This article explains in detail how to prepare documents, pack and declare seeds sent from Vietnam to Canada for gardening.

Which seeds can be sent to Canada?

Not every type of seed is allowed into Canada. CBSA and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) group seeds by the risk that they carry pests or become invasive:

• Lower-risk seeds: Common flowers such as marigolds and sunflowers, and popular leafy vegetables (water spinach, choy sum, lettuce). These usually clear customs easily if their origin is clear.
• Restricted or prohibited seeds: Seeds of woody fruit trees, citrus seeds and plants that could harm Canadian agriculture.

To be sure whether your seeds can be imported, check CFIA’s Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) or contact your carrier before you buy.

How to get a phytosanitary certificate in Vietnam

This is the most important document in whether your seeds clear customs in Canada. Without a phytosanitary certificate, Canadian customs will confiscate the parcel immediately.

Step 1: Prepare a seed sample

Prepare a sample of the seeds in the manufacturer’s original labelled packaging. The label must show the scientific name in Latin (both genus and species, for example Tagetes patula for French marigold).

Step 2: Submit an application to the Plant Quarantine Sub-Department

Take the sample to your nearest regional Plant Quarantine Sub-Department (for example, in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi). The application includes:

• A plant quarantine registration form (official template).
• The seed sample for inspection.
• A copy of the sender’s ID.

Step 3: Receive the result

The quarantine authority runs laboratory tests to check whether the seeds carry fungi, bacteria or harmful insect eggs. If they pass, you will receive an original Phytosanitary Certificate to send with the parcel.

How to pack seeds to export standards

Seeds are very sensitive to humidity and temperature during air transport. To keep them from going mouldy and make customs inspection easy, pack them as follows:

• Keep the commercial packaging: Never repack seeds in unlabelled, self-sealed plastic bags. Keep them in the manufacturer’s original packaging with the brand, expiry date, sowing instructions and especially the Latin scientific name clearly printed.
• Use moisture-proof bags: Put the seed packets in a sealed zip bag, with a small desiccant pack if possible, to protect them from condensation caused by temperature changes in flight.
• Pack in a sturdy carton: Place the bags in a small carton. Soleil Transportation’s air shipping service to Canada includes basic packing in a carton so the goods aren’t crushed during the flight.

Customs declarations and common mistakes

When filling in the shipping invoice, transparency is decisive.

• Name the goods clearly: Don’t just write “gift” or “personal effects”. Write, for example, “Flower seeds for planting (Tagetes patula)” or “Vegetable seeds (herbs)”.
• Attach the documents: The original Phytosanitary Certificate must be attached to the outside of the box, next to the shipping label, so customs officers can easily check it without tearing the box open.

Ship to Canada safely with Soleil Transportation

If you are looking for a way to send seeds, gifts or household items to family in Canada, Soleil Transportation is always ready to help:

• Fast air transport: Average transit time from Vietnam to Canada is 7–12 business days (7–14 days depending on the location).
• Great rates: Door-to-door air shipping to Canada is very competitive, from just $16/kg. For small, light gifts and personal items, you can choose ePacket from just $8.50 CAD per parcel.
• Dedicated support: We help you classify your goods, check the prohibited import lists and prepare the necessary documents to minimise the risk of holds at the border.

Before buying seeds to send to Canada for planting, put together a list of the seed varieties (with English or scientific names if possible). Contact Soleil Transportation on +1 888-998-5199 or at info@soleiltransportation.com and our team will check whether they can be shipped and advise you on the best option.

1. Choose dried shrimp that meets export standards for Canada

Not all dried shrimp clears customs easily. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) controls imported seafood very closely.

• Dryness: The shrimp must be thoroughly dried by machine or in the sun. Damp shrimp easily goes mouldy during the 7–14 day air journey and is likely to be refused by customs for hygiene reasons.
• Clear origin: Choose shrimp with clear labels, expiry dates and ingredients where possible. If it is homemade or bought at a traditional market, make sure it is clean, with no impurities or insects.

2. How to pack against mould and odour

This is the most important step in deciding whether your parcel will be accepted for the flight. Canadian customs is very sensitive to the smell of fresh or dried food.

