If you are dealing with cross-border trade, you must be knowing the various reasons behind the clearances getting delayed. Missing or incomplete paperwork is one of the most common reasons. So, to avoid having any added headaches or losing out on more resources, we are curating a list of documents that are most important in most of the cases.

Canada customs invoice

This is also known as the commercial invoice and the importer mostly uses the CCI to pay the seller for the goods. The exporter uses the CCI to collect the payments from the buyer’s end. You will mostly be needing a couple of copies of the Canadian Customs Invoice. One of them will be attached to the shipment that will be present at the customs while the other copy will be attached to the bill of lading. There can be a commercial invoice used in place of a CCI as long as you are including the below information:

  • Full name, address and country of the exporter
  • Full name and address of the importer
  • Detailed goods description
  • Shipment’s weight details
  • Agreed-upon delivery payments and terms
  • Import license if it is applicable
  • Freight charges and insurance

Bill of lading

Bill of lading is the receipt of the goods that are being shipped. This is a legal piece of document which authorizes the carrier for executing all the goods movements. This happens on behalf of the consignor. The BOL will be acting as a receipt and the shipping label for any LTL freight shipments. This also carries all the information about what you are shipping and where its destination is and where it has originated. The shipper generally fills it out and generates it online. It is then handed over to the freight shipper. 

Cargo control document or manifest

The Cargo Control Document (CCD) lists almost everything including:

  • Shipping address
  • Delivery address
  • Custom’s clearance locations
  • Broker’s transaction numbers
  • Weight of the shipment

One copy of the CCD is always used as a medium to report your shipment to the CBSA. The other copy will be sent after the arrival of the imported goods are confirmed.

Electronic Export Information (EEI)

The EEI has replaced the US Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED) where it was a standard government form that was required for all exports of commodities priced above $2500 USD.

To make sure you are not held back, get all your documents prepared with the help of Clearit Customs Canada.