• BROKER INFO FOR RECORDKEEPING

    QUESTION: What information does the membership like to receive back from their brokers in order to fulfill recordkeeping requirements? I know some brokers provide PDF file copies of entire entry packages, and that is great, but for those who are receiving data files (EDI or otherwise) back from the broker, what are the data elements […]

  • PERSONAL EXEMPTION MATRIX

    QUESTION: Does anyone in the membership have some sort of matrix by country, of value thresholds for personal exemptions? We offer to ship purchased souvenirs to foreign guests however, they are supposed to be responsible for the import duties into their country.  I feel there still needs to be certain restrictions not only to the […]

  • DIRECT FILING

    QUESTION: We read the phrase “For one’s own account” in 19 CFR §111.2 (below) to mean that where an importer obtains a filer code and does the actual filing of the entries on its own by designating an employee to file entries on its behalf rather than hiring an party outside the company to file, […]

  • ISRAEL NON-PREF RULES OF ORIGIN

    QUESTION:   Does anyone know where I can find the non-preferential rules of origin for importations into Israel, preferably in English?   ==========   Answer:   I had this same question and learned, using our State Trade Office and even contacting the Israeli Trade Office in the US, there do not appear to be specific […]

  • ASSEMBLED IN USA

    QUESTION: We have an assembly that constitutes a substantial transformation, though the value of foreign components is above 50%. As such, I wanted to avoid a simple “Assembled in USA” statement on the label by adding a qualifying statement to stay on the safe side. I would like to put “Assembled in the USA from […]

  • SCREENING AND LICENSING

    QUESTION:   My company screens both the ship-to and end users in transactions. The ship-to parties are always our direct customer, but we also ask to be provided with the information of the end users that they will then sell to for the purposes of compliance screening.   Our set up is that we have […]

  • U.S. CONSIGNMENT IMPORTS

    QUESTION: When a US company is the importer of record for goods imported to the USA on consignment basis, are the correct selections for 7501 block 36: Importer of record and that the actual owner, purchaser, or consignee for CBP purposes is as shown above (because you are not yet the purchaser or owner at […]

  • TAX ISSUES AS A NON-RESIDENT IMPORTER

    QUESTION:   Are there any tax ramifications of a Canadian company setting up an Importer Number and bond in the US and acting as a non-resident importer?   ==========   Answers:   The extent really depends on how you are importing/selling into Canada. But at the very least your company will need to file a […]

  • ORIGIN CALCULATION

    QUESTION: I need help calculating origin (non-pref) of an assembly where there is little to no tariff shift, certainly not at the heading level.  Product classified as 8413.70.2004 Total Cost: $330.5000 % of Total US (Material 178.91 54% CA (Material) 83.47 25% CN (material) 21.48 6% Labor (US) 15.67 5% Burden 18.37 6% ========== Answers: […]

  • BONDED W-HOUSE TEMPLATE

    QUESTION:   Does anyone have a template for a security plan for a type 3 bonded warehouse?   Also, will a spreadsheet work for an inventory system?   ==========   Answers:   Customs recently issued a revision to the Bonded Warehouse Manual that incorporates security measures. They are nearly identical to the C-TPAT security criteria. […]

  • 9801 M/A REQUIRED

    QUESTION: Does the new language in 9801.00.10 (“or any other products when returned within 3 years after having been exported”) remove the requirement for an Manufacturer’s Affidavit for US-origin goods? Meaning, can I now show that the US-origin goods were exported within the last three years IN LIEU OF producing an affidavit?  Or is that […]

  • TARIFF REDUCTION PROCESS

    QUESTION: Has anyone in the membership ever initiated or participated in submitting a request to reduce or eliminate tariffs on the importation of goods not manufactured in the USA¦even if it is a lower grade material within a tariff that is available at a higher grade (or price) in the USA? The Senate passed the […]