QUESTION: Our company currently maintains paper documents for our shipment files which contain transportation and customs clearance information to comply with US recordkeeping requirements. Our company is adopting policies that will allow more employees to work from home either scheduled or in case of bad weather. This would require associates to take shipment files home […]
QUESTION: Is it mandatory to maintain paper documents/electronic records on how a tariff classification was determined for an imported product? ========== Answers: Each part record should clearly indicate the reasoning behind why it was classified with a specific HS number (valuable info in the event of a CBP audit questioning classification). Is it required for […]
QUESTION: As an importer of record, what percentage of entries should be audited solely for keeping compliance? ========== Answers: I think this depends on your pre-entry processes. If you do not provide any input pre-entry, you had better audit every entry. If you have good pre-entry processes (preventative), then you can set lower percentages on […]
QUESTION: We are planning to move to an electronic record keeping process and would like to get feedback from other members of the group as to how they are obtaining entry documents from your clearing brokers and how are you keeping your entry documents stored electronically? *********** Answers: You just have to advise CBP in […]
QUESTION: As an importer we have written notification since 2013 from CBP to retain our import documentation as paperless recordkeeping. Per CFR standards 19CFR 163.5(b)(2) alternative method we use for paperless recordkeeping is CD ROM, would it still be compliant if we convert over to using USB Flash drives? In the CFR regulations it is […]
QUESTION: For those filing the EEI/ITN in ACE, do you consider the automated email for each EEI filing to be a record that must be retained for 5 years? Or do you just delete the email? My company saves the emails in PDF format for 5 years, but I have never heard of them being […]
QUESTION: We receive documents via email from our foreign suppliers when we start a shipment file. Later we receive original paper documents from the supplier. We keep the records for 5 years per the regulations. We would like to move to digital records. My understanding is that since we receive paper documents we must keep […]
QUESTION: Can anyone in the membership explain how they transitioned from paper records to strictly electronic records after receiving approval from US Customs? We currently house our import data in physical files, Access, our ERP system, ACE Reports, etc. All data is very traceable and easy to locate. Any tips? ANSWER: Our company has a […]
QUESTION: I was recently tasked to oversee a project to ensure we comply with record keeping for importation in the U.S. I am fairly new to my compliance role and needed the member’s input. Per the CBP website: Importers, exporters, carriers, and brokers are required to keep their U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) records […]
QUESTION: I was recently tasked to oversee a project to ensure we comply with record keeping for importation in the U.S. I am fairly new to my compliance role and needed the member’s input. Per the CBP website: Importers, exporters, carriers, and brokers are required to keep their U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) records […]
QUESTION: I have been tasked with creating and managing an export compliance recordkeeping system/procedure. We have Sales Representatives (independent contractors) that represent and sell our products all over the world. Are these Non-US citizens, selling US origin products (manufactured in the US) subject to the recordkeeping requirements of BIS part 762? ========== Answers: Yes ========== […]
QUESTION: We’re trying to determine the correct retention period for our documents used to support our HTS classifications. Several years ago I read, or was told, that the supporting documents must be kept for five years after the end of the product life cycle. Is this correct? Or, should the documents only be retained for […]
