German carseats in Canada

[featherhead]

Ok, someone tell me how this works. We have a lot of German immigrants in our church. The one couple, in our Bible Study group have two daughters. When they came, they brought their german seats. After 3 months of being here they told us they had to get rid of the infant seat, but they were allowed to keep using their other seat, which is a Maxi-Cosi Priori. It is still a german seat though. And there are a few families that use german infant seats. The one couple has been here for a year and a half, so I don't think they brought the infant seat with them, their son was almost 1 when they came. She just had a baby, and I noticed she has a german Maxi-Cosi infant seat. Are they allowed to do that? Is it because Maxi-Cosi is sold here too? With the Priori they were told they could use it cause it had english labels too. I thought maybe because they haven't become Canadian citizens yet, they could use them, but that doesn't make sense either. Are they all using seats illegally?

[Jewels]

If you live in Canada you need CDN seats. US seats have english labels but that doesn't make it legal to you US seats in Canada. It is for all the same reasons that it is illegal to use US seats in Canada. Different standards in different countries.

Who told them they can use these seats?

[featherhead]

I'm not quite sure, maybe someone at the immigration office or something?

Hey, how would you feel about talking to a group of moms about carseats :whistle: It's been a while since they've had a carseat tech at GWM, and the one they had last (like almost 2 years ago) doesn't know much (she LOVED her 3-in-1 seats:rolleyes:). And the church ladies could really use some info too, but I don't know what they would think of having someone talk to them about carseats. lol

[supermommyof2]

I'm not quite sure, maybe someone at the immigration office or something?

It wouldn't surprise me. We have friends that moved up from the States and were told they didn't have to replace their seat :rolleyes:

[QuassEE]

Customs is actually enforcing the rule against importing US seats..this means that if you're moving to Canada, your carseat can be seized at the border... So you'd better have some alternative right then and there, or they'll refuse you entry. Nice situation hey?

I have a parent education outline if any techs want to borrow it. I've done 4 or 5 mom's group talks.

-Nicole.

[Jewels]

Customs is actually enforcing the rule against importing US seats..this means that if you're moving to Canada, your carseat can be seized at the border... So you'd better have some alternative right then and there, or they'll refuse you entry. Nice situation hey?

I have a parent education outline if any techs want to borrow it. I've done 4 or 5 mom's group talks.

-Nicole.

I would love to borrow it :love:

Is it something you could email me or would we need to use the mail :confused:

[canmom]

Just out of curiousity... when an american family comes to Canada on vacation are they allowed to use their seats? Would if they got into an accident with their child in an american seat? How do the laws work in the USA for me to travel there? I go to the US often and have brought my seats. TIA.

[Jewels]

Just out of curiousity... when an american family comes to Canada on vacation are they allowed to use their seats? Would if they got into an accident with their child in an american seat? How do the laws work in the USA for me to travel there? I go to the US often and have brought my seats. TIA.

If you reside in Canada and are visiting the US your are allowed to keep using your seats and vice versa. It is when you move to the US or Canada that you need to replace your seats with ones that are certified in that country.

[QuassEE]

I have an electronic copy from a few laptops ago that I should be able to find :) If not, I'll re-type it.

I would love to borrow it :love:

Is it something you could email me or would we need to use the mail :confused:

[northernmommy]

Could I borrow a copy as well, Nicole? I'm trying to do some education at DDs playschool and the local prenatal meetings.

Thx!

[beeman]

Technically if they haven't finished the immigration process yet and still have german drivers licenses (I'm not sure of those regulations with immigrations), wouldn't they still be allowed to use them?

[QuassEE]

When you move to Canada, you itemize your belongings and declare your plans with Customs/Immigration...if you intend to reside in Canada, you're no longer considered a visitor. How long you have to switch over your license depends on which province you move to, but there is a grace period. I don't know if there's a grace period for carseats, but it sounded to me like there isn't when I talked to Customs about it. Oversight, perhaps?

-Nicole.

[featherhead]

They were given a "grace" period for the one seat of three months, but the other they were allowed to use. I guess those people just don't know what they are talking about.

[Shanora]

can I get a copy of that Parent outline as well. I told the MFRC (military family resource center) that I am tech and they might want me to speak to the parents here.

I have a good friend who moved here from Germany 4 years ago and she had to get a new booster seat for her son, as the one she used over there she couldn't use here.

[mommycat]

I'd like a copy of the outline, too, please and thank you! :)
ETA never mind, just saw the other thread.

[Unregistered]

When you move to Canada, you itemize your belongings and declare your plans with Customs/Immigration...if you intend to reside in Canada, you're no longer considered a visitor. How long you have to switch over your license depends on which province you move to, but there is a grace period. I don't know if there's a grace period for carseats, but it sounded to me like there isn't when I talked to Customs about it. Oversight, perhaps?

-Nicole.


