If you’re reading this, you probably live and breathe paperwork, happily or unhappily. Importing and Exporting is a “cross the Ts, dot the Is” kind of business, and we’re in the business of making your business humming, streamlined and in compliance with both Canadian and American border services agencies.
Our BorderBuddy experts compiled this outline with the tips and questions they most frequently get – and if we’re missing anything, please let us know!
One form that you may have encountered, particularly if your organization is in the business of trade shows, is the E29B form. The E29B form or Temporary Import Bond/Temporary Admission Permit is frequently held by importers needing to retain goods in Canada temporarily, and under specific circumstances. This form allows brands to showcase their goods at multiple trade shows while minimizing the cost when goods are returned across the border.
If the request type qualifies, and certain conditions are met and if the goods are eligible for full or partial tax and duty relief, a refundable deposit is put down to hold that relief/refund.
There are many restrictions as to what items qualify, and how much GST/HST refunding is owed. Our team knows these inside and out and will work with you to iron out any details. Many of our customers would prefer to brief our brokers on their specific needs and wants, and our brokers work to deliver a set of solutions that makes it turnkey for our clients.
Here are some key considerations to keep in mind for E29B/Temporary Admission Permit use cases:
- An E29B is valid for a specified time-frame (18 months subject to extension approval from the CBSA). It is dependent on the provisions within the varying Regulations.
- Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the permit may constitute an offense under the Customs Act, thereby rendering the goods liable to seizure and forfeiture.
- The goods imported must be presented to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for identification at the time of re-exportation, and the permit copies must be provided for acquittal (closure)
- Goods must return in the same condition as exported, without having been increased in value or improved in condition by a manufacturing process or other means.
- Failure to comply with these terms and conditions may result in the forfeiture of the deposit.
- Goods must return in the same condition as exported, without having been increased in value or improved in condition by a manufacturing process or other means.
- If you can’t export the goods within the specified time period, or have any questions, contact the nearest CBSA office BEFORE the expiry date on this permit. You can also give us a call – TOLL FREE (866) 926-0674, our BorderBuddy agents know the intricacies of this process in and out, so don’t waste time if you’re in a time crunch or feeling panicked!
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- E29Bs are controlled items while in Canada, disposal or sale of products is prohibited without Customs’ authorization. They must be re-exported under CBSA supervision on or before the expiry date of the permit. On re-exportation, both goods and permits must be presented for identification and comparison.
Failure to surrender this temporary admission permit upon leaving Canada and providing BorderBuddy with a stamped copy will forfeit your deposit. No one wants that!
How much does it cost to start an E29B?
- To open an E29B is $350.00
- This involves getting all the documentation prepared, classification of your goods, obtaining origin declarations if needed, tallying up the duties and/or taxes, and ultimately finalizing the documentation so you don’t have any headaches at the time of crossing!
- To close an E29B is $150.00
- This involves ensuring the permit has been closed with CBSA in the appropriate manner.
Plan ahead – when you can.
It’s in your best interest to provide BorderBuddy with a minimum of 2 business days lead time so we can comprehensively work on your request, given the processing time that is required.
In a pinch, we can work with rush shipments, but it could be subject to a $150.000 rush fee for processing.
- Lineage Fee: First 10 lines are included, anything over that amount is $2.00 per line.
- BorderBuddy will require a deposit which is equal to any duties and/or taxes that would be owing on the products; Which is fully refundable upon closure of the E29B (that is, when all goods are re-exported back out of Canada, and a copy of the stamped permit is provided to us indicating that this has occurred.)
Still want to proceed? Here’s what we need:
- Provide BorderBuddy with an invoice (or letter) for customs’ purposes indicating:
- When are the goods due to cross the border, and where?
- Expected time items are remaining in Canada
- Products’ use in Canada
- Examples: Trade Shows, Competitions, Concerts, etc.
- When you want to bring goods into Canada for a trade show or exhibition, the event must be recognized by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). You must also be a registered exhibitor for the event. This proof usually comes in the form of a letter of recognition, which you may have to provide to CBSA to import your exhibition items. Contact the event organizer (as ahead of time as possible!) for a letter of recognition, which will help facilitate the smooth movement of your goods through customs.
- Description of the products being imported;
- Serial/ID numbers of each item (if applicable, i.e. electronics)
- Value per item
- Including currency
- Quantity per item
- NMB, KGM, LBS, etc.
- Country of Origin per item
- This is the original place of manufacture
- Delivery destination address in Canada along with contact information
- This will be the location where the goods are destined within Canada
- Examples may include: Arenas, stadiums, offices, etc.
- Departure address along with contact information
- This will be the location where the goods are leaving from
- Packing lists, Bills of Lading, etc.
- Are your goods crossing with a commercial carrier? If so, we need a copy of that carrier’s documentation.
NOTE: There are some different requirements based on the ultimate ‘use’ in Canada. Our team will advise promptly if any additional information is required! When in doubt, give us a call! Our BorderBuddy agents are ready and excited to help you.