You\u2019ve checked\u2026 and checked\u2026 and checked\u2026 and your shipment is still <\/i>at customs. No one seems to be able to tell you why, and without your stock you\u2019re losing money. You did everything right \u2014 as far as you know \u2014 but your shipment just is not clearing. Why?<\/p>\n
Customs delays can feel inevitable, and depending on when you\u2019re importing, they might be. \u00a0Some factors will always be out of your control, like high mail volume or audit priority targets. Luckily, there are steps you can take to ensure your shipments clear as quick as possible.<\/p>\n
No one likes long delays. They\u2019re especially frustrating when you\u2019re working on a tight deadline and need your goods right away.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re importing during a period of high-volume activity, you\u2019re going to run into delays \u2014 they\u2019re inevitable! Importing for the holiday season in December will run you the longest delays<\/a> as presents and packages flood customs.<\/p>\n Slowdowns can happen even when customs isn\u2019t overloaded with shipments. Import restrictions<\/a> may be slowing down your clearance so it\u2019s best to check on those before you do any importing. If your imported shipment contains non-mailable matter<\/a>, your shipment won\u2019t just be delayed, it\u2019ll be destroyed. Non-mailable matter includes:<\/p>\n Audits, even if you\u2019re not the one being targeted, can also lead to delays. To get a good picture of import activity and legality, the Canadian Border Services Agency picks imports that it wants to survey for compliance at set points through the year. If you\u2019re importing an item they\u2019ve decided to survey, you\u2019re going to run into a delay that isn\u2019t your fault. There is no getting around these unless you make sure you keep up with the verification priorities<\/a> list and avoid any import under inspection.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, once the shipment is at customs, there is nothing you can do. Not even a customs broker<\/a> can get them to speed it up once they\u2019ve accepted the shipment for processing. There is no legal way to speed up your clearance if it\u2019s being held.<\/p>\n While you can\u2019t speed up clearance once customs has your shipment, you can make sure the clearance process is as smooth as possible with a little prep.<\/p>\n The number one way you can avoid long delays at customs is paperwork<\/i>. Double and triple check all <\/i>of your paperwork every time you import. We recommend contacting a customs broker like Clearit for advice.<\/p>\n\n
How Can I Avoid Long Delays?<\/h2>\n