Entry document review before filing
Most entry problems are visible in the paperwork before anything is transmitted. Someone has to actually look.
Licensed U.S. customs brokerage. Customs broker of record; movement coordinated through vetted partners.
Entry document review is the checking of commercial and transport documents against each other, and against the customs declaration, before an entry is filed. It catches inconsistencies in quantity, value, description, origin and party details that would otherwise surface as a CBP query, an examination, or a penalty after release.
Key takeaways
- The commercial invoice, packing list and transport document must agree with each other.
- Inconsistencies are the most common trigger for a documentary query.
- Value and description problems are cheaper to resolve before filing than after.
- Country of origin marking requirements apply to the goods themselves, not only the paperwork.
- Reviewing at booking, rather than at arrival, is where the saving is.
What gets compared
Quantities and unit counts across invoice and packing list. Declared value, and whether it reflects the actual transaction including assists, royalties and related-party considerations. Product descriptions specific enough to support the classification. Country of origin, and whether marking requirements are satisfied. Party details — shipper, consignee, Importer of Record, notify party — and whether they are consistent and correct.
Where regulated goods differ
Where a partner agency reviews the shipment, the document set expands: product codes, registration details, affirmations of compliance, labelling. Those are checked in the same pass rather than treated as a separate exercise after the customs data is settled.
How it works
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01
Documents collected
Invoice, packing list, transport document, and anything else the shipment carries.
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02
Cross-checked
Line by line against each other for quantity, value, description and origin.
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03
Checked against the declaration
Does what we are about to transmit match what the documents actually say.
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04
Gaps flagged
You hear about problems while the shipment is in transit, which is when they are cheap.
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05
Corrections obtained
We go back to the supplier or forwarder for amended documents where needed.
Common mistakes
- Accepting the supplier's invoice unread. It was written for their records, not for a U.S. entry.
- Generic descriptions. "Goods" or "samples" on a commercial invoice is an invitation.
- Undeclared assists. Tooling or materials provided free to the supplier form part of dutiable value.
- Related-party pricing without support. If buyer and seller are related, the price needs backing.
- Marking overlooked. Origin marking applies to the article, and unmarked goods can be held.
Questions
What documents does a customs broker need?
At minimum: commercial invoice, packing list, and the bill of lading or airway bill. Regulated goods add product specifications, labels and registration details. Sending them at booking rather than at arrival is the single most useful thing an importer can do.
What if the supplier's documents are wrong?
We go back for corrected documents. Filing a declaration you know to be inaccurate is not an option, and "the supplier sent it that way" is not a defence — the Importer of Record certifies the entry.
Does this cost extra?
Document review is part of preparing an entry properly, not an add-on. Any specific charge appears itemised on your quote.
How early should documents be sent?
As soon as the shipment is booked. Everything found at that stage costs nothing to fix; the same problem found at arrival costs storage.
Related
Tell us what you're importing.
Commodity, origin, port and arrival date is enough to start.