The document package customs needs to release a declaration
Talking to various customs brokers, we at MATE have come to a clear conclusion: one of the most problematic stages of import for small and medium businesses is the paperwork for releasing the customs declaration.
Why?
The answer is quite simple - it is a process that requires competent knowledge, experience and, most importantly, time to dig in and check what the documents contain.
Most often, SMB owners without any expertise work with “whatever they have”, collecting any useful and, conversely, unnecessary information along the way. As a result, when the cargo is already at the temporary storage warehouse (TSW), the customs inspector piles on requirements for the documents or, even worse, for the customs value of the goods.
The core of the problem is that many of the documents cannot be issued, or even corrected, with a snap of the fingers. And the consequences are felt immediately.
A little about what the “mild” consequences can be:
Paid storage at the TSW
This is the first and the least you can run into while the documents are being fixed.
Relabeling at the TSW
If the labeling contains incorrect information or is missing altogether, the inspector will require the cargo to be relabeled with correct information during inspection.
To do this, you will have to find and hire contractors at the warehouse who will open the cargo and stick on new labels. Guarantees that they will get everything right and the inspector will not ask to relabel the cargo again - of course, nobody gives them.
No “Chestny ZNAK” labeling
Almost the same situation as the previous one, except that issuing Chestny ZNAK codes is no simple task. Most often you have to hire a separate specialist to do it.
Correcting export documents in China
Filing export documentation in China also involves a fee. So any correction to the export documents means paying the export company again for the paperwork.
The document package itself is split between the importer's side and the exporter's side. That is, the full list consists of documents received from the Chinese trading company and documents the importer prepares on their own.
For example, the packing list, the export declaration and so on must be obtained from the exporter. But the “Chestny ZNAK” labeling and the product “Description” have to be prepared by the importer.
As an attachment to this post, we are sharing with our readers a file with the full list of documents required for customs clearance (in Russian) 🤝
We will also be glad to consult and share all the nuances and secrets of preparing flawless customs documentation. Please note that consultations are paid.
For consultations and orders for compliant import, our managers are here - Ivan and Alexander