Nanjing Import and Export Agency Consultation? Core Procedures and Pitfall Avoidance Guide

Nanjing Import and Export Agency: Full Procedure Breakdown From Demand Matching to Tax Refund Completion

Many manufacturing and trading enterprises in Nanjing plan to expand into the international market in 2026,but import and export procedures cover multiple links including customs declaration,inspection,tax refund,etc.Self-operation is highly prone to pitfalls.General Manager Qu of Zhongshen often receives inquiries from Nanjing enterprises: "How exactly does the agency procedure work?Which links are most likely to go wrong?" Today,combined with the 2026 market status,we systematically sort out the core procedures of Nanjing import and export agency to help enterprises clarify what to do at each step.

1.Demand Matching and Customized Scheme: Accurately Meet Enterprise Requirements

Stage Objective: Clarify customer’s product type,trade method (general trade/processing trade),destination,capital demand,etc.and develop a personalized agency plan.

Key Actions:

• Customer submits basic information: product HS code,cargo value,transportation method (sea/air/land transport),whether tax refund is required,etc.;
• General Manager Qu’s team at Zhongshen reviews the information: confirm whether the product is a restricted import/export commodity,and whether the trade method is compliant;
• Customize the plan: For the demand of Mr.Zhu from an electronics enterprise in Nanjing,we recommended an LCL sea freight plan to reduce transportation costs.

Common Questions:

• Q: What impact will wrong HS code cause?A: Nanjing Customs has stricter HS code review in 2026,wrong coding may lead to customs declaration delay and overpaid tariff.Zhongshen has dedicated staff to verify the code.Mr.Zhu’s self-declaration was rejected by customs due to wrong coding before,and the problem was solved within 3 days after turning to our agency.
• Q: Is there a big difference in agency fees for different trade methods?A: Processing trade has an extra manual verification link compared to general trade,so the fee is slightly higher.General Manager Qu’s team will disclose the full fee list in advance to avoid hidden charges.

Value of Zhongshen: With 20+ years of experience,we help customers avoid problems such as wrong coding and improper trade method selection.For example,for cross-border e-commerce orders from a Nanjing garment enterprise,we recommended the "9610" model,which complies with the 2026 latest customs regulatory requirements for cross-border e-commerce.

2.Contract Signing and Qualification Review: Build a Solid Compliance Barrier

Stage Objective: Sign a formal agency agreement,clarify the rights and responsibilities of both parties,and review customer qualifications to ensure compliance.

Key Actions:

• Sign agency agreement: clarify agency scope (customs declaration/transportation/tax refund,etc.),fee standard,and breach of contract liability;
• Customer submits qualification documents: business license,Foreign Trade Operator Registration Form,product test report,etc.;
• Zhongshen review: confirm the validity of qualifications,and whether they meet the entry requirements of the destination country (e.g.EU CE certification).

Common Questions:

• Q: Can I use agency service without Foreign Trade Operator Registration?A: Yes,the agency can handle customs declaration for enterprises in "dual-title" form,but you need to inform General Manager Qu’s team in advance to avoid affecting tax refund;
• Q: What clauses should I pay attention to in the agreement?A: Focus on "tax refund liability" and "cargo damage compensation".Zhongshen’s agreement clearly states: if tax refund delay is caused by agency error,we will bear the corresponding interest loss.

Value of Zhongshen: In 2026,for Ms.Mao from a Nanjing chemical enterprise whose products required EU REACH certification,General Manager Qu’s team reminded her to supplement the certification documents in advance,avoiding the situation that goods could not be cleared after arriving at the port.All agreement clauses are reviewed by our legal team to ensure compliance with the latest amendments to the Foreign Trade Law.

3.Cargo Preparation and Document Production: Ensure Consistency Between Documents and Cargo

Stage Objective: Prepare cargo and produce a full set of customs declaration and inspection documents,ensuring that document information matches cargo information.

Key Actions:

• Cargo preparation: Customer arranges production/stocking,Zhongshen reminds that packaging meets transportation requirements (e.g.moisture-proof packaging for sea containers);
• Document production: including packing list,invoice,contract,customs declaration form,inspection declaration form,etc.;
• Document review: Dedicated staff of Zhongshen conduct verification to ensure that product name,quantity,HS code are consistent with actual cargo.

Common Questions:

• Q: What are the consequences of inconsistent document information?A: In 2026,Nanjing Customs launched the "Smart Customs Declaration" system,inconsistent documents will be directly rejected,causing a delay of 1-3 days.The document review approval rate of Zhongshen reaches 99%.Mr.Zhu’s self-declaration was rejected before due to inconsistent invoice amount and contract,and it passed at the first attempt after turning to our agency;
• Q: What inspection documents do I need to prepare?A: It depends on product type.For example,food requires a hygiene certificate,electronic products require 3C certification.General Manager Qu’s team will provide a complete checklist to avoid omissions.

Value of Zhongshen: In 2026,for a Nanjing agricultural product enterprise,our produced inspection documents fully met the requirements of Japan’s Positive List System,passed inspection and quarantine smoothly,and the goods arrived at the port on time.

4.Customs Declaration,Inspection and International Transportation: Ensure Clearance Timeliness

Stage Objective: Complete customs declaration and inspection smoothly,arrange international transportation,and ensure on-time delivery of goods.

