Duty Free Importation

[ForumUser]

hello am maha, me and my husband are moving to toronto in February next year…i want to know about duty free importation. On website it is mentioned that for duty free imortation we have to fill out a BSF186 - Personal Effects Accounting Document. My question is which kind of goods should be listed in that form? Should i mention each and every single goods value or can i mention the value of many items in one category…e.g clothes,shoes,cutlery items and some electronics

Thanks,

[SettlementOrgMod]

Hello Maha,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We can appreciate that you would be interested in this type of information.

It is great that you are looking into this type of information ahead of time.

You can find some helpful information in our Settlement.Org I am immigrating to Canada. How do I bring my belongings with me? article.

Here is an excerpt,

You also have to fill out a BSF186 - Personal Effects Accounting Document, where you list any goods with you and the goods that you will send later. If your goods are not listed on your original BSF186, they are not eligible for duty-free importation at a later time.

If you need more space to list your goods, you can type out your own list or fill out form BSF186A - Personal Effects Accounting Document.
Your list should state the goods and their value. Make a list of the goods that are with you and another list for those that will arrive later. It is good to have a copy each list.

You have to give these lists to the customs officer when you arrive in Canada, even if you are not bringing in anything at that time.

It has been previously recommended by Border Information Services (BIS) representatives that you include similar items together and then state an approximate value.

For example, you can list items such as:

- Kitchen Utensils - 2 boxes - Value (CDN Dollars)

• Books - 2 boxes - Value (CDN Dollars)
• Clothes - 3 boxes - Value (CDN Dollars)

The BSF186 Personal Effects Accounting Document form indicates that you should include serial numbers if applicable.

You may also want to contact the Border Information Services directly for specific information and a definitive response. You can contact them here:

Border Information Services (BIS) from outside of Canada (long-distance charges apply):

(204) 983-3500 or (506) 636-5064.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org

[Nazrin]

Hello, I have a similar question. Apart from filling out the forms and providing the details, what is the actual process of bringing all of my belongings to Canada?

In my case: I will fly from my home country via Istanbul (connecting flight) to Toronto. Do I bring all of my personal belongings to the airport and ask the airlines to send them together with the main luggage? Do I have to pay for the weight of that luggage to airlines? Or do we have special “personal belongings” allowance since we are immigrants?

Your reply is highly appreciated!