November 8, 2019 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a Notice to industry – Changes to plant and animal import permit application forms to advise on the application process for importing plant or animal commodities has changed.
As of November 4, 2019, it will be mandatory to use the new plant and animal health import application forms below. Any old application forms will be considered incomplete and not processed. Form updates and the creation of new forms have not impacted import conditions. Please continue to refer to AIRS and the CFIA Website for current import requirements.
Animal health application forms
The animal health import permit application form 5083 has been replaced by 3 new application forms:
- Form 5858: Application for Permit to Import Animal Pathogens
- Form 5859: Application for Permit to Import Animal Products and By-Products
- Form 5860: Application for Permit to Import Live Animals, Hatching Eggs and Animal Germplasm
Plant health application form
The plant health import permit application form 5256 has been updated:
- Form 5256: Application for Permit to Import Plants and Other Things under the Plant Protection Act
- Notice to industry (09-04-2019) – Changes to the permit to import plants form
For clients in the plant industry who submit applications online, please note that it is no longer a requirement to also submit the original copy of your application via mail.
My CFIA
All forms can be submitted and processed through the Agency’s online service portal, My CFIA. We encourage you to create an account and apply through My CFIA today. You can submit service requests, track the status of your applications, pay required fees online and avoid processing delays.
All My CFIA related guidance, such as videos, step-by-step walkthroughs and general information on how to sign up for an account, structure a profile, request services and pay for services can be accessed by visiting My CFIA related guidance.
A benefit of applying through My CFIA is that credit cards can be processed online. If applying through any other channel, one of our agents would need to contact you to process payment over the phone as security standards prohibit the inclusion of credit card information on an application form.
For questions regarding the new application forms, please call the Centre of Administration at 1-800-442-2342.