Importing into the United States - Indo-American Chamber Of ...

ENTRY OF GOODS
2. ENTRY PROCESS
When a shipment reaches the United
States, the importer of record (i.e., the owner,
purchaser, or licensed customs broker designated
by the owner, purchaser, or consignee)
will file entry documents for the goods with
the port director at the goods’ port of entry.
Imported goods are not legally entered until
after the shipment has arrived within the port
of entry, delivery of the merchandise has been
authorized by Customs, and estimated duties
have been paid. It is the importer of record’s
responsibility to arrange for examination and
release of the goods.
Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1484, the importer of
record must use reasonable care in making
entry.
NOTE: In addition to contacting the U.S.
Customs Service, importers should contact
other agencies when questions arise about particular
commodities. For example, questions
about products regulated by the Food and
Drug Administration should be forwarded to
the nearest FDA district office (check local
phone book under U.S. government listings) or
to the Import Division, FDA Headquarters,
301.443.6553. The same is true for alcohol,
tobacco, firearms, wildlife products (furs, skins,
shells), motor vehicles, and other products and
merchandise regulated by the other federal
agencies for which Customs enforces entry
laws. Appropriate agencies are identified in
Chapter 36.
Addresses and phone numbers for these
agencies are listed in the appendix.
Goods may be entered for consumption,
entered for warehouse at the port of arrival, or
they may be transported in-bond to another
port of entry and entered there under the same
conditions as at the port of arrival. Arrangements
for transporting the merchandise
in-bond to an in-land port may be made by the
consignee or by a customs broker or by any
other person with an interest in the goods for
that purpose. Unless your merchandise arrives
directly at the port where you wish to enter it,
you may be charged additional fees by the carrier
for transportation to that port unless other
arrangements have been made. Under some
circumstances, your goods may be released
through your local Customs port even though
they arrive at another port from a foreign
country. Prior to the goods’ arrival, arrangements
for entry must be made at the Customs
port where you intend to file your duties and
documentation.
Goods to be placed in a foreign trade zone
are not entered at the customhouse. See
Chapter 41 for more information on foreign
trade zones.
EVIDENCE OF RIGHT TO MAKE
ENTRY
Goods may only be entered by their
owner, purchaser, or a licensed customs broker.
When the goods are consigned “to order,” the
bill of lading, properly endorsed by the consignor,
may serve as evidence of the right to
make entry. An air waybill may be used for
merchandise arriving by air.
In most instances, entry is made by a
person or firm certified by the carrier bringing
the goods to the port of entry. This entity (i.e.,
the person or firm certified) is considered the
“owner” of the goods for customs purposes.
The document issued by the carrier for
this purpose is known as a “Carrier’s Certificate.”
An example of this certificate is shown in
the Appendix. In certain circumstances, entry
may be made by means of a duplicate bill of
lading or a shipping receipt. When the goods
are not imported by a common carrier, possession
of the goods by the importer at the time of
arrival shall be deemed sufficient evidence of
the right to make entry.
8 U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE