What can I bring home from the US?
- Thread starter madluk18
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A couple of forum members posted instances of being caught, in previous threads on the topic. I remember one person mentioning that he received a long lecture, his goods were confiscated, and he wasn't sure whether he would be allowed to return to the USA, in the future.
Oh jeesus another one of these threads, fella's the yankee's treat folks exporting firearms and components illegally the same as they treat terrorist groups smuggling nuclear materials out of their country, (both on same list) you really don't want to be getting in trouble with this, the jail term or fines are really large for illegally exporting anything on ITAR, not worth the risk even if you pay triple the price in canada...
https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/regulations_laws/documents/official_itar/ITAR_Part_121.pdf
https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/regulations_laws/documents/official_itar/ITAR_Part_121.pdf
The risk of getting caught may be small, but it doesn't matter how many people got away with it when you get caught. You bear the penalty alone. The police don't normally go to your home and follow you when you drive away, watching for you to speed. Typically they give you a ticket and let you go. It costs you a fine and maybe an insurance premium increase. It is a matter of random chance to cross their path. The Americans' enforcement effort for these export regulations includes observing gun stores and following foreign registered vehicles (i.e. Canadian) that leave them almost to the border and stopping them, or instructing border staff to stop and search the vehicles. You lose the contraband goods without compensation, your vehicle may be seized, there may be a fine, you will likely be detained for rather longer than it takes to issue a speeding ticket, you may spend time in custody, and have to appear in court, or even serve a sentence, and you may be banned from visiting the U.S.A.
It's not just the odds of getting caught, it's whether you can afford to lose what you risk.
(Comments that seem to encourage anyone to break the law, including U.S. laws, can get you banned from this site.)
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you dont want to get caught by homeland security or anyone for that matter, better to just not try at all.
If Homeland security caught you, or you were turned over to them because you violated the US anti terrorism laws by being in posession of guns, gun parts or ammunition in their country they have the ability to hold you indefinitely without trial or notifying anyone they are holding you.
No, you dont want to export anything from the USA that is banned. You can bring black powder rifles, black powder up to 8Kg's in one pound cans and black powder accoutrements as well as air rifles as they are not considered firearms in the USA. Advise the Canadian Customs upon returning and pay HST, show your Pal and you are OK. Many firearms parts are exportable but most Us retailers wont ship here because of the regulations being a pain. The OK list is very short but the NOT OK list is very long. You need to do research and speak to the US State Dept. about particulars. Violating any law is a crap shoot.
Good friend of mine got stopped, he is legally allowed to have firearms in both countries but was stopped before the border.He was allowed to return the items to the store(he has dual citizenship or something along those lines).Apparently the sporting goods stores work with homeland security and will record and report people with foriegn plates and ID. I beleive my friend was stopped with a single box of shotgun ammo.
Fuzzy
Fuzzy
Well good luck...
I find there aren't really all than many bargains at the big box stores like Bass Pro in the US.
On many of my trips I've stopped in to see what's available and really... 'Never found anything really worth buying.
On-line purchases are different, but at retail... Some stuff costs more than here at home especially after you figure in currency exchange.
As far as exports go... There was a story in the news recently re. a guy who bought a shiny new AR "upper" and was stopped/caught at a DHS exit check... He had ordered it online and had it shipped to one of those mailbox/parcel places close to the border...
At the time the article was published the guy was still sitting in a remand centre (jail) in NY. IIRC he was stopped at the peace bridge or rainbow bridge.
At best I expect he would have been fined, had his upper confiscated and been barred from entering the US.
At worse I imagine he could get all that AND a jail term... If you're the least bit pretty.... You don't wanna go to jail.
You CAN bring up to 5000 rounds of ammo into Canada. However, it is true that you can't (as a non resident) posess ammo in the USA. If you get stopped (my friend DID) You'll be in trouble with US authorities. As far as Canada Customs goes - its OK
Actually you can as a non resident possess firearms and ammunition in the USA, as long as you have the proper document. Non residents that hunt or target shoot in the USA, apply for and receive an F6NIA form, which makes it legal. However, you can't acquire firearms or ammunition in the USA, and take them out of the USA with you, as the exportation of these goods, requires the proper export documents.
Thats the Catch ! Canada Customs s NOT the problem as long as you pay your duties -tax etc - its the US guys that will put you in JAIL ? if they catch you transporting it with out proper ITAR paperwork ! Pretty much everyhing is illegall to export from the USA these days with out paper work from the US GOV ! RJ
did you tell them you are a non resident of the united states?
You may want to call DHS instead since they are the ones who are enforcing the laws regarding non residents with firearms and other items you may not posess inside the USA.
That is what the Canadian Authorities allow Canadians to import into Canada.
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d19/d19-13-2-eng.html#a4x4
However, you also must comply with the USA laws, which require an export permit, to export the goods out of the USA.
Ome more thing to note
regardless of the export permit, you are not to be in posession of those items personally as a canadian on US soil, just like a firearm it needs an exporter, you can't do it yourself.
If you hold an approved F6NIA , you most certainly can be in possession of firearms, ammunition, or components, on American soil. How do you suppose Canadians participate in shooting competitions, or hunt, in the USA? You are however correct that only a person holding the proper export licenses and permits can export those items.
the difference is you owned those rifles and components prior to entrering the US and got the permits to bring them (only what is on your permit) in to their country for that said purpose. You still can not purchase new items and bring them out of the US thinking those permits will cover you in the event you are stopped (for example coming back with the same amount of live ammunition you went there with after shooting a competition or event)
So if you went hunting in the USA, you had the proper F6NIA form, and you ran low on ammunition, would you be violating the law, if you purchased more ammunition in the USA to continue your hunt?
How about if you attended a competition, took 500 rounds with you into the USA, found a great deal on ammunition in the USA, purchased 500 rounds, which you used to compete, and then brought back the same 500 rounds that you took into the USA?
I know personally of people getting in trouble for the ammunition thing, all you need is someone at the border having a bad day. I don't make up the laws that DHS follow, all you need to remember is that they can hold you indefinitely without trial if you are even suspected of violating their laws.
You can quantify it however you like, how that DHS officer you run in to interprets the law that day is going to be the card you are dealt, their authority is final.
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