• Double vacuum-seal: Split the dried shrimp into bags of 500 g to 1 kg and vacuum-seal them tightly. Add a second plastic bag outside in case the inner bag leaks because of pressure changes in flight.
• Use desiccant packs: Put a food-grade desiccant pack inside each bag before heat-sealing. This keeps the shrimp dry so it doesn’t “sweat” and go mouldy.
• Sturdy box: After vacuum-sealing, pack the bags neatly in a strong carton. At Soleil Transportation, basic packing in a carton is included in the service, saving you preparation costs.

3. Declare the HS code and complete CBSA customs procedures

When shipping dried shrimp to Canada, accurate goods information on the waybill is mandatory so the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) can check it.

• Product name: Write it in English or French on the label, for example “Dried Shrimp” or “Dried Baby Shrimp”. Don’t write a vague “Food” or “Gift”, as the parcel will be held for manual inspection.
• Duties: With our two-way Vietnam–Canada service, the rate from $16/kg includes all import duties, so the recipient in Canada doesn’t have to worry about extra charges on door delivery.

4. Choose the right shipping service

Depending on the weight and your needs, you can choose:

• Dedicated air service: Ideal for mixed food parcels, from $16/kg, with an average transit time of 7–12 business days.
• ePacket: If you are only sending a small pack of dried shrimp with a few personal gifts under 2 kg, ePacket from just $8.50 CAD per parcel is a very economical and convenient choice.

5. Track your order and receive it in Canada

After shipping, you’ll receive a tracking number to check online. You can follow your dried shrimp from the warehouse in Vietnam to delivery in any Canadian province, with automatic updates by email or Zalo.

Before shipping, contact Soleil Transportation on +1 888-998-5199 or at info@soleiltransportation.com so our staff can check that your dried shrimp is packed to standard and your shipment goes as smoothly as possible.

To get your herbs and medicinal leaves through the border, preparation and packing must strictly follow hygiene and biosecurity standards. Here is a practical 5-step process to minimise this risk.

Step 1: Select and clean the raw materials

Canadian customs is very strict about insects, mould, soil and pathogens on plants. Even a little soil on a root is enough to have the whole parcel destroyed immediately.

• Remove impurities: All dried leaves, roots and stems used as herbal medicine must be completely free of soil and sand. Don’t send tubers or roots that haven’t been properly cleaned.
• Dry thoroughly: Herbs must be dried until crisp, with no remaining moisture. Moisture inside plastic bags condenses on a long journey and lets mould grow. If customs opens a bag and finds mould, it will be destroyed on the spot.
• Check for pests: Make sure leaves and seeds haven’t been eaten by insects or weevils.

Step 2: Vacuum-seal in small portions

Putting all the medicine in one large sack is the most common mistake that gets parcels held.

• Split into small bags: Divide the herbal medicine into individual doses or small packs (about 100 g to 500 g). This is convenient for the user and lets customs check the contents visually without tearing open a large bag.
• Vacuum-seal: Use thick, purpose-made bags and vacuum-seal them tightly. Removing the oxygen stops mould growing during the 7–14 day air journey to Canada. It also saves a lot of space in the box.

Step 3: Label clearly in English or French

Canadian customs can’t guess what a bag of brown powder or a handful of dried leaves contains. Without a label, they will assume it is a prohibited substance or a harmful plant.

• Product name: On each small vacuum-sealed pack, add a label with the product name in English or French (for example, Dried Herbal Tea, Dried Cleistocalyx operculatus leaves, Dried Polyscias fruticosa root). Include the plant’s scientific name if possible.
• Ingredients: State that it is 100% natural, with no preservatives or harmful chemicals.
• Origin: Write “Product of Vietnam”.

Step 4: Pack in a standard carton

Once each small pack is sealed, arrange them neatly in a strong carton.

• Pack in order: Put heavy packs and hard roots at the bottom and crumbly leaves on top.
• Fill the gaps: Use bubble wrap or kraft paper to fill all gaps so the packs can’t move, knock together and tear the vacuum bags in transit.
• Tape: Seal every edge of the box with wide tape to keep outside moisture out.

Step 5: Declare accurately to customs

When sending herbal medicine to Canada, an honest and accurate declaration on the waybill decides whether your goods clear customs.

