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Before international air freight shipment, it is necessary to prepare three types of core documents: basic commercial documents, customs declaration special documents, and special cargo additional documents. The documents must be truthful, accurate, and consistent in information to avoid customs declaration delays and cargo detention due to missing or incorrect information.
1、 Basic commercial documents (mandatory for all goods)
Commercial invoice: It should include the name, address, and contact information of the shipper/consignee, the name, quantity, unit price, total price, currency, trade terms (such as EXW, FOB), invoice number, and date of the goods. The core function is the basis for customs to calculate tariffs and confirm the value of goods, which requires the shipper's official seal to be affixed (electronic signature may be used in some regions).
Packing list: It is necessary to list in detail the size and weight (actual weight+volumetric weight) of each package, the details of the goods (name, specifications, quantity, material), the number of packages and their numbers (such as 1/5, 2/5). It should be completely consistent with the goods information on the commercial invoice to facilitate customs inspection and verification.
Air waybill (AWB): issued by a freight forwarder or airline, containing key information such as flight number, port of origin, destination port, cargo description, chargeable weight, etc. It is a document for the transportation of goods, and the shipper needs to confirm and sign after verifying the information is correct.
2、 Special customs declaration documents (prepared according to the requirements of the importing and exporting countries)
Customs declaration form: The customs broker shall fill in the form based on the commercial invoice and packing list information, which shall include the qualification information of the importer and exporter, HS code of the goods, declaration elements, trade method, etc. After submission to the customs for review, it shall take effect (some regions support electronic customs declaration, no paper documents are required).
Import and export qualification documents: The shipper needs to provide a copy of the business license (stamped with the official seal). If it is a cross-border e-commerce FBA shipment, the platform store information also needs to be provided; If the consignee is an enterprise, they need to provide the corresponding import qualification documents of the country (such as the US EIN and European VAT numbers).
Certificate of Origin (to be prepared as needed): Some countries (such as the European and ASEAN) need to provide a certificate of origin to enjoy tariff preferences, proving that the goods are produced in China and must be certified and issued by relevant institutions (such as the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade).
3、 Additional documents for special goods (only required for corresponding categories)
Dangerous goods transportation documents: If the goods are dangerous goods (such as batteries, chemicals), MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) and dangerous goods transportation identification certificate must be provided. They should be packaged and labeled according to the aviation dangerous goods transportation rules, and the freight forwarder and airline company should be informed in advance.
Food/cosmetics: Health certificates and testing reports (such as FDA certification and CE certification) are required to ensure compliance with the safety standards of the destination country. In some regions, label filing documents are also required.
Electronic products: 3C certification and energy efficiency labeling (such as FCC in the United States and CE in Europe) are required to avoid being detained by customs due to compliance issues.
Brand goods category: If the goods carry a well-known brand logo, a brand authorization letter must be provided to prove that the goods are legally authorized for sale, in order to avoid infringement and seizure.
4、 Key considerations for data preparation
Information consistency: The name, quantity, specifications, and sender/receiver information of all documents must be completely consistent to avoid customs requesting supplementary information due to information contradictions.
Advance verification requirements: Customs of different countries have special requirements for documents (such as consular authentication required for some Middle Eastern countries), and the specific regulations of the destination must be confirmed through the freight forwarder before shipment.
Validity period of documents: Qualification documents (such as certification reports and certificates of origin) must be within their validity period. Expired documents will be rejected by customs and need to be d in advance.
