How exactly should one do the import customs clearance freight forwarding? Looking for reliable experience sharing
I'm planning to get involved in the import customs clearance freight forwarding business recently, but I have no relevant experience before and have no idea where to start at all. I'd like to ask everyone, how exactly should one do the import customs clearance freight forwarding? What information should be known in advance, what materials should be prepared, and what are the processes and precautions? I hope friends with experience can talk about it in detail and give me some reliable suggestions so that I can carry out this business smoothly.
Professional consultant answers
Jennifer WangYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Market development consultantConsult
For import customs clearance freight forwarding, first of all, one should understand the relevant information of the goods, including the name, use, material, quantity, value of the goods, etc. This information helps to accurately classify the commodity codes and understand the corresponding regulatory conditions.
Then, prepare the documents required for customs clearance, such as commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, contracts, etc. Different goods may also require specific documents. For example, food requires certificates of origin, health certificates, etc.
In terms of the process, make an advance declaration before the goods arrive at the port. After the customs accepts it, the documents will be examined and the goods may be inspected. If there is no problem, a tax bill will be issued. Pay the tax in time and arrange for pick-up and delivery after the goods are released.
Regarding the precautions, one should be familiar with the changes in customs policies and regulations, ensure the authenticity and accuracy of the declared information, avoid under-reporting, concealment of reporting, etc., and also pay attention to whether the goods packaging meets the requirements of transportation and customs.
Elizabeth LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Compliance and risk managerConsult
Keep close communication with foreign suppliers to obtain the goods' dynamics and documents in a timely manner. And one should also have an understanding of the operation processes and characteristics of different ports, because there may be differences among various ports.
Michelle ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business coordination consultantConsult
It is important to establish a good logistics partnership to ensure the smooth transportation of goods. Meanwhile, continuously learn and improve one's professional knowledge to deal with various complex customs clearance situations.
Robert ChenYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customer service consultantConsult
Pay attention to the customs clearance time limit to avoid incurring demurrage fees and other additional costs for the goods at the port. Plan the customs clearance time in advance and handle unexpected problems in a timely manner.
James LiuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Foreign trade tax refund consultantConsult
Keep good communication with the customs, inspection and quarantine departments and other departments. When encountering questions, consult and solve them in a timely manner. Meanwhile, do a good job in customer service and feed back the customs clearance progress in a timely manner.
Amanda YangYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cost control consultantConsult
Master the skills of commodity classification, classify them reasonably and accurately. This is related to the tax rate and regulatory conditions. One also needs to understand the division of responsibilities under different trade terms.
Sarah ZhangYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Document expertConsult
Do a good job in cost accounting, including customs clearance costs, transportation costs, etc., give customers a reasonable quotation, and at the same time ensure one's own profit margin.
Joseph ZhouYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior foreign trade managerConsult
Establish a risk early warning mechanism to estimate in advance the risks that may occur, such as unqualified customs inspections, missing documents, etc., and formulate corresponding countermeasures.
William YangYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
International logistics consultantConsult
Pay attention to data management, sort out and analyze the data of past customs clearance cases to provide references for subsequent business.