 3 cases..... the $value might tip them off if its 72 x$8 bombers... or maybe not.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/e601-eng.pdf
To be clear I have never done a 1-2 hr beer run on a Nexus... my gut says if i did, they might be more likely to charge the duty and the tax.
Anybody else with a Nexus ever try a beer only 1-2 hr run? And wants to discuss it here on-line?  |
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TheSevenDuffs
Joined: 17 Sep 2010
Posts: 1870
Location: Mississauga
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:18 am Post subject: |
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| NRman wrote: | | TheSevenDuffs wrote: | | NRman wrote: | Any duty will be charged to the credit card you can attach to the NEXUS account - if they decide to charge at all. In 4 trips across with declared overages each time they decided to charge $17 once.
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This is the most interesting part of your post. I was under the impression that they always charged duty at Nexus when you declared an overage. That is obviously not the case. Did these overages that you often don't get dinged for include declared beer over your exemptions? |
Yup.
We list everything and the beer is usually the only "dutyable" thing. We are never grossly over the exemption maybe 25-50% on the "number of bottles"(see PDF form below) and almost always on a 48hr or longer stay. I think its the same idea mentioned above - that these guys really don't want to be duty/tax collectors even if its dead easy, like this case where I do all the work and write it all down...remember the CBSA agent only sees me drop the form in a locked box... the duty/tax happens days/weeks after, if at all.
The form itself is a thing of beauty as it asks for a quantity of bottles or cans in dozens(!?) , not volume in litres like it does for wine or liquor, so 72 bottles is probably read as 3 cases..... the $value might tip them off if its 72 x$8 bombers... or maybe not.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/e601-eng.pdf
To be clear I have never done a 1-2 hr beer run on a Nexus... my gut says if i did, they might be more likely to charge the duty and the tax.
Anybody else with a Nexus ever try a beer only 1-2 hr run? And wants to discuss it here on-line? |
Thanks for all the info. You have convinced me to apply for a Nexus card. I still think on day trips that it might be better to risk it on the way back and go through the regular customs lines on the chance that they will waive me through. But it is nice to know that I have the option if I am in a hurry.
I guess you just have to always have a few of those blank forms in your car and you fill one out before heading back? That doesn't seem like too much trouble to me.
How does Nexus work? There is a guy in a booth but you drop your form in the box? Do you also attach your receipts or just enter the dollar value on the form and they trust your info? I assume there are also random spot checks of cars/trunks?
Thanks a lot for all the info. And sorry for all the questions. Much appreciated.  |
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NRman
Joined: 07 Feb 2010
Posts: 519
Location: Waterloo
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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| TheSevenDuffs wrote: |
How does Nexus work? There is a guy in a booth but you drop your form in the box? Do you also attach your receipts or just enter the dollar value on the form and they trust your info? I assume there are also random spot checks of cars/trunks?
Thanks a lot for all the info. And sorry for all the questions. Much appreciated. |
Yup, the booth and the box are separate. Every so often they ask if I dropped a form in, but there are so many cameras around there they can always go back.
No receipts and not sure if we need to retain them.. we always have them available since they can indeed do a full inspection/spot check and search if they want. If they do catch you in the wrong I think they slam you even harder.
Be aware all people in the car need a nexus card to use a nexus lane.
