I export bulbs all the time. My nursery has been inspected, and certified free of any significant problems. I submit the list of bulbs for each shipment to my agricultural agent, who checks to make sure there aren't any that are 'forbidden', i.e. on the endangered species list. I then take the bulbs to my agricultural agent, who inspects the dormant bulbs and gives me my phytosanitary certificate. They are looking for disease, and pests like nematodes, but also to make sure the bulbs are absolutely clean and free of soil (I scrub the bulbs for export with a toothbrush!). Countries also have their own requirements, some of which I can't meet. This can be fumigating the bulbs, applying chemicals that I don't use, or certifying that my bulbs aren't grown in certain kinds of media like fir bark. The fir bark ban was Canada a year or two ago, since it was felt that fir bark could harbor the organism that is involved in Sudden Oak Death. Last year Canada lifted that ban. I imagine if you wanted to hand carry some bulbs with you to another country, you would still need a phyto. It isn't that hard to do, and your agent will check to see if the country you are going to has any special requirements or restrictions. The cost of the phyto varies by county and state. Diana Chapman Telos Rare Bulbs