When goods are shipped to TRIUMF from a country other than Canada a commercial invoice is required. The following is a list of instructions on how to write a commercial invoice.
If your institution does not have a standard form invoice you can write one up on your institution’s letterhead.
- On letterhead from your institution, title your letter Commercial Invoice.
- Write your institution’s Canadian import business number (BN) on the letter. If you do not know your institution's BN check the data base on TRIUMF’s shipping and receiving website. If you do not see a BN listed for your institution, you will have to complete the application for a BN. You will find an application for a BN on the website. If you submit an application for a BN you don’t need to write a BN on your commercial invoice. We will write the BN on your invoice when your BN has been issued and we will also add it to our database for future reference.
- Create a list of the goods you plan to ship to TRIUMF showing the quantity of each item, the country of origin for that item, and the dollar value of the goods. Country of origin is the country where the goods were made. For example if you ship a Sony Television purchased in the U.S. from the United States to Canada the country of origin is Japan.
- Tally up the value of all the goods in your list and write the total dollar value at the bottom of your list. State which currency you are using, for example state the value shown is in Canadian dollars, US dollars, Euros, or which ever currency is most convenient for you.
- Make a brief statement as to why the goods are being sent to TRIUMF. For example, to be used in an experiment and will subsequently be returned to the originating institution on a particular date.
- In bold print write the following statement, "Canadian customs clearance to be done by Thompson, Ahern & Co. Limited"
- Sign your letter.
- Send us a copy of your commercial invoice and attach 3 copies to your shipping documents when you ship the goods.