Verification Process of the US Customs Bond

by Samuel C. Customs Advisor

Crossing the borders, transporting goods from one land to another can be a taxing task, no matter you are a veteran doing this for so long or just a beginner. Since the departure and till the arrival of your shipment at the intended site, the anticipation period can be long and long, if it faces frequent bugs during the journey. It may be a worrying subject for importers to think about logistics and safe completion of freight. Errors in the U.S. Customs bond verification the process can be a big concern for importers.

Shipping through ocean vessels is all about correct record, rules, and documents. Not a single cargo can be overlooked by the vigilant officers of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and technology makes it easier. All cargos coming from foreign countries must have to undergo strict checking and documentation procedure.

What makes it crack-able the customs bond that is mandatory for commercial imports valued over $2,500. It comes under the US import security policies. Bonds are the first step to patch up the clearance.

Verification Process

Now, you might have a sound knowledge regarding 301 customs bond and it’s the right time cracks verification process. International traders often look for professional assistance and they mostly consult with customs clearance agencies. There are tens of brokerage firms available in the US that works on behalf of their clients and help in obtaining details of each document and also educate them about their crucial part.

After obtaining a continuous customs bond or any other type of bond, the next step of brokers is to make it verified by the CBP. The assigned officers at CBP take minimal time to determine whether the details of bondholder have already there in their database. At this point, brokers need to present the 9-digit Employer Identification Number (EIN) to CBP which was issued to them by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States. The importer also needs to obtain a Tax Identification Number.

List of Important Documents Required:

· Purchase Order from Buyer

· Commercial Invoice of supplier

· Bill of Lading

· Packing List

· Federal Tax ID

· Certificate of Origin

· Power of Attorney

· Customs Bond

· Shipping Details and other related documents.

When the federal government assigns importer a specific tax identification number and when he possesses sufficient bond, subsequently the broker can attempt to file a customs clearance application.

Type of Customs Bond

There are normally two types of the bond being enforced by the CBP for importing goods in its territory. 301 customs bond are for merchandisers who are expecting multiple shipments in a year through ocean ship. For single shipment in a year, there is another type of bond which is referred to as Single Entry Bond.

A broker with customs clearance expertise and the license can apply for continuous customs bond and help importers in calculating the exact amount according to the volume of cargo.