Steps Involved In The Clearing Process
step 1
Documentation is examined by Customs Officer
At customs, the shipping label, bill of lading, and commercial invoice are examined closely. Ensure the declaration form's details match these documents to avoid delays, fees, or shipments being held.
step 2
Assessment of Import Duties and Taxes
Customs officers verify that taxes and duties are paid based on parcel type, declared value, minimum threshold value, and incoterm, with export duties assessed on goods exceeding the taxable thresho
step 3
Payment of Outstanding Dues, If Any
The choice of incoterm matters: with DDU (Delivery Duty Unpaid), customs transfers your goods to a broker, incurring extra fees for inspection, handling, and storage, while with DDP (Delivery Duty Paid), customs clears your goods for delivery.
step 4
Clearance of Shipment for Delivery
Once the customs officer approves your shipment, it is cleared for delivery. Delays are rare but usually occur due to mismatched documentation or unpaid duties.
Documents required
during Customs Clearance
For a hassle-free customs clearance process, your parcel must be accompanied by customs declaration document, alongside the following documents:
Be it importing or exporting goods into a country, one must apply for licensing authority for seamless movement of goods across borders.
Used as an alternative to commercial invoice in some countries, this is a confirmation document sent to buyer’s after the order has been placed.
This document is generally issued by the seller, denoting the region/state from which the goods are acquired, manufactured, or processed from.
This document is a proof of transaction to both parties, buyers as well as sellers. It includes all crucial information related to the shipment such as names and addresses of both parties, customer reference number, volume and weight of shipment, terms of sale and payment of goods, incoterm, currency used in transaction, quantity, description, unit price, total price, shipment mode, and freight insurance details of the goods. Please note that the incoterm decided on by both parties is significant during customs clearance.