Including GREAT BRITAIN, NORTHERN IRELAND, ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES, CHANNEL ISLANDS;
SERVICE
RATE CODE
MAX. WEIGHT (KG)
OVERSIZE AVAILABILITY
MAX. COVERAGE
Priority™ Worldwide
(Delivery Standards)
03
30
NO
$1000
Xpresspost™ – International
102
30
YES
$1000
International Parcel™ (Surface)
402
30
YES
$1000
Tracked Packet - International
02
2
NO
$100
Small Packet™ (Air)
02
2
NO
N/A
Small Packet™ (Surface)
02
2
NO
N/A
CUSTOMS DECLARATION LANGUAGE
English, French
SERVICE
AVAILABILITY
Registered Mail™
VALUABLES ACCEPTED
Letter-post™
YES
YES
YES
SERVICE
AVAILABILITY
FEE CODE
CURRENCY
Money Orders™
NO
Maximum Coverage = Maximum Declared Value for Carriage for the Priority™ Worldwide service.
Import Restrictions
Sender should determine import restrictions from the country's authorities before posting:
animals and animal products
bees, leeches, silkworms, parasites and destroyers
certain carcinogenic substances
chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's)
cordless telephones (operating on frequencies greater than 853 Mhz)
chemicals
cultural objects
dairy, eggs and agricultural products
foodstuffs, including fish, shellfish, honey, eggs and certain types of fruit and vegetables
foreign prison made goods
genetically modified rice and rice products
guar gum from India
hops
meat and meat products
ozone depleting substances
pharmaceutical products
plant pests; bacteria, fungi, virus and cultures deemed destructive to agriculture and plants
plants and plant products
precious metals and coins
products subject to 'Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITIES)
protein (animal processed)
rabies susceptible animals
rabies virus
radio transmitters
sealskins
semen (animal only)
soil (peat)
spirits
used agricultural machinery
ukrainian sunflower oil
vegetables and fruit
weapons
whale products
wood; still having bark (unprocessed); timber.
Meat, meat products, milk and milk products must be accompanied by a veterinary certificate from the country of origin and must be for commercial consumption only.
Imported Goods
Articles up to 15 GBP(£) value, except alcohol and tobacco products, are admitted free of duty and taxes.
shipments under 15 GBP can enter duty and Tax (VAT) free.
shipments over 15 GBP but under 135 GBP are liable for VAT but can enter duty free
shipments over 135 GBP will attract VAT and possible duty, over 2,000 GBP require a commercial invoice and a formal declaration to Customs
further information on importing process can be found at: http://online.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/sitemap?r.l1=1079717544&r.lc=en&topicId=1079717544
Gifts
Articles consigned as "Unsolicited gifts" are acceptable and will be allowed entry free of any duty or VAT providing the shipment is valued at less than 34 GBP(£), consigned to an individual, and are individually wrapped. Multiple gifts can be consigned in one shipment so long as the individual parcels enclosed are individually tagged with the recipient's name, are individually wrapped and the value does not exceed the per person limit of 34 GBP. Shipments consigned to companies as gifts for an individual may be denied entry as gifts and will be subject to full duty and VAT. Generally, most articles can be consigned as gifts, except those articles noted prohibited or restricted for import (see General Import Prohibitions and Restrictions). Exceptions to note, limited to only one of the following articles per gift:
Cigarettes (50 cigarettes total)
Perfume (50 grams net weight)
Toilet Water (.25 litre)
Liquor Spirits, Wine (1 litre total)
Cigars (10 cigars or 50 gms of smoking Tobacco, not of Cuban origin)
Gifts over 34 GBP but under 135 GBP could attract VAT, but not duty. Gifts 135 GBP and over, VAT, duty and/or excise duty may apply depending on the commodity.
