What is the basic description of the process for transmitting Cargo Arrival Certification Messages?

What is the basic description of the process for transmitting Cargo Arrival Certification Messages?

1. The exporter arranges with the carrier/forwarder for shipment of the goods to Canada and prepares the export documentation, including commercial or CBSA invoices. This documentation is forwarded to the importer/broker prior to the arrival of the goods.


2. The importer/broker prepares and submits/transmits PARS release documentation/data to the CBSA up to 30 calendar days prior to the arrival of the goods.


3. The CBSA reviews the release documents/data and updates the system with a recommendation such as "to be released" or "to be referred for examination" pending the arrival of the goods.


4. On a regular schedule, recommendations are extracted from the system and held pending a match with cargo arrival certification messages submitted by the registered participants. These records are held for 30 calendar days before expiration.


5. Upon arrival of the PARS shipment, registered participants may transmit a cargo arrival certification message. To send a cargo arrival certification message, the participant (normally the warehouse operator) includes the following in their EDI message:
· cargo control number in uppercase characters only
· office code
· arrival code ("631" signifies arrival message)


Please refer to Customs D Memorandum D17-1-4, Appendix B, for the earliest acceptable time frames for sending the arrival message for the various modes of transport.

If a "to be released" or "to be referred for examination" recommendation record is not on file (transaction has not yet been processed) the originator of the cargo arrival certification message is returned an error message indicating "CCN not on file". For data that is invalid, an error message is provided to the participant.

If the release transaction is in the system and awaiting processing by a Border Services officer, then the system will transmit a response message with a status of “Transaction Awaiting Processing”. The cargo arrival certification message will be held for up to 10 days, and, therefore, does not have to be re-submitted. The system will transmit a response message, with a status of "Goods Released" or "Goods required for examination - Referred" or “Goods may move under Customs transfer - detain at destination (CFIA)”, to the originator as soon as it is available.


6. If the warehouse operator sends a cargo arrival certification message and a broker sends delivery instructions and/or container numbers in his EDI release and the goods are then released, the warehouse operator will receive a "Goods released” message that includes delivery instructions and/or container numbers. Other copies of the release message including delivery instructions are then sent to the RNS account security holder associated with the transaction as well as the RNS freight forwarder associated with the carrier code of the cargo control number, etc.


7. In instances where the goods have been referred for examination, only the participant sending the cargo arrival certification message will receive the response with the "referred" status. Once the CBSA has performed the examination of the goods and the system is updated with a "released" decision, a "released" status will be provided to the participant who reported the arrival of the goods as well as to all other registered participants associated with the transaction or cargo control number.


8. Where a carrier/freight forwarder is not the same as the
sufferance warehouse operator, the carrier/freight forwarder will require a letter of authorization from the sufferance warehouse operator that cargo arrival certification message may be sent by the carrier/freight forwarder to the CBSA on behalf of the sufferance warehouse operator. An example of the letter of authorization, which must be included in the participant’s application, is provided in Appendix “C”.