International Shipping Documents

Canada Shipments - Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have questions about shipping to Canada? This document can help.   Download Document

Shipper’s Export Declaration

This document is required by the Department of Commerce for all shipments with individual items valued at $2,500 or more ($500 for Parcel Post Shipments). This form is also required if an Export License is needed or if the shipment has been consigned to a controlled destination. As of January, 1991, most exports to Canada do not require an SED.   Please note - you can file your electronic export information at no charge at AES Direct or you may download our form and we will file it on your behalf for an additional fee.

Commercial Invoice

The Commercial Invoice (Standard Version) is required for all international shipments. It is the primary document used by Customs, worldwide, for commodity control and valuation.   Download Form

Canada Customs Invoice

The Canada Customs Invoice is required for all commercial shipments to Canada, regardless of mode of transport, which are valued at over $1,200 (Canadian Funds). The invoice must contain all the information currently required by Canada Customs Regulations and can be prepared either by the importer/exporter or their agents.   Download Form

Mexico Commercial Invoice

This form has been authorized by Mexican Customs and contains all the critical information required by Article 88 of the Mexican Customs Law Regulations. This Commercial Invoice must be prepared in Spanish, or have a signed Spanish translation attached to all copies. The declaration at the bottom of the document must be signed by the Exporter.   Download Form

NAFTA Certificates of Origin

The historic North American Free Trade Agreement, in effect since January 1994, allows substantial benefits for importers and exporters in Mexico, Canada, and the United States for goods originating in the three nations. These benefits of Customs duty reduction and elimination depend upon an exporter’s declaration or the origin of the goods, called the NAFTA Certificate of Origin. This new certificate must be completed by the U.S. Exporter, and must be in the possession of the Canadian or Mexican importer at the time the declaration is made to either Revenue Canada, Customs and Excise (Canadian Customs) or the Secretaria de Hacienda y Credito Publico (Mexican Customs). The U.S. exporter is responsible for determining the eligibility of the goods for NAFTA treatment and for providing the Importer with the certificate.   Download Form

IATA Dangerous Goods Declaration

The Shipper’s Declaration of Dangerous Goods, required for all qualifying air cargo, has been revised effective January 1, 1995. It contains a change in wording and an added column in its format. A new “Packing Group,” when applicable, is now required immediately after the UN or ID number. Previously, only the Proper Shipping Name, Class of Division and the UN or ID number were mandatory. The wording in the “declaration statement” has also been amended.   Download Form

Packing Lists

Even though a Packing List is not required by the Customs law of every country, its use can be crucial to the successful completion of your exporting process. Packing Lists come in various formats, all with the same basic functions: 1) to confirm the contents of a shipment as it left the exporter’s premises, 2) to indicate weights, measures, and the “piece count” (i.e., the number of cartons or cases) in that shipment.   Download Form

Shipper’s Letter of Instruction

The Shipper’s Letter of Instruction, while not required by any Regulatory Agency, serves a very important function. Its purpose is to convey specific instructions from the exporter to his agent, usually an international freight forwarder. The SLI is used to advise the details of the inland movement to port of exit, communicate the necessary information to allow the freight forwarder to prepare the required export documentation package, including the SED, and instruct the freight forwarder on the distribution of the export documents as well as any other “standing instructions.”   Download Form