Before starting your import journey, you first need to confirm the order and contract details with your Chinese supplier. This includes clarifying the price, quantity, quality standards, packaging requirements, delivery date, and payment method of the goods.
For example, if you plan to import a batch of electronic products from China, before signing the contract with the supplier, be sure to carefully check the product model, specifications, functions, and other parameters to ensure they meet the needs and standards of your local market.
Specify that shock – proof and moisture – proof materials should be used for packaging to protect the safety of the goods during transportation.
Define the relevant terms of after – sales service, such as the product warranty period and maintenance methods, clearly in the contract, which is particularly important for the import of electronic products to avoid unnecessary disputes during subsequent sales.
A clear and detailed contract is the basis for safeguarding the rights and interests of both parties and also an important guarantee for the smooth progress of the subsequent customs clearance process.
After confirming the order and contract, you need to promptly notify your domestic agent or partner and inform them of the import matters.
Contact a professional freight forwarder and entrust them to handle the transportation and customs clearance of the goods.
Freight forwarders have rich experience and professional knowledge and can help you choose the most suitable mode of transportation (such as sea, air, or land transportation) and assist you in preparing the documents required for customs clearance.
Customs clearance documents usually include Bill of Lading (B/L), invoice, packing list, contract, certificate of origin, quality inspection certificate, packaging statement, etc. These documents need to be prepared according to specific factors such as the commodity name, the requirements of the importing country, and the mode of transportation.
For example, certain countries may require additional certification certificates or inspection reports for specific commodities. You need to understand this in advance and ensure that the supplier can provide them.
When choosing a freight forwarder, it is recommended that you consult several companies, compare their service prices, service quality, and reputation, and select the most suitable one. Also, maintain close communication with the freight forwarder and keep abreast of the transportation and customs clearance progress of the goods.
1.Bill of Lading Exchange：
After the goods arrive at the port of destination, your freight forwarder needs to go to the freight forwarder or shipping company to exchange and sign the Delivery Order (D/O). Determine the place of exchange according to the type of bill of lading in your hand (H B/L – House Bill of Lading or M B/L – Master Bill of Lading). Bill of lading exchange is the first step in customs clearance. Only after obtaining the delivery order can subsequent operations be carried out.
During the bill of lading exchange process, some problems may be encountered. For example, if you hold a House Bill of Lading (H B/L) and the freight forwarder does not have its own agent at the port of destination, it may be necessary to exchange the bill of lading through another freight forwarder, which may increase the time and cost of bill of lading exchange.
If the information on the bill of lading does not match the actual goods information, such as the quantity and weight of the goods, it may also lead to difficulties in bill of lading exchange. So, before the goods are shipped, be sure to carefully check the accuracy of the bill of lading information.
2.Electronic Declaration：
The freight forwarder pre – enters the goods information through the computer system and sends the customs declaration form to the customs system for review. During this process, it is necessary to ensure the accuracy of the declared information, including the name, quantity, value, and origin of the goods.
The customs will review the declared information and will contact the freight forwarder in a timely manner if there are any questions or supplementary materials are required. Only after passing the electronic declaration review can the next inspection application link be entered.
The accuracy of electronic declaration directly affects the speed of customs clearance. If the declared information is incorrect, it may lead to an extension of the customs review time and may even face penalties such as fines. For example, if the name of the goods is declared incorrectly, it may lead to incorrect classification of the goods by the customs, affecting the calculation of customs duties.
Before making an electronic declaration, the freight forwarder should carefully check the relevant information of the goods to ensure the accuracy of the declaration. With the continuous upgrading of the customs information system, the way of electronic declaration is also constantly changing. Freight forwarders need to understand and adapt to these changes in a timely manner to improve the efficiency of declaration.
3.Inspection Application：
After the electronic declaration is released, the freight forwarder needs to go to the commodity inspection bureau with one of the four copies of the customs declaration form to handle the inspection application procedures.
