Six Fatal Misconceptions in Handling Import and Export Rights

“Mr. Zhang has been having a headache recently - the high-quality handicrafts produced by his company have become quite well-known in the domestic market. But when he was eager to expand overseas markets, he found that he hadn't even handled the most basic import and export rights. It's like preparing a luxury yacht but forgetting to get a sea-going permit!” Import and export rights are the pass for enterprises' cross-border trade, but many entrepreneurs are completely confused about its handling process. This article will take you 15 minutes to thoroughly understand the handling logic of this “passport for customs clearance”.

I. Why do 90% of enterprises misunderstand import and export rights?

Many people think that ticking “the business scope includes import and export business” when registering a company is enough, which is like thinking that having a driving license means you can drive a tank. Import and export rights are essentially a set of combined qualifications, including:

• Customs registration certificate (enterprise's customs ID card)
• Electronic port card (cross-border data pass)
• Foreign Exchange Administration filing (qualification for receiving and paying foreign exchange)

Ms. Li's lesson is very typical: Her cross-border e-commerce team received overseas payments through personal accounts, and as a result, the funds were frozen by the bank for three months. It was not until the foreign exchange filing was completed that the $200,000 payment was unfrozen.

II. Panoramic Disassembly of the Handling Process (Including Anti-pitfall Guide)

The Six-step Clearance Method sorted out by the expert team of Zhongshitong has helped more than 300 enterprises quickly obtain rights:

• Step1 Add Items to the Business License: It is necessary to add the business scope of “goods import and export” or “technology import and export” (Note: In some regions, paid-in registered capital is required)
• Step2 Foreign Trade Filing: Submit the record-filing form for foreign trade operators to the Bureau of Commerce, and the certificate will be issued within 3 working days
• Step3 Customs Registration: Fill in information on the website of the General Administration of Customs of China to obtain a 10-digit customs code
• Step4 Access to the electronic Port: The legal representative needs to handle it at the data center with the original ID card
• Step5 Foreign Exchange Administration Filing: Open the revenue and expenditure rights of the foreign exchange account (It is recommended to choose a bank with cross-border services)
• Step6 Tax Filing: Qualification identification for export tax rebate (Prepare a sample of the export invoice in advance)

Special attention: Since 2023, the electronic port card has been upgraded to a dual-certification mode of IC card + digital certificate, and the old media needs to be replaced in a timely manner.

III. These Invisible Thresholds You May Not Have Expected

In addition to the standard process, these hidden checkpoints often catch enterprises off guard:

• Import and export inspection and quarantine registration (involving special commodities such as food/cosmetics)
• Export license (for controlled commodities such as rare earths and steel)
• Certificate of origin (a key voucher for enjoying tariff preferences)

A building materials enterprise once had its entire container of goods detained at the port of destination due to failure to handle the steel structure export license, resulting in sky-high container detention fees. It is recommended to confirm the supervision conditions in advance through the customs HS code query system.

IV. How to Choose Between Self-handling and Agency-handling?

Although the full set of procedures can theoretically be handled independently, considering time cost and trial-and-error risk:

• Self-handling is suitable for: enterprises with a full-time legal affairs team and a large flexibility in the first application cycle
• Agency-handling is recommended for: enterprises that urgently need to carry out business and are involved in the import and export of multiple types of commodities

The cases of Zhongshitong show that professional agencies can shorten the handling time by an average of 45%, especially having obvious advantages when dealing with disputes over customs commodity classification.

Has Your Sea-going Engine Started?

When your neighboring peers have already won orders in Southeast Asia through RCEP tariff preferences, are you still repeatedly modifying the customs declaration form due to mistakes? The dividend period of cross-border trade never waits for anyone. You may leave your most concerned questions about import and export rights in the comment area, or send a private message to get a customized handling roadmap - after all, in the wave of globalization, being one step slower may mean missing the entire track.