Can you please offer some guidance as to how much detail we need to go into when compiling the list of our possession for Canadian Customs.

Is it okay to write such things as: -

"20 Paperback books"
"200 Vinyl records"
"Assorted bed linen"

Are there certain types of things that we need to describe explicitly?

Your help is much appreciated.

That's what Mr B did, and that's what I'll be doing too. He wrote stuff like "6 boxes paperbacks, 1 box clothing and shoes"...etc etc. He didn't even bother to write serial numbers on electrical items, naughty! Customs seemed absolutely fine with that. Of course we haven't taken the stuff into Canada yet so who knows, but I'm sure it will be fine. To be honest, the customs lady he had seemed far more bothered about the total worth of the goods than what each bit was.

Biiiiink

Hi
when i was in Halifax recently i spoke to the immigration officers who had a stand at a mall.They said that for items you are bringing over with you on the plane not to bother as they are able to view them there and then.
For items to follow they seemed pretty unconcerned and said that the inventory made by your international movers would be fine as long as you put rough prices (which are resale prices i.e. what you would get if you sold them second hand in Canada) against them.Things like 'box of clothes' $100,stereo $200.The only thing they said to do as much as possible is to put ID no's of any expensive electrical equipment.
Obviously it would arouse suspicion if you put 'box of sundries','box of various' time and time again.
Our movers advised us to clean any soil off of golf clubs,boots,bike tyres etc.
Hope this helps.
Mike.




QUOTE=Stivo]Can you please offer some guidance as to how much detail we need to go into when compiling the list of our possession for Canadian Customs.

Is it okay to write such things as: -

"20 Paperback books"
"200 Vinyl records"
"Assorted bed linen"

Are there certain types of things that we need to describe explicitly?

Your help is much appreciated.[/QUOTE]

Oh the dreaded 'big move', don't remind me! We 'lost' (ahem) $16,000 worth of stuff on ours, but that's another story........

I think your method sounds fine, very similar to what we did. I would take note of brand, model and serial numbers of electronics though - they were quite picky about that when we came (but that was a long time ago, and we came via mainland Europe), even so, good for your own piece of mind! We did do quite detailed inventory, but more for our own records than the authorities. All things considered it went reasonably smoothly in the end! Good luck!!!

I had lists, but they didn't look at them.... but then, I suppose I just walked by customs and nobody said anything so I didn't ask if they wanted to see the lists...

I put things like....20 Beanie Babies... and the value. I also put serial nos of items that had them on. I did the total value too... I typed it up all nice and neatly on the computer and printed several copies, just in case!

Maybe you can sneak by like I did.... :-)

Donniboo

The whole point of the List of Goods to Follow is not for their benefit in particular (although of course they do want to see what you are bringing in) - it is to save you paying tax on these items when they enter Canada. Your List needs to be stamped by Customs to give you this tax-free break! I put our pony on ours after finding out that I would have been liable not only for her value but also would have to pay tax on the costs to have her flown over as well!! Thank God I did (some people laughed at me) as it literally saved me over two thousand dollars in the end!

Thanks very much for your wise words.
That's one less thing to worry about.