The process of international air freight customs clearance and transfer involves multiple steps and is a complex procedure, mainly including the following aspects:
1. Quotation and Order Placement: First, the shipper needs to provide detailed information about the goods to the freight forwarder, including product name, weight, volume, departure airport, destination airport, etc., so that the freight forwarder can quote based on this information. After price confirmation, the exporter will place an order with the freight forwarder for booking space.
2. Delivery and Weighing: The exporter delivers the goods to the designated warehouse based on the information provided by the freight forwarder, or the freight forwarder arranges a vehicle to pick up the goods. After the goods enter the warehouse, they need to be weighed and the weight and volume data confirmed.
3. Customs Clearance: The exporter submits the necessary customs clearance documents to the freight forwarder, who then entrusts a customs broker to declare to customs. Customs clearance documents typically include commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading, transport contracts, export licenses, etc.
4. Transfer Operation: Transfer refers to the act of transferring goods from one customs-controlled point to another under customs supervision for customs clearance. Transfer can be divided into three methods: advance declaration transfer, direct transfer, and transit transfer.
- Advance Declaration Transfer: This refers to the method where import goods are declared at the destination before being processed for import transfer at the entry point.
- Direct Transfer: This refers to the method where after processing transfer procedures at the customs of the entry point, the goods arrive at the destination and then customs clearance is completed.
- Transit Transfer: This refers to the method where goods with a full consignment bill that need to be reloaded onto domestic transport are first declared for import at the destination customs, and then the domestic carrier processes the transfer procedures in batches at the entry point customs.
5. Customs Approval and Release: Customs will review the submitted customs clearance documents. If there are no issues, customs will issue a release notice allowing the goods to be loaded onto the plane.
6. Cargo Tracking and Fee Settlement: After loading the cargo onto the plane, the freight forwarder needs to track the flight and cargo to ensure timely departure. At the same time, relevant information such as the air waybill number, flight number, and departure time must be promptly communicated to the customer, and related fees must be settled.
It is important to note that an air waybill is not a document of title and is not a mandatory condition for delivery, meaning the consignee can receive the goods without the air waybill. Additionally, the air freight customs clearance process may vary depending on the country, region, and nature of the goods. Therefore, when performing air freight customs clearance, it is recommended to work with professional customs brokers or logistics companies to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and requirements, and to facilitate smooth transportation of the goods. For any needs related to air freight customs clearance and transfer, feel free to consult Unitex!