Is it necessary to take pictures of the properties we are going to take with us to CANADA as IMMIGRANTS?

Question

DO WE HAVE TO TAKE PICTURES OF PROPERTIES SUCH AS JEWELRY AND FURNITURE AND TAKE THE PICS WITH US WHEN WE LAND (FOR THE PR CARD) AND SHOW THEM TO THE CUSTOMES AND TELL THEM THESE ARE THE GOODS WE'D BE BRINGING TO CANADA IN 1 YEAR???

IS IT TRUE? IS IT NOT?

I'M SO CONFUSED:( HELP

Answer 1

Yes. You do need to bring a list and possibly photos of any personal effects that you may think would be brought to Canada. Here are two reasons why:

REASON 1: Insurance Purposes

When you come to Canada, you are depending on a cargo ship to send your belongings to the new address. I believe from a previous posting I saw, you are coming from Iran? It is not uncommon to have things that somehow get damaged or "lost" during shipping, either because of poor packing, or because someone opened the container and stole items of value. You take pictures to show proof of what you put in storage and were bringing with you so if something happens to it, you can review the loss with the shipping company or with your insurance company.

REASON 2: Items Prohibited in Canada

Some furniture and jewelry may be illegal to bring into Canada due to a ban on those products. For example, your grandmother's piano may be a personal possession and very dear to you, but if it has real ivory keys, that may not be allowed into Canada because of the illegal killing of elephants for the ivory they produce. Likewise, jewelry with what is considered "blood diamonds" (mined in African countries that use slave labor or have poor human rights conditions) may be restricted in Canada.

It is a good idea to look around at what you are bringing to Canada and compare it or what it is made of with items that are listed on our banned products list. Odds are if it used products from an endangered species, or somehow made it on the restricted items list, you don't want it arriving in Canada and then you have it confiscated, or have to pay to have it shipped back to Iran.

You would do best to read the attached PDF publication from Canada Border Services Agency. Look at the section about "Before Leaving for Canada". They will have you fill out what is called a "B4" form.