I got mine when I travelled a LOT more for work and now its just a convenience I refuse to do without. Good luck. Feel free to PM me or look me up next Sat afternoon at Session. I'll be the tall guy in the DFH cap. I am always happy to pontificate about Nexus! |
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spinrsx
Joined: 21 Sep 2010
Posts: 549
Location: Ottawa
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:55 am Post subject: |
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| just curious if anyone has experience with bringing back slightly more than what you're allowed. My wife and I will be in the states for 2 days, so I can bring back 2 cases duty free.. I was thinking of pushing this a bit to 3 cases. What is the likelihood that they are going to make me pay duty on the 1 extra case? |
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Kel Varnsen
Joined: 25 May 2009
Posts: 455
Location: Ottawa
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:00 am Post subject: |
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| spinrsx wrote: | | just curious if anyone has experience with bringing back slightly more than what you're allowed. My wife and I will be in the states for 2 days, so I can bring back 2 cases duty free.. I was thinking of pushing this a bit to 3 cases. What is the likelihood that they are going to make me pay duty on the 1 extra case? |
Not sure about the likelyhood (although if you are bringing back a case it is really only 6 extra beers per person), but I have had to pay duty and it really isn't as painfull as you think. I think when I did get dinged it was like maybe 30% extra when you tacked on the duty, the alcohol tax, and the HST. And even with the extra cost, divided over all the bottles it was still cheaper than if I had bought the same thing in Ontario (and what I bought wasn't even available in Ontario). |
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icemachine
Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 2162
Location: Aurora, ON
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:09 am Post subject: |
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On $125 worth of beer I paid about $30 worth of Duty, HST and Liqour markup. On a $25 bottle of Vodka (1L size) I paid $20 , mostly due to Liqour markup at 59%
Be honest and if you get sent in, so be it. It is just not worth the hassle of being searched on future trips and possibility of goods seized.
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"Everything ... is happening" - Bob Cole |
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Cass
Joined: 17 Jun 2001
Posts: 2512
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:12 am Post subject: |
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| spinrsx wrote: | | just curious if anyone has experience with bringing back slightly more than what you're allowed. My wife and I will be in the states for 2 days, so I can bring back 2 cases duty free.. I was thinking of pushing this a bit to 3 cases. What is the likelihood that they are going to make me pay duty on the 1 extra case? |
It's not worth it to lie to the border folks. If you get charged, it won't be that big of a deal. |
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Kel Varnsen
Joined: 25 May 2009
Posts: 455
Location: Ottawa
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:13 am Post subject: |
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| Cass wrote: | | spinrsx wrote: | | just curious if anyone has experience with bringing back slightly more than what you're allowed. My wife and I will be in the states for 2 days, so I can bring back 2 cases duty free.. I was thinking of pushing this a bit to 3 cases. What is the likelihood that they are going to make me pay duty on the 1 extra case? |
It's not worth it to lie to the border folks. If you get charged, it won't be that big of a deal. |
If you get charged duty/taxes not that big a deal. If you get charged with attempting to smuggle alcohol; huge deal. |
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markaberrant
Joined: 16 Nov 2007
Posts: 1532
Location: Regina, SK
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:15 am Post subject: |
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In Sask, if you are over, it works out to about $12 for 24 12oz bottles.
Not exactly worth lying about... |
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JeffPorter
Joined: 26 Jul 2011
Posts: 2152
Location: Brampton, ON
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:17 am Post subject: |
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| Cass wrote: | | spinrsx wrote: | | just curious if anyone has experience with bringing back slightly more than what you're allowed. My wife and I will be in the states for 2 days, so I can bring back 2 cases duty free.. I was thinking of pushing this a bit to 3 cases. What is the likelihood that they are going to make me pay duty on the 1 extra case? |
It's not worth it to lie to the border folks. If you get charged, it won't be that big of a deal. |
I agree - duty on that extra case is, what, an extra 20%? And the border guard may not even bother with it.
Factor that into your costs, be honest, polite, prepared to pay, and if they wave you through, consider it a bonus. 
_________________
"What can you say about Pabst Blue Ribbon that Dennis Hopper hasn’t screamed in the middle of an ether binge?" - Jordan St. John |
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spinrsx
Joined: 21 Sep 2010
Posts: 549
Location: Ottawa
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:37 am Post subject: |
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| well, I guess I'll bring back 3 cases (and declare it) and I'll post with the outcome. I've been for several different single day trips and brought back a case with no issues/duty, that's why I figure that same principle will apply to bringing back an extra case on a 2 day trip. I just hate the feeling of going in to pay.. for some reason I feel like I've done something wrong.. plus I get the whole 'you and your stupid beer' routine from my wife if we get stopped. |
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