The ancient land of Egypt - one of the recognised cradles of civilisation - has some of the world's best known man-made structures.
Pyramids of Giza
The Great Sphinx
Luxor
Valley of the Kings
King Tutankhamun's Tomb
Egypt's old self has transformed into a young nation - 60% of the population below the age of 30. And they are tech savvy and bursting to buy stuff with their modern smartphones.
Shipping Rates
Easily compare the best and cheapest shipping options to Egypt through a variety of carriers using Secureship
Secureship provides safe and affordable shipping from Canada to Egypt. in case you are an everyday shopper or a business,
you can easily save up to 50% on your international shipping costs by way of accessing our group buying power.
Shipments through Secureship come with full, easy to read tracking information to Egypt
Tracking #:780123123123
Tel: 1-800-463-3339
Signed By: Pikwalia @ Residence
Jun 1, 2023
8:49 am
Hurghada, HU, EG
Delivered
May 31, 2023
7:18 am
Port Said, PS, EG
In transit
May 30, 2023
9:03 pm
Ismailia, IS, EG
International Clearance
May 30, 2023
8:14 am
Cairo, CA, EG
In transit
May 30, 2023
12:17 am
Toronto, ON, CA
In transit
May 29, 2023
4:30 pm
Ottawa, ON, CA
Pickup Scan
Disclaimer!
While we have made every effort to ensure that the information on this page is accurate, Customs laws and procedures change regularly so it is
important to consult a licensed broker in Egypt before shipping any goods.
Types of Shipments
Not all types of shipments are created equal. Shipping a television will require different
paperwork, duties, and taxes than shipping an accounting statement, for example.
Here is a list of the most common types of shipments:
Personal effects may be shipped from Canada to Egypt providing:
They are of a quantity appropriate for the size of the household
Are for use only by the person or his or her family
They are not sold or released into general circulation
Personal goods and effects exempt from duties include:
Jewellery
Laptop computers
Electronic equipment
Certain goods within a shipment are restricted or will incur duties, such as:
Alcohol - duty of up to 3,000%
Tobacco and perfume
Scanners, printers, phones, and faxes require permission from Egyptian authorities
NOTE: All audio-visual items - DVDs, CD ROMs, videos, tapes - will be viewed and inspected by Customs.
Moving Temporarily
Students
There is no information at this time regarding students shipping personal effects from Canada to Egypt.
Non-Students
If you are moving temporarily to Egypt, you will be required to deposit an amount corresponding to the duties and taxes owing on your personal effects.
A letter of guarantee is required - provided only with a work permit or visa - that states the amount of duties and taxes owing.
The deposit will be returned when you leave Egypt. Items not returning to Canada will incur duties and taxes.
Moving Permanently
There is no information at this time regarding moving to Egypt and shipping personal effects from Canada.
Personal Effects Checklist
A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment
Commercial invoice must clearly state 'Personal Effects' (see sample)
A clearly written and detailed description of each item is provided, including monetary value, dated, and signed in English
Sample Commercial Invoice for Promotional Material
Ship To
Invoice
Naguib Mahfouz 10 Abbas El-Akkad st, Nasr City Cairo Governorate, 11471 Egypt
Phone: +20 2 250 61620
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Promotional Material - Not for Resale
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 29 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
1 Each
Promotional Material: Not for Resale. Product pamphlets to hand out at trade show.
CA
$163.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Promotional Material Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $163.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Repairs
Equipment sent to Egypt from Canada for maintenance and repair are exempt from duties and taxes. This includes parts shipped to Egypt to repair a piece of equipment.
NOTE:
A refundable deposit in the amount of duties and assessed taxes owing is required
Items Under Warranty
No GST will be charged for equipment and items under warranty that are repaired in Egypt and returned to Canada.
Items No Longer Under Warranty
GST will be charged if an item is sent to Egypt for repairs and is no longer under warranty. GST will be applied to the value of the repair work plus any parts added for the repair, and on any duties charged.
Sending Product for Repair to Egypt
Equipment sent to Egypt from Canada for maintenance and repair are exempt* from duties and taxes. This includes parts shipped to Egypt to repair a piece of equipment.
