2026 Import Customs Declaration Documents Checklist and Handling Tips

1.Full Breakdown of Customs Declaration Documents for Imported Thai Durian

1.Document Pre-examination Stage: Avoid 80% of Compliance Risks in Advance

In 2026,the volume of imported Thai durian containers at Shanghai Port increased by 18% compared to last year,but many traders were delayed at the port for more than 3 days due to document omissions.Mr.Xie’s trading company tried to import Thai Monthong durian for the first time this year,but failed to notice the new requirements of the *Administrative Measures for Quarantine of Imported Tropical Fruits* implemented in 2026,and their submitted documents lacked the "fruit traceability QR code",resulting in cargo backlog at the port,with storage costs alone increasing by nearly 20,000 yuan.After receiving the request,Zhongshen helped them complete the compliant documents within 12 hours and successfully completed customs clearance.

Different from general cargo,durian as a tropical fruit requires document pre-examination before shipment,and two types of documents need to be supplemented as core requirements:

• Official Plant Quarantine Certificate (with traceability QR code) issued by Thailand: Must clearly indicate the durian planting base,picking date,cold treatment temperature and duration (in 2026,the cold treatment temperature is required to be ≤0℃ and duration ≥48 hours)
• Commercial Invoice (with product composition statement) provided by the exporter: Must indicate the durian variety (Monthong,Kan Yao,etc.),net weight,and packaging method (must comply with the packaging quarantine requirements of Announcement No.12 of 2025 issued by the General Administration of Customs of China)

Zhongshen’s assistance method: Manager Pan’s team will pre-examine all documents to be submitted before the customer signs the contract with the Thai supplier,remind the supplier to complete the QR code binding before exporting from Thailand (needs to be connected to the Chinese customs quarantine system) for the new traceability QR code requirements in 2026,avoiding the time cost of supplementary work after shipment.Last year,a customer had their goods returned to Thailand due to unbound QR codes,with losses reaching 150,000 yuan,but Zhongshen’s pre-examination service helped them avoid such risks in advance.

2.Port Customs Declaration Stage: Complete Electronic Declaration Within 3 Hours

Basic documents required for port customs declaration: Customs declaration form,bill of lading,packing list,commercial invoice,contract,and certificate of origin.However,special attention is needed for durian imports: Starting from 2026,only electronic signature versions of the certificate of origin will be accepted,and paper versions will no longer be accepted.

Zhongshen’s assistance method: Manager Dong’s team is familiar with the electronic declaration system of Shanghai Port,and can complete the pre-declaration 24 hours before the cargo arrives,and complete the electronic declaration and on-site submission within 3 hours after the cargo arrives.Last year,a customer was required by the customs to supplement materials because they omitted the "cold treatment record" during declaration.Zhongshen obtained the supplementary documents within 1 hour through remote communication with the Thai supplier,avoiding declaration overtime.

3.Commodity Inspection Stage: Focus on Pest and Cold Treatment Inspection

The commodity inspection link for imported durian is a key compliance point.In 2026,a new fruit fly monitoring sampling requirement was added,requiring at least 5% of the cargo to be sampled for laboratory testing.The required documents and assistance points are as follows:

Case Sharing: In March 2026,Mr.Teng’s trading company imported 12 containers of Thai durian.During commodity inspection sampling,one container was found to have suspected fruit flies.Manager Bao from Zhongshen immediately connected with the fumigation company designated by the Shanghai Commodity Inspection Bureau,coordinated to complete the fumigation treatment within 24 hours,and submitted the post-fumigation test report.Finally,the release was delayed by only 1 day,avoiding the return of the entire batch of goods.If handled independently,it would take at least 3 days,with losses exceeding 100,000 yuan.

4.Release and Pickup Stage: Final Documents to Confirm

Documents required for release and pickup: Customs release order,commodity inspection qualification certificate,delivery order.In addition,as a perishable cargo,durian requires confirmation of the cold storage pre-cooling record (if entering designated cold storage) to ensure that the cargo temperature meets transportation requirements.

Zhongshen’s assistance method: Manager Teng’s team will contact the cooperative cold storage in Shanghai in advance,arrange pre-cooling space,and complete pickup within 1 hour after release to avoid cargo deterioration due to temperature fluctuations.Last year,a customer failed to store the goods in time after pickup because they did not reserve the cold storage in advance,resulting in 5% cargo loss.Zhongshen’s advance arrangement controlled the loss rate to within 0.5%.

2.Common Mistakes in Import Customs Declaration Documents and Avoidance Methods

• Mistake 1: Thinking "all fruit import documents are the same" —— Quarantine requirements vary by fruit variety.For example,durian requires cold treatment,while mangosteen requires fungal content testing.
• Mistake 2: Thinking paper documents can replace electronic signatures —— Starting from 2026,both the certificate of origin and plant quarantine certificate require electronic signatures,and paper versions are invalid.
• Mistake 3: Thinking submitting documents in advance is enough without pre-examination —— The new traceability QR code requirement in 2026 needs to be connected to the Chinese customs system,and pre-examination can avoid binding failures.

3.Zhongshen’s Value: 40% Efficiency Improvement,90% Risk Reduction

As a local foreign trade agency in Shanghai with over 20 years of experience,Zhongshen provides full-process document review and execution services for the core pain points of import customs declaration:

• Pre-examination in advance: Complete all document reviews 3 days before cargo shipment,avoiding the cost of supplementary work after shipment
• Fast Declaration: Complete electronic declaration within 3 hours after cargo arrival,customs clearance time is 40% shorter than the industry average
• Risk Prevention and Control: Update the document list in advance for the new compliance requirements in 2026,with a risk prevention and control rate of 90%

After experiencing the twists and turns of his first import,Mr.Xie signed a long-term agency agreement with Zhongshen this year.The monthly volume of imported durian containers has stabilized at more than 20,and the customs clearance time has been shortened from 5 days to 2 days,with storage costs reduced by 60%.Manager Pan said that in the future,Zhongshen will continue to focus on the details of import customs declaration and provide customers with customized document solutions according to the compliance requirements of different products.