Import

Questions and answers about Import

  • Return for Wrong Product

    Question: Wrong product was loaded and is currently set to arrive at the foreign port next week with FCA terms. We want to return the container to the US.  If the customer redirects the container back to the US and never clears their Customs, are they still considered the Exporter/Shipper?  Will they be able to […]

  • Customs Entry

    Question: Hello If I have an invoice, same “LIKE” items, same HTSUS code, same COO but have different part numbers for each as well as different cost per part number can I file my Customs entry as one line with totals or do I have to list out each item as it is listed on […]

  • FCR vs BOL

    Question: Our booking agent has been providing a Forwarders Cargo Receipt instead of a non-negotiable bill of lading. It is my understanding that the FCR cannot replace a bill of lading and does not represent a contract of carriage for FCL shipments. Please advise if customs entry can be made with the FCR alone. Answer […]

  • How to check import restrictions in the USA

    Question: Do you know if there is a free website where I can review the regulations that may apply to a certain product to be imported into the USA? I want to know import restrictions to some products for restaurants, sauces, plastic cutlery, napkins, among others. Answer 1: Your US Customs broker should be able […]

  • HTS CODE – Forms 3461 & 7501

    Question: Hello! We are currently reviewing the Import documentation of the shipments that have been approved for our Logistic group and it was noted that the HTS codes that were approved by Compliance do not match with the HTS that were added to the 3461 & 7501 forms.  Who could have changed the HTS codes?  The […]

  • Samples Being Shipped Back to US after export for quality check

    Question: We have a shipment that was sent to Singapore and we need to return small samples of the product to the US lab for quality testing purposes. I see we have 2 options to return the samples: 1) Chapter 98 US Goods Returned 2) US/Singapore FTA. Are there rules in place when you have […]

  • 5106 for multiple addresses

    Question: The company has one IOR tax ID and multiple locations that import and export, using one tax id. We are not interested in setting up IOR with suffixes.  One of our location’s addresses in the customs system shows a different tax ID. How do we update the record so multiple of our physical locations […]

  • Multiple EIN

    Question: Looking for members guidance on best practices for choosing the parent company EIN as IOR for imports or maintain present structure of EIN number and IOR in the hand of each subsidiary.  What are pros and cons of each from the logistics viewpoint as opposed to tax benefits or consequences to the parent company […]

  • Transfer of Title

    Question: We have a multi-tiered sales transaction involving four entities and four countries and three sales. A mfr, Entity A in country A, sells to its related entity B in Country B. The goods are exported from Country A. Entity B sells to us, Entity C, which is not related to neither A nor B […]

  • Who best to file the ISF

    Question: We are consolidating all our customs brokerage filing under a single customs broker, but we will continue to use different freight forwarders. If the customs broker files the ISF, there’s a reduced chance that the ISF and import entry don’t match up, but there’s an increased chance of who is to blame for a […]

  • Import Entries

    Question: Can anyone advise what a section entry is in relation to US customs. We import human samples into the States and our brokers are completing section entries on this shipments. Thanks Answer 1: A “section entry” in the context of U.S. Customs typically refers to a specific type of entry made under Section 321 […]

  • Importer of Record

    Question: We have a customer who lists my company as the Importer of Record on their US imports without permission. We have attempted to have the entry summaries corrected, but because the customer does not have a POA on file with the broker used, they are unable to make the correction or turn the shipment […]