Hand carried goods, such as baggage brought into Canada by an individual for personal or business use, are subject to their own set of regulations. When importing into Canada it’s important to understand what paperwork needs to be filed. A customs broker, such as Argo Customs, can help navigate the often confusing process. When it comes to hand carried goods, Argo offers their clients the following tips and information on how to bring Hand Carried Goods into Canada.
Hand Carried Goods Release Process
For qualifying individuals and shipments, the hand carried goods release process offers importers and custom brokers a couple of options to obtain release of commercial goods by individuals not classified as carriers at the First Point of Arrival in Canada.
- Pre-Arrival Review System (PARS) Including Other Government Department Pre-Arrival Review System ((OGD) PARS)
- Release on Minimal Documentation (RMD)
These options may be used as an alternative release option to submitting the Canada Customs Coding Form B3-3. In order to qualify for the reduced paperwork release, both the individual importing into Canada and the type of shipment must meet the qualification requirements.
Qualifying Shipments and Individuals
In order to qualify for the Hand Carried Goods Release Process, the person who is importing into Canada must not be classified as a carrier. According to the ACI/eManifest Highway Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document (ECCRD), Appendix A – Glossary of Terms and Acronyms a carrier is defined as:
“The owner or person in charge of a conveyance that is engaged in international commercial transportation of specified goods.”
If the importer meets this requirement, the shipment itself must also qualify. The types of shipments that are eligible include, but are not limited to:
- Commercial goods that are carried by passengers on board of commercial conveyances such as buses, taxis, planes, ships, and ferries.
- Commercial goods being transported
and accounted for at the FPOA by a business owner or employee who are using a not for hire vehicle such as a personal car.
- Commercial shipments imported by a person who is not a carrier and is not required to have, use, or maintain a valid CBSA issued carrier code.
- Commercial vehicles where a non-carrier is driving the vehicle into Canada.
- New Canadian aircraft.
- Returning Canadian aircraft when said aircraft was repaired abroad and the repairs are accounted for.
- Temporarily imported non-Canadian aircraft being imported for repairs.
To learn more about the Hand Carried Goods Release Process when importing into Canada, please contact Argo Customs.