The gift shipment should be tendered with the following documents and statements:
airway bill or Bill of lading
commercial Invoice
the description provided on both the airway bill or bill of lading and commercial invoice should specify the description of the actual goods enclosed and be followed with this statement or similar "Unsolicited gifts not for resale or other purpose". Descriptions such as "Gift" or "Unsolicited Gifts" should be avoided.
Prohibited Items
In addition to items considered non-mailable matte, the following is a listing of commodities prohibited and/or in some instances (*) restricted for entry into the United Kingdom:
asbestos
animal pathogens
bullion or banknotes
cat and dog fur products
counterfeit items, including dies and plates for manufacture
clothes and rags, soiled
counterfeit or pirated goods
cremated remains
flick knives and gravity knives
goods bearing false origin statements
goods infringing a copyright
goods infringing a trade mark
honey* (may depend upon certification and country of origin)
hops & Hops Products* (Certificate of Attestation required)
hooded baby seal products
horror comics
investigational Drugs
indecent or obscene materials
Kimberely Process Diamonds
lithium batteries (when not sent connected to a device such as a mobile phone or digital camera)
live animals
lottery tickets and advertising
meat and milk based products in items intended for personal use
mineral products
offensive Weapons; belt buckle knives, death stars, throwing stars, and martial arts equipment, Pepper and similar sprays
plastic kitchenware originating from Hong Kong or China
prison-made goods
rice* (of US Origin-Certificate of Conformity required)
radio transmitters which are capable of transmitting on frequencies between 26.1 and 29.7 megacycles per second and 88 to 108 Mhz per second
soil
soiled textiles
straw
video senders; equipment capable of transmitting video images
videos, sound recordings and printed matter, indecent.
In addition, registered items containing valuables such as jewellery, precious metals, precious or semi-precious stones, securities, coins or any form of negotiable financial instrument are not acceptable.
Documentation Required
Information regarding Customs can be found in "Customs Requirements" of the Canada Postal Guide.
Articles mailed to Great Britain exceeding £2,000 in value require an invoice.
Consular Invoices - None
Certificates of Origin - Certificates of Origin are required for the importation of any Textile products. Exceptions include mutilated samples, luggage made up of textile materials, Canvas bags, Gifts, .
Commercial Invoices - Invoices are required for all shipments with a value exceeding 15 pounds Sterling. Invoices should show freight, insurance and similar charges as separate items when applicable, regardless of the INCOTERM used on the transaction.
Dangerous Goods Certification - Some goods will in addition to the standard documentation noted above, may require DG certification. IE: perfumes, liquor, chemicals, etc.
C3 - This form applies to the importation of qualifying in order that tax relief may be claimed. It is used in the following circumstances:
foreign students engaged in a study program in the United Kingdom
moving for the purpose of marriage to the United Kingdom
private individuals moving home to the United Kingdom.
C2 - This form applies to the importation of qualifying in order that tax relief may be claimed. It is used in the following circumstances:
foreign military personal temporarily moving home to the United Kingdom on assignment.
Valuation Declaration and General Valuation Statement (GVS)
Required for import on any taxable shipment where the customs value exceeds 6,500 Pounds Sterling. There are three different valuation declarations. The first is form C105A which is to be used by an Importer that is unrelated to the Seller and for which the transaction value qualifies to be used for duty purposes. The second is the form C105B which is used for transactions between related parties as well as where the declared value does not qualify as the value to be used for duty purposes. The third form C109 which is a general valuation statement and can be used to provide valuation information that is lodged with customs avoiding the need to have to complete either 105A or B for each importation. Individual C109 forms are required from the importer for each supplier they have and are useful to importers of large quantities.
All documents presented for use in customs clearance processing should be prepared in English, to avoid delays and expedite clearance processing. CN22 and CN23 customs declarations for shipments destined to the U.K. should be fully and accurately completed in English or French and be firmly attached to the outside of items. The sender should sign and date the customs declaration. When using a CN 22 customs declaration, the sender's full name and address must be clearly written on the front of the item.