The commodity inspection bureau will inspect the goods to ensure that they meet the relevant quality, safety, and hygiene standards. After passing the inspection, a customs clearance form will be issued or a three – inspection stamp will be affixed on the customs declaration form. If the goods involve animals, plants, and their products, animal and plant quarantine may also be required.
For example, when importing a batch of food, the commodity inspection bureau will check whether the food labels meet domestic standards, whether there are prohibited additives, and whether there are sufficient health protection measures. Only after passing the inspection can the goods enter the domestic market for sale.
For some special foods, such as infant foods and health foods, the inspection standards of the commodity inspection bureau will be more stringent. The inspection standards for foods may also vary in different countries and regions.
You need to understand this in advance and ensure that the goods meet the requirements of the importing country. During the inspection application process, if problems are found with the goods, the commodity inspection bureau may require rectification, and the goods can only pass the inspection after the rectification is qualified.
4.On – site Document Handover：
The freight forwarder needs to hand over all the customs clearance documents (such as bill of lading, invoice, packing list, contract, certificate of origin, quality inspection certificate, etc.) to the customs staff for review at the place designated by the customs.
The customs staff will carefully check the authenticity, integrity, and consistency of the documents and will require the freight forwarder to supplement or correct them if there are any problems.
During on – site document handover, the freight forwarder should prepare all the documents in advance and ensure that the documents are clear and complete. If the documents are blurred or damaged, it may affect the customs review.
For example, if the amount, goods description, and other information on the invoice are not clear, the customs may require a new invoice to be provided.
When the customs reviews the documents, it may verify some key information, such as the authenticity of the certificate of origin and the validity of the contract.
Therefore, the freight forwarder should ensure that the provided documents are true and valid to avoid customs clearance delays due to document problems.
5.Inspection：
The customs will decide whether to inspect the goods according to the supervision conditions of the declared commodity name and the inspection probability on that day.
If inspection is required, the customs will issue an inspection notice and conduct an actual inspection of the goods at the designated place.
The inspection content includes whether the quantity, quality, specifications, and packaging of the goods are consistent with the declared information.
For example, when importing a batch of clothing, the customs may randomly select several pieces for quality inspection, check whether the fabric composition and workmanship meet the standards, and also check whether the clothing labels are clear and accurate.
If the goods are found to be inconsistent with the declaration, penalties such as fines and return of goods may be imposed.
During the inspection process, the customs may open the packages for inspection, which may cause certain damage to the packaging of the goods.
Therefore, in the packaging design of the goods, the possible inspection situation should be considered, and a way that is easy to open and repackage should be adopted as much as possible. The inspection time of the customs may be affected by various factors, such as the number of inspectors and the complexity of the goods. The freight forwarder should make preparations in advance and arrange the time reasonably.
6.Release：
Customs release is the last step in the customs clearance process and usually has the following situations:
- One – time Release: If the declared information of the goods is accurate, the documents are complete, and the electronic declaration and inspection application links have been passed, the customs will directly carry out a one – time release, and the goods can enter the domestic transportation link.
- Issuing an Inspection Notice or Direct Second – time Release without Inspection: If the customs decides to inspect the goods, after the inspection is completed, if the goods meet the requirements, the customs will issue an inspection notice and carry out a second – time release; if no inspection is required, the customs will directly carry out a second – time release.
- Release after Sealing after Inspection: For some special goods, such as goods that need to be supervised or goods involving intellectual property rights, the customs will seal the goods after inspection and hand them over to a specific supervision place or enterprise for subsequent supervision. The goods can only be officially released after the end of the supervision period.
After the goods are released, the freight forwarder should promptly arrange the transportation of the goods to ensure that the goods can reach your designated location on time. The freight forwarder should also hand over the relevant customs clearance documents to you for your subsequent accounting and sales work.
A European company imported a batch of furniture from China with a total value of $500,000. After confirming the order and contract, the company entrusted a professional freight forwarder to be responsible for transportation and customs clearance.
