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Printable Version Clearing Customs: It's All in the Details
Did you know that accurate descriptions of contents are essential for timely customs clearance?
Every night, international shipments leaving Canada are selected and held by Customs. Some of these shipments are held due to poor descriptions such as "samples", "parts", and "promotional materials". Others are held because the description states "see commercial invoice" or no description has been given at all. Incomplete, incorrect and inaccurate descriptions on the international air waybill, commercial invoice or any other supporting documentation may result in customs delays.
The International air waybill is required for all international shipments between Canada and the rest of the world. It is also your customs declaration, which can possibly be used to clear your shipment through customs at the destination.
The customs clearance process begins with the description on the air waybill. If the description is too vague or missing, customs authorities may select the shipment for further inspection. All additional customs paperwork (e.g., commercial invoice) must also have detailed commodity descriptions.
What constitutes a good description?
A good description must answer the following questions:
1. What is it?
2. How many?
3. What is it made from?
4. What is its intended use?
A detailed description on the air waybill and other customs documentation will help speed up the clearance time and reduce your delivery time.
| Poor description (too vague) | Good description (specific and detailed) |
| Parts | Two steel springs for woodworking machine |
| Gift | One men's knitted sweater (100% cotton) - unsolicited gift |
| Samples | 200 cm x 400 cm nylon carpet sample for demonstration |
| Documents | 30 pages of legal documents |
| Food | The word Food (or FS) should be the first word in the description followed by a detailed description of the food items. (e.g., FOOD - one can of sliced peaches) |
| See commercial invoice | Provide a good summary of all items. The description on the air waybill should be as detailed as possible. |
You can simplify and streamline the shipping process by using FedEx Ship Manager at fedex.ca™ our online shipping application. All our automated solutions provide for electronic transfer of data, thus allowing the Customs clearance process to begin much earlier. Register for FedEx Ship Manager at fedex.ca today.