U.S. Customs Clearance丨Not buying BOND means not filing it with U.S. Customs? Click to find out!

As far as cross-border e-commerce and foreign trade merchants are concerned, there is nothing better than smooth customs clearance and the transportation of goods with the lowest customs clearance fees. But when it comes to cross-border transportation and customs clearance, who can say for sure? For example, failure to register in advance, failure to pay BOND, failure to prepare supporting documents in advance... may result in the goods being detained or facing huge penalties, which can be said to be more gain than loss.

How to break the customs clearance trap? 4W+1H steps to help you understand the answer!

Why: ISF and BOND

Goods exported to the United States generally need to send an AMS data to U.S. Customs. Since 2009, on the premise of submitting AMS, an ISF declaration (Importer Security Filing) must also be submitted.

ISF originated from the declaration system implemented by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection after the 9/11 incident to strengthen U.S. security. It contains 12 items, 10 items are provided by the importer, and 2 items are provided by the shipping company, so ISF is also called "10+2" "Declaration system, electronic declaration data must be sent to U.S. Customs through the AMS or ABI system 24 hours before the goods are shipped.

BOND needs to be purchased before submitting the ISF declaration. In other words, BOND and ISF are both security systems set up by the US Customs. Even if an ISF declaration is sent, it cannot be imported through US customs clearance. If the declaration is not made in time, the goods will be confiscated by the customs. Penalties for rejection or fines.

What: What is BOND?

BOND is a bond system promoted by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), which is purchased by U.S. importers and serves as insurance. Purchasing BOND is equivalent to filing with the US Customs, which will help smooth customs clearance.

When: Under what circumstances is BOND required?

After the goods arrive at the port, they will first be inspected by the customs. If the importing enterprise does not pick up the goods or abandons the goods due to some uncertain reasons, the customs can conduct an overdue auction of the goods. At the same time, the U.S. Customs deducts the BOND purchased by the importer to offset the miscellaneous fees incurred during customs clearance of the corresponding goods, including storage fees, operating fees, taxes, etc. incurred during customs clearance.

In short, BOND can be understood as the deposit or potential liquidated damages paid by the importer to the U.S. Customs in case of an inspection. Once the importer is fined for some reason, the U.S. Customs will deduct the money from the BOND. Ensure smooth customs clearance for cross-border merchants.

Therefore, as long as it involves importing from the United States, you need to purchase BOND.

Which: Which type of BOND should I buy?

Taking into account the frequency, type, weight, etc. of the importer's goods, the BOND type is also very "humane". It can be purchased on a single or annual basis, corresponding to single transaction BOND (STB, single transaction BOND) and annual BOND (continuous BOND).

Single BOND refers to the purchase of one-time BOND for a single batch of imported customs clearance goods. If there is a risk of dumping or violation of regulations for this batch of imported goods, it is recommended to purchase a single BOND, and the cost is generally USD130~USD150.

Annual BOND refers to purchasing a BOND that is valid for one year and can be renewed after expiration. Generally, if the same importer needs to import more than three batches of goods within a year, it is recommended to purchase annual BOND, and the cost is generally USD500~600/unit.

How: How to use BOND to clear customs?

 Customs clearance in the name of the U.S. consignee: The U.S. consignee must provide a power of attorney (POA) to the freight forwarder’s U.S. agent, and the U.S. consignee’s BOND is also required.

 Customs clearance in the name of the consignor: The consignor provides a power of attorney to the freight forwarder, and the freight forwarder then transfers it to the U.S. agent. The U.S. agent helps the consignor apply for an importer customs registration number in the United States, and the consignor is also required to purchase it. BOND.

Throughout this article, we can understand that BOND is a kind of "insurance" and a "pass". Once a foreign trader or cross-border e-commerce merchant fails to purchase BOND, the goods will be detained and difficult to clear customs, and the loss may be much higher than the BOND fee. Therefore, purchasing BOND is an important step for smooth customs clearance.

And many times, choosing a professional service provider can get twice the result with half the effort.

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Shengshi Group Global Logistics, headquartered in Los Angeles, USA, focuses on one-stop services for US tail-end customs clearance and transshipment, Amazon FBA logistics, and third-party warehouses. The group has more than 50 years of professional customs clearance experience and a self-operated green card Chinese customs clearance team. It has served 4,900+ e-commerce sellers and 150+ Amazon. In 2003, it obtained the Customs Trade Cooperation on Anti-Terrorism (C-TPAT) certification.

The group not only has overseas cooperation warehouses in Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Dallas, Savannah, Chicago, Atlanta and other places, with a total area of 400,000 square feet, but also has multiple offices in China to provide customers with complex market needs. Effective assistance can provide customers with professional and excellent logistics services to help Chinese corporate brands better cross-border overseas expansion.