*A refundable deposit in the amount of duties and assessed taxes owing is required
Returning Repaired Product to Egypt
If a piece of equipment has been repaired in Canada, upon its re-entry into Egypt it will incur customs duties of 12% based on the repair costs, insurance, and freight expenses.
Repair Checklist
Commercial invoice must clearly indicate 'REPAIR & RETURN' under the General Description or Remarks, and include the estimated time of return
(see sample)
Include repair contract with shipment
Serial or product number and the cost of repairs should be indicated under the Detailed Description of Goods section
Include the original shipping documents or tracking number from when the item was first exported to Egypt or exported to Canada (depending on which case applies)
A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment
Naguib Mahfouz 10 Abbas El-Akkad st, Nasr City Cairo Governorate, 11471 Egypt
Phone: +20 2 250 61620
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Repair and Return - Watch being sent for repair
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 29 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
1 Each
Fossil Watch being sent for repair - Model E5, serial # 789456FG7E2 - Repair Cost $76.00
US
$163.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Warranty Repair Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $163.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Temporary Imports
Goods may be shipped to Egypt from Canada as a temporary import exempt from duties and taxes. Temporary imports are sent to promote product sales and for
display at trade fairs and exhibitions.
Items must follow the conditions below:
A refundable deposit is paid to cover duties and taxes
The material displays the name of the corporation or the event or exhibition
Are not prohibited goods
Items should arrive 10 days before the start of an exhibition
ATA Carnets
Egypt does not accept ATA carnets for temporary imports. However, an ATA carnet may facilitate the return of temporary imports to Canada.
Option #
Temporary Import Method
Risk of paying
1
Commercial Invoice Only (no other documentation is provided)
High - if broker cannot clear goods temporarily
2
Commercial Invoice
+
ATA Carnet
Very Low to Canada / High to Egypt
1. Complete a Commercial Invoice (CI) only
This is the simplest and quickest option. See example.
NOTE: You should be aware that shipping using this method doesn't guarantee that your items will be imported duty/tax free.
Not all brokers will clear goods as temporary imports (i.e. UPS, FedEx, DHL) nor is it a guarantee that customs won't charge any duties and taxes.
2. Commercial Invoice (CI) + an ATA Carnet
Completing an ATA Carnet is great option for items that frequently travel in and out of the country.
It's also great because once you have an ATA Carnet, it is accepted by 176 countries worldwide making the application process a one-time thing.
In addition to declaring your commercial invoice as a temporary import, you can get an ATA Carnet for the items that are of temporary nature.
NOTE: It is highly recommended to get an ATA Carnet for items that frequently
travel in and out of the country and especially so when it is valued over $2,500 USD
Temporary Imports Checklist
Commercial Invoice clearly stating 'Temporary Import'. This must be written in the General Description section and the Detailed Description of Goods.
(see sample)
The goods arrive and leave in the same condition, i.e. they undergo no repairs nor are they used in manufacturing
Stay no longer than the period listed above
Include your ATA Carnet with your shipment (if applicable)
Include the expected return date or the date that it was originally received within the country (whichever applies)
A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment
Any above listed items not listed in this checklist
Sample Commercial Invoice for Permanent/Sold Goods
Ship To
Invoice
Naguib Mahfouz 10 Abbas El-Akkad st, Nasr City Cairo Governorate, 11471 Egypt
Phone: +20 2 250 61620
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Permanent/Sold: Parts and accessories for Canon B78n camera
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 29 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
15 Each
Camera Lenses: Canon EF 50mm, Canon EF 85mm & wide-angle lenses.
CA
$132.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Permanent/Sold Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $1980.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Required Documents
Shipping packages internationally requires a lot of documentation. This process alone can be confusing and time-consuming.
So we’ve narrowed down what documents you might need and ranked them based on likeliness of being needed.
Document Type
When?
Details
Shipping Label / Bill of Lading
Always required
This is a label provided by the carrier (UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.). Always required because the carrier needs to know the parcel's destination.
