CBSA/Asfc Vanc I&C - Richmond, British Columbia

Jean P. C.

Always great services and fast interaction, I use this location for years to clear the goods I imports for my company.
Toujours un excelent service, j'utilise ce centre de dédouanement depuis plusieurs annee pour ma société

Faizur S.

I arrived at YVR from Germany an exhausting 10 hours flight. Upon arrival as my family and I arrived at the self check in kiosk the gentleman there was nice and told us all those who are more than 16 years old can use a different kiosk. My wife and I along with my 15 years old daughter used one kiosk and my two sons who are over 17 and 19 used a different kiosk. We all took our slip to show it at the exit. When we arrived at the exit to show our slip and exit a custom officer who was not taller than 5. 2 ft name Lewis Aziz said why didn’t you all used the same kiosk. My wife told him we were told it is ok to use different kiosks. He RUDELY Answered no it is not Ok. I said then all your staff here at YVR should be on the same page about what is ok and what is not ok.. once again his eyes popped out and said no it should be the way I say period and then walked off. I have been to many countries in my life and never ever came across a tiny little guy with that much attitude while wrong. I hope his boss at YVR sees this and let him know how to behave with ppl at the airport. I am a proud Canadian, and I think I would say its ok let it go maybe he had a bad day, but imagine if he comes across like this with a foreigner. Canadians are known to be nice and courteous. This guy doesn’t belong there at least with this attitude.

Sparrow T.

I had a hassle-free time self-clearing my packages at the CBSA office, and it was an extremely smooth and quick process. However, I would definitely make sure to come prepared. If you do not have the correct documents or come at a time where there are a lot of people, you will definitely not have a good experience.

The officer was extremely helpful. He actually waived all of my customs fees for a small purchase after hearing about how high the UPS brokerage charges were and how they were added on top of shipping fees (which should not happen in the invoice). They were extremely kind, quick, and assisted me with self-clearing even though it was my first time with this experience. The entire process took around 10 minutes. I came in early afternoon on a weekday where there was no line up.

My recommendations for those who are clearing packages are:

1) Have your Photo ID, a credit card, a copy of the original invoice for the package, and information about what was purchased ready. Make sure that all required forms (for UPS, it's 2 pages) are on hand or else they cannot stamp your documents.

2) Come either in the morning or early afternoon. Make sure it is before 1:30 or 2:00 PM, because that's when you start getting a longer line and when traffic in Richmond also worsens due to rush hour. If there are more than several people in line, there will be a relatively long wait (uncomplicated cases take around 10 to 15 minutes, but if others don't have all their documents or larger orders it will take a longer time).

3) From my understanding, your experience will also depend on the officer. I would go in with no expectations about the kind of service you will have; this honestly will depend on your luck that day and who is working on your documents when you arrive.

Gina J.

I was deeply disappointed with the lack of customer service and basic decency during my visit. Upon entering the office I was completely ignored by two people, as I stood on the other side of their counter. The staff member just stared at me, not a 'hello' or 'may I help you', and when I did get to the counter, she took my papers, took the pages she wanted and walked away without saying anything. I just stood there. The person I attempted to approach didn't even look up or offer any acknowledgement or instructions. I was left standing behind the yellow line with no communication. It is clear that customer service training is lacking, and the staff displayed a total disregard for basic people skills. This experience was incredibly frustrating, and I regret to say that this will be my first and last visit. Such a lack of professionalism is not how Canada should be represented."

Ömer B.

Excellent service. How excellent? "Go on Google Maps and bother to write a 5-star review about a government office" excellent.

Agents are very knowledgeable and eager to help.

Howard H.

Not sure how we can support a government body that is open from 8-4 and when you call at 2 pm they say sorry we are closed please call during opening hours... Where is the oversite?

Steffy L.

I used to manage my customs clearance a long time ago and found the process smooth, especially when the officers were helpful. However, during my recent visit, I encountered a lady with a negative attitude. It seemed as if she was irritated, possibly because the previous interaction had frustrated her. I expected her to explain any issues with my paperwork without making me feel like I was bothering her. I believe it's important for her to maintain professionalism, as we are simply seeking assistance, not begging for favors.

Varun S.

I don't know why people have reviewed this location badly. I went there to get my package cleared, i.e., self-clearing for my package via UPS. I was charged way less vs duties that UPS wanted me to pay. The lady at the front desk was very polite, and it just took me 5 minutes for the entire process.