• Declare in detail: Don’t write a vague “medicine”, “gift” or “dried goods”. Write “Dried herbal medicine for personal use”.
• Don’t hide anything: Never hide herbs among clothing or other personal items to avoid inspection. Customs scanners will detect them, and deliberate concealment will get your entire shipment confiscated and may even lead to a fine.

Ship to Canada safely with Soleil Transportation

Posting dried leaves and herbal medicine yourself carries many risks if you don’t fully understand Canada’s plant import rules. At Soleil Transportation, we help customers check that labels are compliant and advise on the best way to pack before the flight.

• Fast transit: Air shipping from Vietnam to Canada takes just 7–14 days (7–12 business days on average), so herbs keep their medicinal properties and don’t go mouldy from long storage.
• Great rates: Shipping from Vietnam to Canada starts at just $16/kg, including import duties and basic packing in a carton.
• Easy tracking: Track your parcel online with your order number or receive automatic updates by email, SMS or Zalo.

Before packing herbal medicine for Canada, contact the Soleil Transportation team on +1 888-998-5199 or email your list of herbs to info@soleiltransportation.com. We will check them carefully against the list of permitted imports so your shipment goes as smoothly as possible.

This article shows you how to prepare, pack and declare cleaned bird’s nest so your shipment goes smoothly.

Canada’s rules on importing bird’s nest for personal use

To bring or send bird’s nest into Canada as a personal gift, the product must meet strict disease-safety standards:

• Only fully cleaned bird’s nest is accepted: The nest must be cleaned of feathers, dirt and organic matter. Raw nests with feathers are strictly prohibited because of the risk of carrying avian influenza.
• Commercially packaged with clear labels: Bird’s nest should be in the packaging of a reputable producer, with the brand, expiry date and ingredients clearly stated in English or French. This makes it easy for customs officers to verify its origin.
• Non-commercial purpose: The parcel must clearly be a personal gift, in a modest quantity, not for resale.

How to pack bird’s nest so it doesn’t break in air transit

Bird’s nest is very brittle and can crumble under pressure during loading and air transport. To keep each nest whole, pack it as follows:

Step 1: Protect each nest

Place each nest in a moulded plastic tray or wrap it in a thin layer of food-grade PE cling film. This stops the nests knocking against each other and chipping.

Step 2: Use a foam box or rigid plastic box

Put the wrapped nests inside a purpose-made plastic box or a small foam box. Fill the gaps with medical cotton wool or packing peanuts so the nests can’t move when the box is shaken.

Step 3: Pack in an outer carton

Put the plastic boxes inside a sturdy carton. Soleil Transportation’s shipping service to Canada includes basic packing in a standard carton for maximum protection.

How to declare it accurately so it isn’t held

The declaration is the most important step in getting your parcel cleared. Even a small mistake in describing the goods can make customs suspicious and hold the parcel for inspection.

• Describe it in detail and honestly: On the customs declaration, don’t write a vague “food” or “gift”. Write in English: “Cleaned Edible Bird’s Nest (For personal consumption/Gift)”.
• Declare the real value: Don’t declare a value far below what the bird’s nest is really worth, because Canadian customs checks values very closely. A false value can lead to administrative fines for fraud.

Send bird’s nest safely to Canada with Soleil Transportation

If you are still worried about complicated paperwork or your goods being lost or damaged, let Soleil Transportation help. We offer fast, professional two-way Vietnam–Canada air shipping.

• Great rates: Air shipping from Vietnam to Canada with door delivery from just $16/kg. For small gift parcels, you can choose ePacket from just $8.50 CAD per parcel.
• Fast transit: Just 7–14 days from Vietnam to the recipient in Canada (7–12 business days on average, depending on the location).
• Import duties included: Soleil Transportation’s Vietnam–Canada service includes import duties, so the recipient in Canada doesn’t need to worry about extra charges on delivery.
• Easy tracking: Track your order online anytime with your order or booking number. The system sends automatic status updates by email, SMS or Zalo for complete peace of mind.

Before packing bird’s nest to send, contact us on +1 888-998-5199 or email info@soleiltransportation.com. The Soleil Transportation team at our Mississauga office (2446 Cawthra Road, B1U8, Mississauga, Ontario, L5A 3K6) is always ready to advise you on packing and to check whether your shipment meets Canada’s latest customs requirements.