Planning to import goods soon? You might consider consulting a Licensed Customs Broker first before shipping out your products. No one wants to have their shipments potentially stuck, or worse, seized and confiscated by the Philippine Bureau of Customs. Save yourself from costly mistakes and unnecessary delays by talking to your trusted Customs Broker first.
When do I need a Customs Broker?
The quick answer to that is from start to finish of the whole importation process.
Legally Import Your Products
You, as the importer, should be aware whether your commodity falls under a) Free Importation, b) Regulated Importation, c) Restricted Importation, or d) Prohibited Importation:
If your commodity falls under Free Importation, this means that your goods can be imported without the need for import permits, clearances, or licenses.
If your commodity falls under Regulated Importation, your reliable licensed Customs Broker will inform you of the import permits, clearances, licenses, or certificates necessary and how to comply with these documents to be able to import these goods legally. In most cases, these requirements should be secured prior to importation of goods.
For commodities under Restricted Importation, importation needs authorization by law and/or regulation, otherwise importation is prohibited. For a list of items, please refer to: https://www.dti.gov.ph/negosyo/imports/import-facilitation/
Lastly, Prohibited Importation, means that the importation of these commodities are absolutely prohibited, unlawful, and illegal. Some examples of these include infringed goods or counterfeit products, secondhand clothes and rags, misbranded food/drugs, toy firearms, etc.
If it’s your first time importing your chosen product or commodity, it is best to consult a Licensed Customs Broker first even before purchasing your product internationally.
Know Your Import Costs, Customs Duties, and Taxes
More so, before you finalize your Purchase Order from your international supplier, you should already have an idea or estimate of how much money you’ll be spending on your total logistics costs, including the import Customs Duties and Taxes. Your Customs Broker should be able to estimate your Customs Clearance costs and fees once you provide them with a Commercial Invoice and Packing List.
Accreditation, Documentation, Actual Customs Clearance, Cargo Releasing
As the importer, you should work hand-in-hand with your preferred Licensed Customs Broker from the pre-arrival process, cargo clearance (upon arrival) process, and post-clearance process or cargo releasing.
Pre-Arrival Process: Accreditation of Importer, Securing of Permits and other Required Documents, Preparation and Lodgment of Goods Declaration.
BOC Cargo Clearance: E2M System or Electronic Receipt of Goods Declaration and Manifest Data, Selectivity and Assessment, Final Assessment of Duties and Taxes, Issuance of Release Instructions.
Port/Warehouse Cargo Releasing: Transfer of Red Selectivity to DEA, Payment Processing of Port Charges and Issuance of Gate Pass, Cargo Releasing from the port.
Registering in the Bureau of Customs as An Accredited Importer
Prior to the importation of your goods, your Licensed Customs Broker will help and guide you in securing a Certificate of Registration (COR) from the Account Management Office (AMO) of the Bureau of Customs (BOC). For a list of requirements, forms, and procedure, please refer to our separate post.
Since your goal as an importer or trading business is to sell international products to the local market, it is best to entrust all the documentation process to a Licensed Professional like EAM Customs Brokerage.
What do Customs Brokers do best?
Customs Brokers are individuals who assist persons or businesses in clearing imported or exported goods through customs.
Aside from customs clearance, Customs Brokers advise clients on the duties and taxes, import and export regulations, and what to do when importing or exporting goods. They prepare customs documents, import & export entries, duty and tax declarations, which include tasks like signing, filing, lodging and the overall entry process.
For over 18 years, EAM Customs Brokerage has been at the forefront of customs brokerage and freight forwarding. Its expertise is in customs clearance, door-to-door total logistics, and international freight shipping services for countries worldwide. The company provides convenient and hassle-free quality services to all importers and exporters.
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