subject: Paperwork For Shipping From Canada To The United States [print this page] Whenever you're shipping anything internationally, there is going to be paperwork that you have to make sure is shipped with your packages. In most cases, courier services are going to be very diligent about making sure that you include everything that you need with your shipment every time you ship across a border. It is useful though to familiarize yourself roughly with the types of paperwork you are going to need for these types of shipments. That way you will be able to tell if your courier company is doing everything that they have to in order to ensure that you have smooth international shipping.
There are some documents which aren't going to be required for all shipments, but these are the types of things which it is most important to make sure are completely organized before you ship. These include the various permits and licenses which might apply when you're shipping certain types of goods. When you're paying a courier to transport goods which are subject to the laws of international trade agreements, you are going to have to make sure that you have documents showing that you are shipping under those agreements to go with the shipments. Your courier should be responsible for this, but it is important that you make sure that they are including everything with their courier while shipping.
Another important thing to not forget is the most basic documentation which is going to need to go with your shipment. The basic documentation which has to go with any type of international shipment is the invoice and the BOL. The invoice shows what you are shipping, and how much your customer paid for the shipment. The BOL is going to show where the goods are coming from and going to, as well as how much was paid for the shipping.
If you're shipping something internationally which you are very concerned about, sometimes it is wise to include duplicate documentation inside the package itself. That way, if anything gets lost or there is any confusion, the people that work at customs will still be able to verify the legality of the shipment. Many shipments are inspected and opened when crossing international borders anyway, even when just going from Canada to the US. On top of just including the documents in the package, if you have copies at your office as well, you can always get them to the customs agents if there are any problems at the border.
by: Chris Ellis
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