Hi, there's some misinformation here about immigration to Canada. I am American but recently (Oct 2007) moved to Canada with my now 1 year old daughter and partner (who is dutch) from Holland. We are here on his worker permit however, our daughter only has a "visitor" permit. She can't even get a SIN card and yes we're "residing" here although we have no plans to settle in Canada.

I was NEVER asked by customs or immigration about my carseat (a Maxi Cosi Cabrio purchased in the Netherlands where my daughter was born), nor ever asked about the seat the numerous times (by car and air) I've crossed the border back and forth between the USA with my daughter (several times with my car seat - though only once she actually sat in it since she was usually on my lap while in the air), nor included our car seat in the itemization of our belongings. All they ever asked me about was the alcohol we brought so they could charge us some stupid tax (on opened, half empty bottles!).

Anyway, our car is actually imported from the US (we bought it 2nd hand) and now we're looking into getting a new car seat (most likely from the US because there's more selection and lower prices) for our daughter. She still fits into the Maxi Cosi because she's 10kg (the MC is weighted until 13kg) but she's a tall girl so we want to get her into something that's appropriate.

We considered bringing over the Priori from Holland but since it seems that the seat belts are shorter in the US compared to Europe and also lock up, we decided against it.

Frankly, (and I'm sure I'll be dinged on this) i find that the only reason that customs/immigration would confiscate a car seat is because products in the US are much cheaper. That's my experience with Canadian customs. I only get asked when I cross back into Canada what did I buy so that they can make me pay tax. Since I have an American car - which I'm sure is comparable to Canadian "manufactured" cars - I doubt there's any real safety issues against purchasing an American car seat and since we plan on leaving Canada at some point (either to the US or Europe), have no qualms about buying an American seat.

If they did ask us about the car seat - then we'd tell them our daughter is just 'visiting' .

[snowbird25ca]

Hi, there's some misinformation here about immigration to Canada. I am American but recently (Oct 2007) moved to Canada with my now 1 year old daughter and partner (who is dutch) from Holland. We are here on his worker permit however, our daughter only has a "visitor" permit. She can't even get a SIN card and yes we're "residing" here although we have no plans to settle in Canada.

I was NEVER asked by customs or immigration about my carseat (a Maxi Cosi Cabrio purchased in the Netherlands where my daughter was born), nor ever asked about the seat the numerous times (by car and air) I've crossed the border back and forth between the USA with my daughter (several times with my car seat - though only once she actually sat in it since she was usually on my lap while in the air), nor included our car seat in the itemization of our belongings. All they ever asked me about was the alcohol we brought so they could charge us some stupid tax (on opened, half empty bottles!).

Anyway, our car is actually imported from the US (we bought it 2nd hand) and now we're looking into getting a new car seat (most likely from the US because there's more selection and lower prices) for our daughter. She still fits into the Maxi Cosi because she's 10kg (the MC is weighted until 13kg) but she's a tall girl so we want to get her into something that's appropriate.

We considered bringing over the Priori from Holland but since it seems that the seat belts are shorter in the US compared to Europe and also lock up, we decided against it.

Frankly, (and I'm sure I'll be dinged on this) i find that the only reason that customs/immigration would confiscate a car seat is because products in the US are much cheaper. That's my experience with Canadian customs. I only get asked when I cross back into Canada what did I buy so that they can make me pay tax. Since I have an American car - which I'm sure is comparable to Canadian "manufactured" cars - I doubt there's any real safety issues against purchasing an American car seat and since we plan on leaving Canada at some point (either to the US or Europe), have no qualms about buying an American seat.

If they did ask us about the car seat - then we'd tell them our daughter is just 'visiting' .

The crackdown on non-CMVSS seats coming in to Canada has been fairly recent - and no, it's not all about money. Some of the seats sold in the US don't pass Canadian standards, and some of them that are sold under the same name in Canada have different weight limits and the manufacturer has confirmed they are structurally different from their US counterparts. (Graco cargo combo seat comes to mind - it's rated to 48lbs here, but only 40lbs in the US.)

Additionally, a larger # of seats are starting to arrive at close to the same price as their US counterparts. If you have a vehicle registered in Canada, it makes no difference if you're here on a visa, worker's permit, or "visitor" pass (as in the case of your dd,) by using a non-CDN seat while having an extended temporary residency, you could be ticketed if pulled over. I can tell you with certainty that in my area where seat checks are quite frequent, a foreign seat most definitely would be ticketed, and potentially you could be held at the check point until a CMVSS seat was brought - at least in the case of a European seat as there would be no way for the techs to verify if the seat was installed & used properly.

While in another country, that country's laws apply. This is no different. It's not a case of visiting for a couple weeks or seeing family for a month - you guys have permits. As such you should be following Canadian law and using a seat approved for use in Canada. To not do that is breaking the law. Regardless of what your daughter's documents say.

eta: Importing a vehicle is different. Mechanics can inspect it, and any thing that is required in Canada vs. not required in other countries can be added. A carseat that isn't certified to CMVSS standards can't be modified to meet them.