Lowly the Lorry. . .

[nick-v]

As a Québécois, got yo love that sentence "The province of French speaking Quebec should be a country of its own."!!!

Love your truck and the fact that you had the balls to do what you've done. Can't wait to read the rest of your story and cross m'y own contry!

Envoyé de mon Moto X Play en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[nick-v]

"fun" fact, last time we tried to become a contry was the year your truck was built!

Envoyé de mon Moto X Play en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[Photomike]

I thought driving my vehicle for 2 hours with plates borrowed from another vehicle was hair raising!!! Glad you made it safe and sound. Sad thing is when you try to do the right thing they toss roadblocks in front of you but for the thousands that regularly break the law and don't care they give them a warning and let them go to do it all over.

 

[jaleel_da_sheik]

US Temporary Import Update

After quite a few un-returned phone calls from my not-very-helpful contact at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) I played the "I need to speak with your boss" card and finally greased the skids of this governmental entity. I was able to explain my situation and by deciphering their acronyms, form fill-out requirements and procedural jargon I was able to come up with the following tentative game plan:

Fill out an approval letter application form (http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/BOX7FORMJuly2016.pdf)
Email the approval letter application form along with "substantiating information" to the importcertification@dot.gov address.
Information is then reviewed and processed by the NHTSA.
If approved, a permission letter is provided to the importer (yours truly).
A copy of the permission letter must be attached to the HS-7 Declaration form when importing.
Box 7 must be used on the HS-7 Declaration form.
Initial approval of temporary import is good for 1 year.
A request for extension can be made for a total of up to 5 years.
Extension requests require a written request along with a copy of the initial/prior permission letter 30 days before expiration of temporary import expiration date.

If all of this works out, I just might have my temporary import into the US for enough time to allow modifications to the truck at home while the truck's age finally ticks over the 25 year mark and can then turn around to permanently import.
I submitted my application form this morning along with an explanatory email and a couple pics of Lowly - fingers crossed it goes thru without a hitch!

Stay Tuned,

sheik

 

[mog]

Great to hear.
I am rooting for you.

Gee, If I had known you could just have checked box 6



I could have helped you out. I have a Nigerian Prince who emails me all the time wanting to transfer funds to the USA. I bet he would have helped. :sombrero:

 

[Sitec]

Reading the latest update, I was then chatting to my wife about your journey with Lowly so far... A UK truck across Canada, and now the problems crossing the border etc... She saw the Canadian plates, and said 'why can't he just drive it across on a 'visit' to the US'? We both pondered it, and then as if to explain it to us Border Security International came on on the TV... It was set around Vancover and a few other places. It soon became apparent as to why you couldn't just 'rock up at the border' and say "hi. I'm from Canada and I'm going for a few weeks look around the US"... They're as strict as customs here in Oz. I had enough fun getting my 150hp 27 yr old tractor in!! Good luck in your challenge, and I'm looking forward to the next stage of the story!! When I get my shed built I'll be in a similar position.

 

[jaleel_da_sheik]

Reading the latest update, I was then chatting to my wife about your journey with Lowly so far... A UK truck across Canada, and now the problems crossing the border etc... She saw the Canadian plates, and said 'why can't he just drive it across on a 'visit' to the US'? We both pondered it, and then as if to explain it to us Border Security International came on on the TV... It was set around Vancover and a few other places. It soon became apparent as to why you couldn't just 'rock up at the border' and say "hi. I'm from Canada and I'm going for a few weeks look around the US"... They're as strict as customs here in Oz. I had enough fun getting my 150hp 27 yr old tractor in!! Good luck in your challenge, and I'm looking forward to the next stage of the story!! When I get my shed built I'll be in a similar position.

Yeah, add in the complicating factor that I would have a US passport, driving a Canadian registered truck and telling the US border patrol that I, being an American, was coming in for a visit. I'd be kicking over a hornet's nest for sure!

- sheik

 

[VerMonsterRV]

So, knowing what you know now would it have been possible to "temporarily" import directly to the USA? Or is the need to go to Canada first?

 

[jaleel_da_sheik]

So, knowing what you know now would it have been possible to "temporarily" import directly to the USA? Or is the need to go to Canada first?

Good question and it got me to thinking. I don't know all of the intricacies of this temporary import situation yet, so please take this answer with a healthy grain of salt.

