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vertebrate fossils across border


josh_2727

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I'm looking at buying some vertebrate fossils that are in the US and I am trying to decide whether I should get them shipped directly to my house in Canada, or get them shipped to my US address and drive them across the border. Because of the expensive brokerage fees and shipping costs to Canada I'm looking at other ways of getting the fossils. I've heard of experiences with invertebrates but nothing involving vertebrate fossils. Would I need any extra paperwork? I'm probably going to call the border services but was wondering if you guys had any experiences doing this before.

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small package, 4 items in total so there may be multiple packages but not large fossils and definitely not a crate

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I have two friends from Canada that stay with me for the Tucson fossil show. They fly back with items they have purchased up to their duty allowance in Canadian funds. Everything else get mailed using the US Post Office.

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thanks for the info, my situation may be different because I will have to pay duty (no allowance for under 24hrs) and its not by plane, but that info is good to know

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There is a duty on fossils? As far as I know you only pay the GST. And be sure to send via US Post and not courier (or you may you have brokerage fees).

I don't buy or sell fossils but the few times I have sent specimens across a border I just put 'Education material' as contents 'for Study purposes'. All of which is true. I don't lie and say 'no fossils' but avoid the word 'fossil'. The issue with the word 'fossil' is that the custom agents on both sides are usually clueless. They can overreact. I don't do anything that is not legal but avoid the hassle of getting specimens caught up in some limbo land until their status is affirmed and cleared.

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There is a duty on fossils? As far as I know you only pay the GST. And be sure to send via US Post and not courier (or you may you have brokerage fees).

I don't buy or sell fossils but the few times I have sent specimens across a border I just put 'Education material' as contents 'for Study purposes'. All of which is true. I don't lie and say 'no fossils' but avoid the word 'fossil'. The issue with the word 'fossil' is that the custom agents on both sides are usually clueless. They can overreact. I don't do anything that is not legal but avoid the hassle of getting specimens caught up in some limbo land until their status is affirmed and cleared.

Great point, dealing with the gov is knowing or learning what words they expect. There are key words like Canadawest states, that explain an issue for government emploies without giving them words, that to them are taken in a different light than your intrests. It is not doing anything wrong, just knowing how to word things with out going overboard.

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