Commercial Invoice
Required for all non-document shipments
For all non-document shipments, you will require 3 copies of the commercial invoice (to be included with your shipping labels).
These are for customs purposes and need to be included inside a document pouch outside of the box.
When creating a shipment through the Secureship website, the system will help you create this document automatically.
B13a
Required if value exceeds $2,000 per shipment or is a controlled good
A B13a is required if your shipment exceeds $2000 CAD or is a controlled good
and is destined to a country other than the US, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands
Canada has a preferential trade agreement with Egypt. A COO proves that an item has been produced, manufactured or processed in Canada.
When an item with a COO is imported into Egypt, it will incur a reduced or zero-rated import duty.
Certificate of Insurance (COI)
Infrequently required
Shows that the shipment has been insured.
Banks may request a certificate of insurance when providing letters of credit for the goods. Otherwise,
it is generally your choice whether to purchase insurance for the shipment.
ATA Carnet
Infrequently required
Used to avoid duties and taxes on shipments of temporary nature.
If you ship goods of temporary nature to and from a country, you can obtain an ATA Carnet to expedite the customs clearance process and
ensure that anything of temporary nature is not charged duties and taxes.
No specific form is required, but generally includes information regarding:
The exporter, importer and transport company
Date of issue
Number of freight invoice
Type and number of packages
Contents of each package
Marks and numbers
Net weight, gross weight and measurements of each package
Prohibited & Restricted Imports
Prohibited goods are not allowed entry into Egypt, while restricted goods may enter but must abide to quantity limitations or other rules.
Prohibited Items
Goods bearing images or symbols offensive to religious beliefs
Firearms, swords, and knives
Toy guns and rifles that shoot projectiles
Narcotics
Pornography
Vitamins and food supplements
Tuna containing genetically treated oil
Rings, bracelets, and pendants that claim to organise body energy, remove joint and muscle pain, help sleep, or protect against mobile telephone signals
High frequency telephones - wireless or related equipment
Duties and VAT on shipments sent to Egypt from Canada are calculated based on the CIF value of the product. The CIF value is the sum of the customs value plus insurance amount plus freight costs
CIF Value = Customs Value + Insurance Amount + Freight Costs
By knowing the CIF value of shipment, you will be able to predict the duties owed by the recipient
Imports also incur an import tax called a customs excess load. The amount charged depends on the percentage of the applied duty.
The customs excess load is:
2% if the applied duty is from 5% - 30%
3% if the applied duty is above 30%
Thresholds
There are no thresholds below which duties and VAT are not charged. All imports regardless of value will incur duties and VAT.
Currency
Egyptian Pound (EGP)
Duty Exemption
(De minimis Value
No exemption
Duty Calculation Method
CIF
TAX (VAT)
14% (standard)
5% (on machinery & equipment used to produce a commodity or render a service)
Tax Exemption
(De minimis Value)
No Exemption
Tax Calculation Method
CIF
Duties on Imports
Excise taxes
Egypt imposes excise taxes on certain imports, and often is the only tax to be applied. One notable exception is air conditioners, which would incur an excise tax and 14% VAT.
Two groups of items that incur the excise tax (also called a table tax or schedule tax) include:
You can purchase
insurance
through Secureship and it is provided by the carrier that will be transporting your shipment.
Each carrier will charge a different amount per $100 of declared insurance. If you indicate that you need insurance for your shipment our system will automatically include the insurance costs for your shipment.
Insurance is great to have in case your package is accidentally lost or damaged by the carrier. But be careful, not everything you ship is insurable. Worse - even if your package contains items that are insurable, if it doesn’t meet the ISTA 3A packaging standard, the insurance purchased through the carrier would not be available to you.
Here are some items that cannot be insured by the carrier:
Personal belongings
Antiques
Artwork
Liquids (including alcohol)
Televisions
Jewellery in excess of $500
Perishable goods
Glass or Ceramic
And many more items
For more information, please see the carrier's terms and conditions.
Shipping to Egypt from Canada can take between 3-5 business days through the fastest carriers available on the Secureship platform.
More economical services, such as Canada Post, can take up to 2-3 months to complete the delivery.