by Tekle Sebhatu

Question:

I'm curious to know all of the entry documents require to get a shipment into a country and who is responsible for each. Is it me or the customs officials?

Answer:

Entry is a process of filing documents to get goods released from customs. The basic documents include commercial invoice, bill of lading or airway bill, packing list and other specific customs entry documents. Customs entry documents vary from a country to a country. In most countries, it is the importer's responsibility to provide customs with all documents required to clear goods. In some countries, including in the US, customs might assess a penalty if the importer fails to submit required documents to clear goods. The importer in the US is expected to exercise "reasonable care" when clearing goods. That includes submitting the correct documents to customs.

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