fg123

apologies if this has been previously addressed, however quick question regarding shipping items from UK to Canada

essentially want to ship cds amp record player etc. - can be done via royal mail, however what is the deal with customs?
the items do actually belong to me, so not strictly speaking a gift, but having been here a number of years, unlikely to qualify as following personal effects.

if electing to go the shipping route - via a container for example, how would that work - as far as customs goes, does it look like i've just bought a boatload of stuff on ebay?

thanks!

Former Lancastrian

The first question I would be asking is why are the goods being shipped to Canada. Are you visiting, coming on a work/study permit, spousal sponsorship or selected as a PR via Express Entry.
They would qualify as personal effects if being imported under one of the categories above as you state you have owned them for a number of years.

A little bit more info as to why you want to send them to Canada.

DandNHill

He has been here "a number of years".

Former Lancastrian

Well if they have already landed I assume these goods were part of the Goods To Follow list they supplied to CBSA. They can attach a copy of the landing document, the B4 and a copy of the GTF list to the outside of the boxes. Describe them as personal effects as per the Goods To Follow list as attached on the Customs declaration Form.

heymikey

Sorry to hijack this thread, but aside from Royal Mail, are there any other alternatives to reliably and inexpensively ship my belongings from the UK to Canada?

Pulaski

How much stuff? People use various solutions, from UPS or a similar parcel service to a freight forwarder. I have used a freight forwarder a couple of smaller shipments of books, tools, and similar things from my parents' home. Just Google <freight forwarder "your town"> for local freight forwarders - look for one that offers small / personal shipments. .... A freight forwarder will be able to give you the options for surface or air shipments.

DandNHill

I used DHL to send two huge suitcases... the container had gone and I was still going to be in England for a month. I forgot I was emigrating and kept buying things... so I paid 100GBP to ship it to myself... Might have been able to pay excess baggage but didn't have the energy to transport so many more bags... Thant was 6 years ago though...

heymikey

About 3 med-size moving boxes... It doesn't matter to me if I receive it in the next 3 or so months...

Is Anglo-Pacific any good?

heymikey

From Anglo-Pacific website (requesting a quote):


Is it really that expensive????

Pulaski

That sounds about right. The cost of sending a van to collect your stuff, and another to deliver it, plus processing the customs paperwork, are all pretty much fixed costs whether you are sending one box or fifty, but yes about £600 sounds right to me.

I think I paid about £400 ten years ago to ship some boxes of books and tools after my father died. But get some other quotes, you might be able to save a few quid, but IMO that quote is in the right ballpark.

Snowy560

You need to call Anglo Pacific and ask for a quote. We used them twice once for 15 boxes and once for about 3 and 3 rugs. I found them pretty reasonable. The second shipment cost about £275 in 2015. I dealt with someone called Maddie in the London office both times and she was really good (may be she's still there).

fg123

items not part of Goods To Follow list, simply few things i would like here, as opposed to gathering dust in UK. Not convinced even the most lenient of customs officer would count them as goods to follow after 8 years (!)
Form B4 (settler section) talks about entering Canada for the first time - not strictly speaking true.

Royal mail customs declaration has options for Gift, Documents, Commercial Sample etc., none of which really apply - besides if 'gift', canada post states a $60 limit..! and the items are not gifts!

will have a look at Anglo Pacific as mentioned, however they still mention form B4 - question is how would one go about filling that out, given the time between landing and (other) goods being shipped...

thanks!

Former Lancastrian

Whats the approx value of the goods?
So they are not goods to follow so no B4 to be filled out.
Does the Royal mail have the bigger white declaration labels as opposed to the small green ones. I would be ticking off Gift and writing in the description part personal effects left in UK and approx value. SEE ATTACHED ENVELOPE.
In the envelope put in a short note as to what the goods actually are.

If a very low value Customs won't be concerned on collecting any taxes.
Im not going to tell you to lie but there are creative ways of telling the truth when the UK only gives you a tick box.

Snowy560

We sold our house in 2015 and my husband (and I) shipped the extra boxes + rugs this was 5 years after he landed. As I explained above we did it via AP. At YVR we presented the b4 (?) and the CBSA officer was really nice and said what is it junk? We said yes because it was (sentimental junk) he stamped the paperwork off using my husband's landing details.

We had researched it beforehand and had been in to see CBSA in Vancouver. We knew it was at the officer's discretion.

I had previously shipped 15 boxes 10 months after I landed (we did not become PRs at the same time).

luckyirish91

I am hoping to ship an iMac to Toronto from London and its coming out at £170 (UPS) which I felt was expensive. The main reason for this is because it will be covered for up to £500 worth of damage should anything happen. After doing alot of research it appears there wasn't a cheaper option that would cover damage. If anyone has any alternative options that would be great help?