The B4 Form

[Cvstos]

I'm beginning to fill out the B4/B4A forms as I fill up boxes. I was wondering, do I have to list each and every item, or can I list things as, say

-Assorted PC Games
-Assorted Books
-Socks

etc

So far I've been listing every item, but this... could get tedious. I tend to assume the worst about what the government wants one to prove. But, if people have experience listing categories of smaller, less expensive items and being okay, that would make things much easier.

I still need to confirm where I'll be picking up stuff and where I need to "present myself" to customs. No one from UPS/FedEx has been able to confirm that. The process is disturbingly opaque (but then, that's been par for course). I don't even know what forms to fill out to include with the boxes. I tried calling CBSA about it but they put me on hold for 12 min and then hung up. I sent an email, but no response yet. So I'm still not completely sure of what I'm doing, but in any of my backup plans as well as this one, stuff needs boxing up, so here I am.

Any advice?

-Cvstos

 

[Eowyn]

I have no idea whether or not this is right, but we are filling in the B4s in general terms.

Assorted books
kitchen items (pots, pans, cutlery etc)
clothing
shoes
assorted DVDs.
And so on.

We are also including a very extensive list of each item packed into each of the boxes we are shipping. It's the inventory list we are required to provide to the moving company. I figure if our B4s are too vague, they can refer the inventory list which is painfully OCD.

 

[Cvstos]

t's the inventory list we are required to provide to the moving company. I figure if our B4s are too vague, they can refer the inventory list which is painfully OCD.

This is something I didn't consider. I might have to make a detailed list for the UPS/FedEx people. If that's the case, I suppose if I make the B4 Forms detailed, I can find a way to copy-paste over to theirs. Thanks!

 

[Mariac819]

Did you land already? Any trouble with your B4? I also want to list just like you mentioned. 1 box of DVDs, 2 boxes of books, 2 boxes of clothes. etc... I'd hate to have to list every single DVD and book i own lol.

How about personal care and hygiene products? Did you list everything individually?

 

[rhcohen2014]

Did you land already? Any trouble with your B4? I also want to list just like you mentioned. 1 box of DVDs, 2 boxes of books, 2 boxes of clothes. etc... I'd hate to have to list every single DVD and book i own lol.

How about personal care and hygiene products? Did you list everything individually?

no, you don't have to list everything separately. general terms is fine. the officer is not going to go searching through every box. they will simply look at the list, ask you if everything on the list is everything you have with you, and give you a receipt. make sure to add the total up before you get there.

 

[Mariac819]

no, you don't have to list everything separately. general terms is fine. the officer is not going to go searching through every box. they will simply look at the list, ask you if everything on the list is everything you have with you, and give you a receipt. make sure to add the total up before you get there.

Did you estimate totals for everything? I packed my personal care and hygiene box, my dvds, and my books and didn't look to see what theywould cost... :-\

 

[rhcohen2014]

Did you estimate totals for everything? I packed my personal care and hygiene box, my dvds, and my books and didn't look to see what theywould cost... :-\

yes, everything was estimated. for personal papers and such i put the monetary value as $0. for everything else, i just estimated how much the whole lot was worth. the values were not questioned at all. as long as you don't claim a box of personal care items as $1000, i'm sure you'll be ok.

 

[Mariac819]

yes, everything was estimated. for personal papers and such i put the monetary value as $0. for everything else, i just estimated how much the whole lot was worth. the values were not questioned at all. as long as you don't claim a box of personal care items as $1000, i'm sure you'll be ok.

Lol $400 toothpaste!

Thanks for your help