Shipping from US to Canada

[santoury]

I was looking into this.

Has anyone shipped something to Canada? What did it cost? (Or if you are a Canadian, have you gotten packages from the US? What did that cost?)

What is the "Document Service" vs the "Non Document Service" ? The "Document Service" is cheaper, but what is this?

Thanks

 

[Copeina]

On the Canadian side, costs depend on the following:

1) Does the carrier use a broker? Brokerage fees range from $5 per box to $60.

2) Declared value of shipment. Duties are paid based on the value of the shipment.

3) Door-to-door vs. Airport to Airport. It is usually (not always) less expensive and less paperwork to pick up at the airport.

4) Quantity of fish. The new rule is "more than 7 fish is a commercial shipment", meaning more paperwork and import fees for Canadians.

5) Does the guy at the customs office give a damn about your shipment? Some days I cross the border with cases of fish without question. Some days a bag of fancy guppies means 45 minutes with the Fisheries and Wildlife officer.

6) Is your name "on the list"? Some people get hassled every time. I don't know why, but everyone has heard of "the list" and we'd be fools to believe it didn't exist.

Shipping from the US to Canada is more hassle for the Canadian receiver. So long as the shipper declares what they are sending, it is up to the receiver to do the rest.

Hope that helps,
/Kris

 

[shoefreak03]

i believe whomever is shipping in the US to Canada also needs an export license. on the import side you have to clear the shipment with customs. you can't just go to the airport to pickup. if possible i would pick airport to airport on these shipments as if you use fedex or those types of carriers, it will take some time to clear shipment and who knows what they do with the boxes while its on hold.

 

[santoury]

Not wanting to open a can of worms,

BUT

What about shipping a single small lungfish into Canada using the USPS? Is that legal? Is it just a matter of sending it and the buyer would receive it at his door? Is it that simple/easy?