Airline passengers that hand carry commercial shipments are required to clear customs at the first port of arrival in the US. Being familiar with airline passenger customs clearance is important for all passengers that come into the US with items intended to enter the US commerce.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR GOODS ARE HELD BY CUSTOMS AT THE AIRPORT
Call or email us if you arrive at the airport and your goods are held by customs. Customs at the airport will ask you to get a customs broker to clear customs if they determine or suspect that the goods that you are travelling with classify as a commercial shipment. For customs purposes, a commercial shipment is any good that is intended for sale or for business use. All commercial shipments coming into the US have to be formally declared and documented with a customs entry and pay duties if applicable in order to enter the US.
If your shipment is held by customs please make sure that you receive the proper documentation and receipts from customs showing the details of the goods being held, flight number, airline, airport and the name and contact information of the officer detaining the goods. Please make sure that you read the fine print and understand what you are signing. We have seen importers that inadvertently sign that they are voluntarily abandoning their shipment, when this happens it complicates the recovery process. Most times when the goods are held the airline arranges for the goods to be transferred to a near by warehouse, however, sometimes they are held at the airport for a limited amount of time.
Contact us as soon as you are told that your goods are being held and when you receive the corresponding documentation from customs at the airport. Sometimes we can clear customs while you are still at the airport, that way you do not have to go back to the airport to claim your goods.
WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE IMPORTED TO THE US
Customs has the right to inspect all passenger luggage and hand carry items coming into the US. If you will be traveling to the US soon,we encourage you to review the following customs article on what can and cannot be imported into the US before you plan your trip to make sure that you comply with the customs regulations:
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/know-before-you-go/prohibited-and-restricted-items
It is important to know that any shipment brought into the US for commercial purposes must declare customs and pay the customs duties applicable to the shipment.
PASSENGER CUSTOMS CLEARANCE - HOW TO CLEAR CUSTOMS
Please send us the following documentation before your flight:
- Passport
- Plane ticket
- Commercial invoice with the following information:
- Name and address including city, state, zip code and country of the shipper
- Name and address including city, state, zip code and country of the consignee
- Detailed description of the items being imported
- Quantity
- Unit price
- Total price per item type
- HTS tariff code if available
- Packing list including:
- Name and address including city, state, zip code and country of the shipper
- Name and address including city, state, zip code and country of the consignee
- Detailed description of the items being imported
- Quantity
- Weight of each package or item
- Certificate of origin if the country of origin has an international free trade agreement with the US and you wish for us to apply it to the formal customs entry in order to potentially waive customs duties
Once we receive the shipment documents, we will prepare the customs documentation and send it to you to carry with you on your flight. The customs clearance documents will include detailed instructions on what to do once you arrive at the first port in the US.
We will be available to you when you arrive to the first USA port should you need any assistance as you clear customs at the airport. We take care of the customs clearance documentation for air passengers including the payment of duties and fees to US Customs.