Can you ship frozen embryos from Canada to the US?
Yes. A hand-carry courier can take them across the border, with the shipper staying in the courier's care the whole trip. The receiving US clinic confirms what it needs to accept imported material, and we coordinate the paperwork and timing with both clinics so the handover happens on the day you expect.
How a Canada to US transfer runs
Release from the Canadian clinic
Your clinic agrees to release the embryos and prepares its paperwork. We stay in touch with its lab about the pickup time.
Courier collects
One courier meets the lab, checks the seal and straw details against your list, and signs the chain of custody form with them.
Border crossing
The dry vapour shipper stays with the courier. We carry the do-not-X-ray letter and a temperature log runs for the whole trip.
Delivery to the US clinic
The courier hands the shipper to the receiving embryologist, the seal is checked again, and both sides sign.
The courier never hands the shipper to a third party and never puts it in the cargo hold. See our no X-ray protocol for what we say at security.
Example routes
These are examples of the kind of trip we plan, not a fixed list. Tell us the two cities and we will price the actual route.
What the two clinics prepare
- A release letter from the Canadian clinic
- Signed consents from the patients
- Lab contact names at both clinics
- A list of shipper and straw identifiers
- The receiving US clinic's confirmation that it can accept the material
What affects timing
The paperwork sets your date more than the travel does. The receiving clinic's confirmation, the Canadian clinic's release, and the lab schedules on both sides all have to line up. Flight availability between the two cities and any positioning leg for the courier matter too. Starting the conversation with both clinics early is the best thing you can do.
What does Canada to US shipping cost?
Every transfer is quoted against the real route. Current range for this lane: $3,000 to $3,800.
Common questions
Can I move my embryos from a Canadian clinic to a US clinic?
Yes, in the usual case. A courier carries the shipper across the border, and the receiving US clinic tells us what it needs before it can accept imported material. We then line up the paperwork and timing with both clinics. Your Canadian clinic still has to agree to release the embryos.
Who decides what paperwork is needed?
The receiving US clinic confirms what it needs to accept your embryos, and the sending Canadian clinic confirms what it will release and how. We do not guess at either. We ask both for their requirements in writing and keep the two lists matched.
Does the courier stay with the embryos at the border?
Yes. One courier carries the dry vapour shipper from the Canadian lab to the US lab and does not hand it to anyone else along the way. If officers want to look at the shipper, the courier is there to answer questions and to explain the do-not-X-ray letter.
Will the shipper go through X-ray?
We carry a letter asking for hand inspection and ask for it at every security point. Our guide on the no X-ray protocol explains what we say and what we do if a screener pushes back.
How long does a Canada to US transfer take?
The travel is usually one or two days once the paperwork is ready. The paperwork is what sets your date, so start by asking both clinics what they need. Eggs and sperm follow the same steps as embryos.
What does it cost to move embryos from Canada to the US?
Our current range for this route is $3,000 to $3,800. Your exact price depends on the two cities, the dates and the number of shippers.
Can you also bring embryos from the US into Canada?
Yes. The steps are similar but the receiving clinic is a Canadian one, so the paperwork list comes from them. See our US to Canada page for that direction.
More answers are on our FAQ page. Going the other way? See US to Canada embryo shipping.
