Question: Hello, We need to bring back a valve that has corroded in Canada. However, to figure out why it’s corroding, we asked if they could include a water sample with the valve. Does anyone have any information on importing water samples into the US? I called CBP, but have not had much luck. I […]
Question: There are two employees traveling to Taiwan and they want to carry with them the parts they need to test an assembly machine there. What are the risks of doing this? What information/forms do they need with them so they can go into Taiwan with the parts? There is not enough time to send […]
Question: Is anyone aware of invoicing requirements for imports into Brazil. Do invoices and packing lists need to be signed in BLUE ink? Do all documents submitted to Brazilian Customs need to be originals or can a PDF copy of the signed documents be submitted? Are exporters required to stamp and sign the invoice and […]
Question: My question is related to remotes and the batteries for those remotes. We will begin importing TV remote controls along with two AA batteries in the package. These are standard batteries, non-Lithium based. Do these batteries need to be inserted into the remote before it can be considered part of the remote or can […]
Question: Is it a risk not to change the MIDs when auditing imports? Should we be updating with our broker if the code is a number or letter off? There seems to be many variations per company. Answer 1: Sounds like sloppy work on the part of the broker. I suggest you clarify which MID […]
Question: Are importers required to keep the seals that are cut and removed from imported container when they are received? If so, how long are they to be kept. Answer 1: There is no legal requirement. I suggest you keep any that do not match your documentation, see best practices for CTPAT.
Question: I have a scenario in which imports are shipped by rail from Canada to US. If movement is delayed or cancelled, the shipper notifies the railroad. The railroad cancels the car and notifies Customs via EDI. It recently came to light that no one is notifying the broker. Currently the broker is not finding […]
Question: For members that use a courier’s bond to do customs clearance, the courier is the IOR, and the actual importer is the ultimate consignee. Has any of the entries been part of your customs audit? Are you concerned if the courier declares the entry as a Section or informal entry? Or it might not […]
Question: We exported perishable product packed in a drum which is considered an IIT according to 19 C.F.R. § 10.41a(1) Substantial containers and Holders. To monitor shipping conditions and location of the drum, 1 (one) GPS/Temp and Humidity tracking device is attached to the drum. My understanding is that in this scenario, the tracking device […]
Question: Has anyone in the membership, who moves bonded cargo on either an I.E. or a T&E through a border crossing into Mexico, had issues where CBP does not scan the barcodes on the inbond documents to officially close out or “Export” the inbond at the time of crossing? Instead, Customs is requiring the carrier […]
Question: I would like to understand what other companies are doing in regards to ISF Compliance. We audit our ISF Filings ( done by our customs broker / forwarder) for accuracy. We have come across some filings lately that are showing incorrect HS Codes. We have gone back to our forwarder asking about this and […]
Question: Scenario: A US company wishes to purchase an item from China. China sources raw materials from Iran and North Korea. These raw materials are consumed into a new article of commerce and are substantially transformed in China. Origin China but with Iranian and North Korean content. Can this item be legally imported into the […]