If I had known that there was this option of temporarily I would have likely attempted it. That being said, there are several complicating factors that would have required everything being perfectly in order for me to pull it off -IF- I knew this was an option from the outset:

1) I had 3 months since the date of purchase to import the vehicle to another country or lose a sizable chunk of Value Added Tax (VAT) that I paid when purchasing the vehicle in England.
2) To keep things straightforward and give me peace of mind, I would have needed the shipping arrangements dialed in before I even purchased the truck (especially port of entry into the US)
3) The whole time I was attempting the temporary import, I would have needed to have a plan B partly, if not completely, worked out in case I didn't get approval.

I believe it would have been possible for me to go this temporary import route straight from England to the USA, but I'm not sorry about having gone the Canadian route. It has given me more time to flush out various options and gives me more alternatives should the course I'm attempting to go down turns pear shaped.

One big question that I'm not sure the answer of, nor will I need to know for my situation: On a Temporary Import Bond (Box 7, yada yada yada) does the vehicle need to be exported back to the country it came from or can it be a different country?

- Sheik

 

[jaleel_da_sheik]

US Temporary Import Update

A portion of the letter I just received from the NHTSA (VIN blotted out to protect the innocent, highlighting of sweet portions is my doing):



BOOYAH!

-Sheik

 

[Sitec]

Brilliant!! Ready for the next instalment! Pictures of you crossing the border and getting home!!!

 

[Wyuna]

That is a great outcome,

looking forwards to the next cannonball run home and then the build

 

[BlandOverland]

Fantastic news! Can't wait to see it in person and lend a helping hand.

 

[jaleel_da_sheik]

US Temporary Import Update

Progress continues:

I forwarded the NHTSA approval letter to the importer I've chosen to work with.
I then filled out the DOT's HS-7 form, checking Box #7, making clear that I had an exemption due to the NHTSA's approval letter.
I then filled out the EPA's 3520-1 form, checking Box "Code E", making clear that my truck is older than 21 years of age.
I then filled out my importer's Commercial Invoice form.
I then called the US Customs Office to receive a one-time PAPS exemption (allows me to import under a Temporary Import Bond once for free).

With all of this completed and submitted back to my importer, they were able to compile and submit the necessary paperwork for Lowly's TIB. Oh yeah, I also had to pay the importer their pound of flesh too. For those of you wondering, I don't think a TIB into the USA is something you can do without going through a legit/licensed importer - customs apparently won't even consider something like this if it is coming directly from any old Tom, ******** or Harry.

So far, so good. If things don't go pear-shaped at the last minute, the USA might be one Mercedes Emergency Response Vehicle fuller by sometime next week.

Stay tuned,

Sheik

 

[jaleel_da_sheik]

US Temporary Import Update

A continuation of my TIB checklist:

I'm paid up to the import broker
Import broker has notified and submitted proper paperwork to US Customs
Import broker issued me a completed CBP Form 7501 (Proof of Entry) to get stamped by US Customs
Import broker issued me a completed CBP Form 3495 (used during export back to Canada to close my TIB) to get signed by US Customs and then present to US Customs upon returning to Canada
Import broker issued me a completed Commercial Invoice Form

I've arranged for flights up to Vancouver BC, plan to public transport myself back to Lowly's storage facility, drive to the insurance broker to extend my insurance & registration and then head over to the commercial border crossing. If everything goes smoothly Lowly will be rolling across his first patch of USA tarmac tomorrow (Monday) afternoon/evening.

Here is the list of documents I'll be carrying with me to hopefully ensure a successful border crossing:
Passport
CBP Form 7501
CBP Form 3495
Commercial Invoice Form
NHTSA TIB Approval Letter
DOT HS-7 Form, with Box 7 checked
EPA 3520-1 Form, with with Box Code E checked
NHTSA TIB Approval Letter Request Form
Statement of Vehicle Alterations to be Performed
Signed Proof of Delivery/Reciept from Autoport in Halifax
Canadian Import Arrival Notice Stamped by Canadian Customs
Canadian Casual Goods Accounting Document Stamped by Canadian Customs
Canadian Vehicle Import Form Stamped by Canadian Customs
Bill of Sale from Auction House to myself
Original UK Registration

Not all these documents will likely be necessary, but I figure it won't hurt to have them on hand to present proof of ownership and show my best effort at this being a legit attempt to temporarily import.
The next 24 hours should prove incredibly satisfying, extremely frustrating or some combination thereof.

Stay tuned,

Sheik