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Customs and documentation — where shipments are won or delayed
Most “customs problems” are document problems that existed before the cargo ever reached the port. Our work here is simple to describe and demanding to do: make the invoice, the packing list, the declaration and the transport document tell the same story — before anything is filed.
The cheapest moment to fix a document is before it is submitted
A declaration that does not match the invoice invites a customs query. A bill of lading that disagrees with the letter of credit holds your payment hostage. A missing certificate can strand goods that are otherwise perfectly in order. None of these are exotic risks — they are the ordinary failure modes of a rushed document set. The same clarity applies at the destination border: we tell you which trade terms apply to your shipment and what they mean for duty, before you book (see our plain-language DDP guide).
So the sequence matters: documents first, checked for consistency, classification confirmed with you where it needs your sign-off — and only then does the cargo move against them.
What we prepare and check
| Document | What we watch for |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Values the shipment; must match the contract and the declaration |
| Packing list | Piece counts and weights; must match the invoice and the cargo |
| Export declaration | Filed from the above; classification flagged for your confirmation where needed |
| Bill of lading / AWB | The document of title; drafted to your letter of credit or import requirements |
| Certificates of origin | Where required by your import side — tell us at quotation stage |
What we need from your side
Honest product information. The declaration is only as accurate as what we are told: what the goods are, what they are made of, what they are for. If you have an HS code from previous shipments or from your broker, we declare from it. If not, we work from your description and flag the classification for confirmation before filing — you know your product; we know the form it must take at the border.
Customs and documentation questions
Who is responsible for the HS code?
You know what the goods are; the declaration classifies them. If you have an HS code from previous shipments or your broker, we declare from it. If not, we work from your product information and flag the classification for your confirmation before filing.
What happens if documents are wrong?
Usually delays: a customs query, an amended declaration, sometimes fines. This is why we check the invoice, packing list and declaration against each other before filing — the cheapest moment to fix a document is before it is submitted.
Who is the exporter of record?
It depends on your incoterm and who contracts the shipment. We confirm it explicitly when we scope your shipment, because it determines whose name appears on the declaration and which documents you receive.
A document question you need answered?
Tell us the goods and the destination — we will tell you plainly what the export requires.