Key Actions:

• Customs declaration and inspection: Declarers of Zhongshen submit electronic data and cooperate with customs inspection if required;
• Transportation arrangement: Select transportation method according to product type.For example,use air freight for electronic goods from Nanjing to Southeast Asia,sea freight for construction materials to Europe;
• Logistics tracking: Update cargo location in real time and inform customers of estimated arrival time.

Common Questions:

• Q: How long will customs inspection delay the shipment?A: It usually takes 1-2 days if there is no problem with the cargo.Zhongshen has experienced inspection coordinators that can quickly cooperate with customs inspection to reduce delays;
• Q: What if there is a shortage of shipping space during peak season?A: In 2026,the shipping space supply of Nanjing Port fluctuates greatly,General Manager Qu’s team locks shipping space 10 days in advance to avoid space shortage.

Value of Zhongshen: When Supervisor Mei from a Nanjing machinery enterprise faced shipping space shortage during the 2026 peak shipping season,General Manager Qu’s team coordinated transit space from Shanghai Port and arranged shipment on time,saving 2 days compared with the client finding a forwarder independently.

5.Foreign Exchange Collection/Payout and Settlement: Safe and Compliant Foreign Exchange Handling

Stage Objective: Receive foreign exchange safely,settle foreign exchange compliantly,and avoid foreign exchange risks.

Key Actions:

• Foreign exchange collection/payout: Customer provides foreign exchange account information,Zhongshen cooperates with collection/payout if entrusted for this service;
• Foreign exchange settlement: Select appropriate exchange rate timing for settlement according to customer demand,avoid losses from exchange rate fluctuations;
• Foreign exchange declaration: Complete foreign exchange income and expenditure declaration to meet the requirements of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE).

Common Questions:

• Q: What materials are required for foreign exchange settlement?A: Customs declaration form,invoice,contract,and foreign exchange receipt voucher.Zhongshen will organize all required materials and complete settlement quickly;
• Q: How to deal with exchange rate fluctuations?A: RMB exchange rate fluctuates greatly in 2026,General Manager Qu’s team will recommend forward foreign exchange settlement to lock the exchange rate.For example,Mr.Xiao from a Nanjing trading enterprise used forward settlement and avoided a 10% exchange rate loss.

Value of Zhongshen: We hold SAFE-approved qualification for agency foreign exchange collection and payout.In 2026,we helped more than 120 Nanjing enterprises safely collect foreign exchange exceeding 500 million US dollars,and the settlement efficiency is 3 days faster than self-processing by enterprises.

6.Export Tax Refund Declaration: Quickly Revitalize Capital Flow

Stage Objective: Declare export tax refund in time,shorten the tax refund cycle,and revitalize enterprise capital.

Key Actions:

• Collect tax refund materials: tax refund copy of customs declaration,VAT invoice,foreign exchange receipt voucher,etc.;
• Tax refund declaration: Tax refund specialists of Zhongshen submit electronic declaration data and cooperate with tax authority review;
• Track tax refund arrival: Track the progress and inform the customer of the arrival time.

Common Questions:

• Q: How long does it take for tax refund to arrive?A: In 2026,the general tax refund cycle of Nanjing tax authority is 7-15 days.The declaration approval rate of Zhongshen reaches 98%,and the average arrival time is 8 days,2 days faster than the industry average;
• Q: What situations will affect tax refund?A: Expired VAT invoice and inconsistent customs declaration information.General Manager Qu’s team will remind customers of the invoice certification time limit (within 360 days) in advance.

Value of Zhongshen: For the high-tech products of a Nanjing electronics enterprise,we helped the enterprise apply for the preferential export tax refund policy,with a tax refund rate of 16%,which is 2 percentage points higher than that of ordinary products,bringing an extra 300,000 RMB of tax refund per year.

Self-Operation vs Agency Operation: How Should Nanjing Enterprises Choose?

It can be seen from the table that agency operation has obvious advantages in time,professionalism,risk control and efficiency.Mr.Zhu from a Nanjing manufacturing enterprise operated by himself before,and suffered a 100,000 RMB loss due to order breach caused by customs declaration delay.After turning to Zhongshen for agency service,there were no delays in half a year,the tax refund arrival time was shortened by half,and capital turnover became much faster.

Conclusion: Core Value of Nanjing Import and Export Agency

In 2026,competition in Nanjing’s foreign trade market is fierce.Import and export agency is not just a simple errand service,it helps enterprises solve pain points throughout the whole foreign trade process:

• Save time: No need to run between multiple departments such as customs and tax authority,save a lot of labor and time;
• Reduce risks: Professional team avoids policy risks and operation risks,prevents losses;
• Improve efficiency: Fast customs clearance and fast tax refund revitalize capital flow;
• Cut costs: Bulk purchase of transportation resources reduces logistics costs,and helps enterprises enjoy tax refund preferences.

Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in foreign trade agency for more than 20 years,serving more than 500 enterprises in Nanjing.We are familiar with the latest 2026 customs and tax policies,and can help enterprises expand the international market quickly.If you have demand for import and export agency in Nanjing,you can contact our professional team to avoid unnecessary detours and improve your foreign trade efficiency.