After the goods arrived at the European port, the freight forwarder promptly carried out the bill of lading exchange operation and submitted the customs declaration form to the customs through the electronic declaration system.
In the inspection application link, since the wood part of the furniture required animal and plant quarantine, the freight forwarder prepared the relevant quarantine certificates in advance and cooperated with the commodity inspection bureau for inspection.
When the customs reviewed the documents, it was found that there was a slight difference in the goods description on the invoice and the packing list, and the freight forwarder was required to correct it. The freight forwarder promptly communicated with the supplier, re – provided the accurate invoice and packing list, and finally passed the customs review.
In the inspection link, the customs randomly selected several pieces of furniture for inspection and found that the quality and specifications of the furniture met the declared requirements. After a series of processes, the goods were successfully released, and the European company received the goods within the specified time and smoothly put them into market sales.
In this case, the freight forwarder played an important role in the customs clearance process. Without the professional operation and timely communication of the freight forwarder, customs clearance delays may occur, and it may even affect the sales of the goods.
Before importing the furniture, the European company also conducted a detailed market research on the furniture demand in the European market, understood the preferences and needs of local consumers, and thus selected the appropriate furniture styles and specifications. This also provided a guarantee for the smooth sales of the goods.
When importing goods, in addition to paying attention to the customs clearance process, market research and product selection should also be done well.
1.Understand Regulations and Policies in Advance:
The regulations and policies of different countries and regions on imported goods are constantly changing. You need to understand them in advance and ensure that your goods meet the import requirements.
For example, certain countries may set import quotas, anti – dumping duties, and other restrictive measures for specific commodities. Some countries may also have special requirements for the environmental protection and safety standards of imported goods. Information can be obtained by consulting the official websites of relevant countries, professional trade consultants, etc.
2.Fill in Declaration Information Accurately:
The accuracy of declaration information directly affects the speed and result of customs clearance. Avoid false reporting and concealing goods information to avoid legal risks and economic losses. When filling in the declaration information, carefully check the relevant information of the goods to ensure consistency with the actual goods.
For some special goods, such as goods involving intellectual property rights, accurately declare the relevant intellectual property information to avoid infringement.
3.Choose Reliable Freight Forwarders and Suppliers:
Reliable freight forwarders and suppliers can provide professional services and support to help you solve the problems encountered in the customs clearance process.
When choosing, comprehensively consider their reputation, experience, and service quality. You can understand their reputation and service quality by checking the customer evaluations and case experiences of freight forwarders and suppliers. Establish a good communication mechanism with freight forwarders and suppliers to solve problems in a timely manner.
4.Set Aside Sufficient Time:
The customs clearance process may be affected by various factors, such as holidays and peak customs inspection periods. When arranging the import plan, set aside sufficient time to avoid cargo delays.
Generally, the customs clearance time for sea transportation is relatively long, which may take 1 – 2 weeks or even longer; the customs clearance time for air transportation is relatively short, which may take 1 – 3 days. You can reasonably arrange the import plan of the goods according to the mode of transportation and the expected customs clearance time.
5.Pay Attention to Cargo Transportation Insurance:
During the transportation of goods, various risks may be faced, such as damage and loss of goods. It is recommended that you purchase cargo transportation insurance to protect your interests. When choosing insurance, select an appropriate insurance plan according to factors such as the value of the goods and the mode of transportation. Carefully read the insurance terms to understand the scope of liability and claim settlement methods of the insurance.
Conclusion
Importing goods from China brings unlimited opportunities for the development of your business. Although the customs clearance process may face some challenges, as long as you understand the relevant procedures, make full preparations, and work hand in hand with professional partners, you will surely be able to complete the import task smoothly.
I wish you all the best and a prosperous business in your future trade activities! I hope this article can provide you with valuable reference and make you more proficient in the import customs clearance process. If you encounter any problems during the actual operation, you can log in to our website at any time, and we will provide you with timely help and support. Let’s look forward to more high-quality Chinese goods going global and contributing to the prosperity of global trade!