Posting some vital information for those sending passports through Fedex from the US to Canada for stamping. For folk who may need assistance after receiving the RFV mail
1) Take good quality photos adhering to the template provided here:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/pr-card/apply-renew-replace/photo.html
Take a printout of this specs sheet to your photographer. Make sure to provide details on the back of one of the photos as stated in the specs sheet
2)
- Create an account on Fedex Ship Manager. Add your credit card details and make a note of your account number in case you may need it later. Go to preferences and under 'Customs Clearance Preferences' check "Always create- (drop down menu) select Commercial Invoice"
- Create two shipping labels: one from your address to the stamping office and the other from the stamping office to your address
-Fill out the commercial invoices and add a $1 value declaration with the description of goods being "Documents-A paper providing information including personal, inter-office documents" and sign it
-The commercial invoice is a vital document that is needed to avoid customs issues and stamping delays as either the stamping office will later contact you for it if you dont provide it and may add more time needed to receive your passports back. There are folks in the past that had passports stuck at the customs in the Memphis Fedex Hub as they didnt provide the commercial invoice.
-There will be two commercial invoices - one for the package going out to the office and one for the package coming back to your address.
-The commercial invoice for the package coming back from the stamping office MUST be included along with the passports, photos, signed Annex A and return envelope.
If all this seems complicated. Just go to a Fedex Office. They'll generate the shipping labels and Commercial invoice for you.
But make sure that your final package includes - your passport, photos, Annex A, signed commercial invoice (for the return shipment) and a return envelope.
I am not writing this to overwhelm folks but to clarify a few things as the RFV mail can be vague sometimes with regards to explaining the shipping procedure.
Anyway hope this may be of help to some.