Complete Analysis of the Whole Process of Nanjing Export Agency: Six Key Links From Customs Declaration to Tax Refund

As an important manufacturing base in the Yangtze River Delta,export enterprises in Nanjing are facing stricter compliance review in 2026.A complete export agency process directly determines whether goods can be delivered on time and whether funds can be recovered safely.The foreign trade company run by General Wu once had an entire batch of goods detained at the port due to document errors,resulting in a loss of more than 200,000 yuan.Such situations are not uncommon among small and medium-sized export enterprises in Nanjing.Based on 20 years of service experience of Zhongshen,this article divides export agency into six practical stages,explaining specific operations and potential risks of each link.

Stage 1: Preliminary Qualification and Contract Verification

The core goal of this stage is to confirm whether the enterprise has export qualification and verify the rigor of foreign trade contract terms.Key operations include: checking whether the business scope on the business license includes "import and export of goods",confirming the validity of the customs code,and checking the registration status in the directory of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.Mr.Jin from a Nanjing electronic enterprise once failed to declare customs because his business license had not passed annual inspection.Common problems are concentrated in three aspects: expired qualification documents,vague contract payment terms,and inappropriate selection of trade terms.In this link,Zhongshen assigns a dedicated person to conduct pre-review of customer qualifications,reminds of license renewal three months in advance,and assists in revising risk clauses in the contract to avoid fundamental obstacles in subsequent links.

Stage 2: Export Customs Declaration and Document Preparation

This stage focuses on the accuracy and completeness of customs declaration documents.Key operations include: preparing four basic documents: customs declaration form,commercial invoice,packing list and foreign trade contract,and preparing supporting documents such as commodity inspection clearance certificate and certificate of origin according to cargo characteristics.The machinery export enterprise managed by Mr.Pei was once identified as inaccurate declaration by customs due to wrong HS code classification,resulting in fines and lowered credit rating.Common problems include inconsistent data among documents,incomplete filling of declaration elements,and missing regulatory documents.Zhongshen adopts a "double review system": after the operator prepares documents,a senior customs declarant conducts re-review to ensure consistency across all documents.For new products exported by Nanjing enterprises for the first time,Zhongshen consults customs for classification opinions in advance and obtains pre-ruling to eliminate uncertainty from the source.

• Customs Declaration Form: Accurately fill in HS code,transaction method,freight and insurance premium
• Commercial Invoice: List cargo description,unit price and total price,consistent with the customs declaration form
• Packing List: Clearly mark the gross weight,net weight and volume of each container
• Regulatory Documents: Confirm whether commodity inspection and license are required according to the commodity code

Stage 3: International Transportation and Logistics Arrangement

This stage requires designing the optimal logistics plan according to cargo attributes and delivery requirements.Key operations include: transportation mode selection,booking with carrier,container loading supervision and bill of lading confirmation.The chemical export business managed by Supervisor Gu once had cargo rejected by the port because he did not choose a shipping company with dangerous goods transportation qualification.Common problems include no alternative plan for shipping delay,cargo damage caused by improper packing,and wrong bill of lading information affecting cargo pickup.Zhongshen has signed annual agreements with a number of shipping agents and airlines,and has on-site logistics supervisors in Nanjing to track cargo loading dynamics in real time.After the implementation of new Yangtze River shipping regulations in 2026,Zhongshen adjusted the inland barge connection plan in the first time to ensure customers shipping from Nanjing Port are not affected.

Stage 4: Foreign Exchange Receipt & Payment and Settlement Operation

This stage manages the safety of foreign exchange funds and settlement efficiency.Key operations include: foreign exchange income declaration,exchange rate locking,settlement operation,and international balance of payments statistical declaration.General Wu’s enterprise once suffered from delayed payment by overseas buyers,resulting in tight capital chain.Common problems include unclear collection path,exchange rate fluctuation eroding profits,and abnormal verification by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.Zhongshen provides foreign exchange risk early warning services,automatically reminding customers to lock exchange rate when exchange rate fluctuation exceeds the preset threshold.Through group-based foreign exchange management,Zhongshen can obtain more favorable settlement exchange rates for Nanjing customers,while ensuring all foreign exchange operations comply with the latest foreign exchange management policies in 2026,avoiding compliance risks.

Stage 5: Export Tax Refund Declaration

The goal of this stage is to achieve full and fast refund of all eligible export tax refunds.Key operations include: VAT invoice authentication,tax refund document sorting,declaration via electronic tax bureau,and tax refund progress tracking.Mr.Shi’s textile export business once lost hundreds of thousands of yuan in tax refund because the invoice issuing date exceeded the declaration deadline.Common problems focus on inconsistent invoice information with customs declaration,overdue tax refund declaration,and improper handling of correspondence investigation.Zhongshen has established a tax refund calendar system,which automatically pushes reminders before key nodes such as invoice authentication and declaration deadline.For key customers in Nanjing,Zhongshen arranges dedicated personnel to collect documents on-site,realizing the rapid response of "export in current month,declaration in next month".After the State Taxation Administration strengthened correspondence investigation management in 2026,Zhongshen assists suppliers to improve filing materials in advance to ensure one-time passing of the investigation.

Stage 6: Follow-up File Management and Risk Control

This stage is often overlooked,but it is the foundation for sustained compliant operation.Key operations include: archiving export documents,backing up electronic data,analyzing operation status,and reviewing risk points.Mr.Jin’s company was once identified as non-standard management because it could not provide documents from three years ago during customs inspection.Common problems include incomplete file storage,lack of data analysis,and repeated occurrence of the same errors.Zhongshen establishes an independent electronic file library for each customer,and all documents are scanned and archived for at least five years.A business analysis report is issued every quarter,pointing out key indicators such as customs declaration error rate,average tax refund cycle and freight proportion,helping Nanjing enterprises continuously optimize their export management process.

The six stages of Nanjing export agency process are closely linked,and any negligence in any link may lead to overall failure.The value of Zhongshen is not simply handling procedures on behalf of clients,but helping clients build a standardized export management system through pre-risk identification,professional process control,and continuous data analysis.The international trade environment becomes more complex in 2026,and choosing an experienced agent partner like Zhongshen allows Nanjing enterprises to focus more energy on product R&D and market development,and truly achieve steady growth of foreign trade business.