Separate accompanying goods from later goods
Use the current CBSA moving-or-returning guidance for your situation. Prepare separate lists for items with you and items shipped later. The arrival procedure is important even when the moving truck is not travelling with you; see the customs guide before your first entry.
Keep the paperwork outside the shipment
Save the documents provided at entry and give the transport contact the agreed copies through a secure channel. Do not pack the only copy in a carton. Ask what identifiers and release documents will be needed when your belongings arrive.
Prepare Canadian receiving access
A Montreal walk-up needs stair and loading details; a Toronto or Vancouver condo needs the actual receiving window. If your first Canadian address is temporary, resolve storage and final delivery scope before dispatch. Keep enough essentials for the agreed interval.
Distinguish settling in Canada from returning
Tell the customs contact whether you are moving to Canada for the first time, returning after living abroad or shipping belongings under another arrangement. Use the CBSA guidance for that situation. Do not assume someone else’s eligibility or paperwork applies because both shipments contain household goods. Confirm how your own arrival relates to the goods’ arrival and what you must present before the carrier begins the transport process.
Keep accompanying and later shipments organised
If your belongings arrive in more than one shipment, describe that plan when checking the official requirements. Maintain an inventory that distinguishes what you carry personally from what the mover transports. Keep records supplied or validated by the authority securely with your moving file. When the shipment changes, ask how the records should be updated rather than assuming an old list covers newly added purchases or a second consignment.
Prepare arrival and later belongings
Explain which goods arrive with you and which follow, then verify the applicable CBSA process.
Prepare Canadian delivery while the file is reviewed
Customs preparation and destination access can proceed together. Obtain the Canadian building rules, elevator reservation, loading instructions and receiving contact while your documents are being reviewed. If you do not yet have possession, agree storage or another delivery arrangement in advance. Keep essential clothing and documents with you. A complete customs file does not reserve the condo elevator or provide keys at the final address.
Keep goods to follow connected to the actual shipment
If some belongings arrive after you, prepare the goods-to-follow information before your entry using current CBSA guidance. The later truck inventory should remain understandable beside the list prepared for the border process. Keep the documents issued to you where they can be retrieved for the shipment; do not pack them inside the goods being imported. Record which items accompany you and which travel separately, then update the transport coordinator if the shipment changes. A return to Canada and a first move to Canada may have different circumstances, so ask CBSA about your actual situation. For delivery, identify the Canadian contact, possession date and property access. If you arrive before the goods, make a first-week plan that covers sleeping arrangements, essential clothing and the equipment you need for work. This reduces pressure to treat a requested delivery date as a guaranteed appointment.
USA-to-Canada arrival worksheet
Record the arrival sequence and distinguish accompanying goods from later shipments.
| Preparation item | What to record | Check before moving |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival sequence | Your arrival date, shipment timing and Canadian address. | Are personal arrival and delivery plans coordinated? |
| Accompanying goods | Items travelling with you, with descriptions and values. | Is this list clearly identified in your records? |
| Later shipments | Separate item list and proposed shipment dates. | Have you reviewed CBSA goods-to-follow guidance? |
| Canadian form reference | BSF186 and additional-list reference BSF186A. | Are you using current official forms and instructions? |
| Identification details | Consistent names, addresses and document-request checklist. | Do the shipment records match your information? |
| Regulated-item review | List vehicles, plants, food and other items for separate checks. | Which official agency answers remain outstanding? |
| Housing and access | Keys, delivery window, stairs and building reservations. | Can the Canadian destination receive the complete shipment? |
| Document retention | Inventory versions, customs records and delivery receipt folder. | Can you locate the records for a later shipment? |