Customs Clearance

Overseas Brokers provides customs brokerage services, both for products being imported to the US and for products being imported to other countries. Clearing import shipments through customs is an integral part of any supply chain. In order to avoid delays in customs which could result in unexpected costs for demurrage and unnecessary loss of valuable time, documents required by customs must be prepared well in advance. Our customs specialists will guide you in preparing the required documents, and ensure compliance with import regulations and proper classification of your products. Accurate description and classification of the product according to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS), as well as defining your shipping terms and specifying what services your declared prices include, are crucial factors to ensure you pay the correct duty and taxes. In some countries, certain taxes may be reimbursable as long as the proper parties are named in the shipping documents and the taxes are paid using the buyer’s tax identification number in the destination country. Advance preparation of documents for customs, supported by expert advice from import specialists, means lower risk of delays and unexpected costs so you can ensure adherence to your promised lead time without spending more than necessary.

Exporting certain commodities also requires export clearance in some countries, and in some cases an export license may be required. Our customs specialists will advise you what commodities require export clearance and which countries require an export clearance procedure. For shipments requiring export clearance, our customs specialists will guide you through the process and assist you in preparing the required documents and declarations.

Our customs specialists are well versed in security initiatives which impact the customs clearance process, such as AMS (Automated Manifest System), ISF 10+2 (Importer Security Filing),  CSI (Container Security Initiative) and C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism). Advance filing with the respective government agencies reduces security threats and ensures shipments are screened in advance to prevent delays at time of arrival.