What are the key customs compliance points for export agents transforming to import business?

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I am the person in charge of an export shipping agency company with 15 years of operation experience. Recently, clients requested us to assist with import business, but our team is completely unfamiliar with import procedures.

Last month, when we tried to import mechanical equipment for a client, the goods were detained at the port for 5 days due to incomplete documents, resulting in nearly 20,000 yuan of detention fees and late fines; we also encountered valuation disputes during customs declaration, and the customs held that the declared value was too low and required supplementary tax payment. The client is pressing urgently, we are afraid of making mistakes again and losing clients, but have no idea where to start to standardize the processes, so we would like to ask how to quickly master the core points of import agency to avoid similar problems?

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Grace Wang
Grace WangYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0

Senior Foreign Trade ConsultantStart a Chat

When export agents transform to import business，they should first sort out the compliance requirements of core nodes in the whole chain to avoid risks caused by detail omissions. The first step is pre-document review，which requires confirmation of the consistency of import contracts，invoices and packing lists，especially the accurate HS Code classification -- wrong coding may lead to inappropriate tax rate application or non-conformity with supervision conditions，resulting in cargo detention. For example，when importing mechanical equipment，it is necessary to confirm whether it belongs to "used mechanical and electrical products". If yes，the Filing for Imported Used Mechanical and Electrical Products shall be handled in advance，otherwise customs clearance cannot be completed.

The second part is logistics route optimization and cargo ownership control. It is recommended to give priority to direct shipping routes to reduce transit links and lower the risk of container rolling or cargo damage，at the same time，the type of bill of lading shall be clarified. If sea bill of lading is adopted，Order Bill of Lading shall be selected and the endorsement process shall be standardized to ensure controllable cargo ownership. For enterprises engaging in import for the first time，they can reach an agreement with logistics providers on the clause of "extended free storage period" to avoid port detention fees caused by delayed customs clearance.

For exception plans，a response scheme for valuation disputes shall be prepared in advance: if the customs raises valuation queries，supporting materials such as procurement contracts，foreign exchange payment vouchers，original factory invoices shall be provided in time，and price consultation can be applied for when necessary. In addition，document filing shall be kept completely for at least 5 years，including import declaration forms，contracts，invoices，logistics documents，etc。for subsequent customs verification.

The last part is compliance implementation，a three-level risk control mechanism of "document review - logistics tracking - customs declaration recheck" shall be established: document review is handled by dedicated personnel，logistics nodes are updated in real time，and secondary recheck is carried out before customs declaration to ensure all links meet customs requirements. Through full-chain refined management，risks such as port detention and cargo detention can be effectively avoided，and stable operation of import business can be realized.

Reference: Detailed Analysis of Export Customs Declaration Agency Fees in Putuo District: How Can Enterprises Accurately Calculate Costs in 2026?
Andy Guo
Andy GuoYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0

Supply Chain Management ExpertStart a Chat

Valuation disputes in import declaration are common problems, and enterprises switching from export to import are prone to disputes due to unfamiliarity with relevant rules. If the customs holds that the declared value is too low, supporting materials such as procurement contracts, foreign exchange payment vouchers and original factory invoices shall be provided; if the transaction involves affiliated relations, it shall be proved that the price is not affected, and a third-party price assessment report can be provided.

If no agreement can be reached yet, administrative reconsideration can be applied for, but materials shall be submitted within the specified time limit. In addition, customs valuation follows the "transaction value method", so enterprises shall ensure that the declared value is consistent with the actual transaction to avoid penalties caused by false price declaration.

Daniel Xu
Daniel XuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0

Director of Import & Export OperationsStart a Chat

Enterprises switching from export to import shall start with route selection and cost control to optimize logistics costs. Direct shipping and transit schemes shall be selected in combination with cargo characteristics: high-value goods are given priority to direct shipping to reduce the risk of cargo damage in transit; bulk cargo can choose transit schemes to save freight.

For detention fee control, the exemption policy shall be confirmed with the shipping company in advance, and some shipping companies provide first-order exemption for new clients. For cargo ownership control, the qualification of the consignee shall be confirmed when adopting "telex release bill of lading", and the endorsement process of the original bill of lading shall be standardized to prevent loss. Extended free storage period can be applied to the port, and reasonable proof of customs clearance delay shall be provided.

Eric Zhou
Eric ZhouYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0

Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat

VAT deferral is an effective means for enterprises switching from export to import to reduce capital pressure. At present, some ports in China support "import VAT deferral", enterprises do not need to pay import VAT at the time of customs clearance, and can deduct it in the declaration period of the next month.

The application requirements are as follows: the enterprise is a general taxpayer, the imported goods are used for taxable items, and customs clearance is carried out at designated ports (such as Shanghai Yangshan Port). It should be noted that VAT deferral is not tax exemption, but delayed payment.

Enterprises shall ensure that there are sufficient output tax amounts for deduction in the follow-up to avoid tax risks. Through deferral, VAT payment can be postponed for 1-2 months, easing the pressure of capital turnover.

Jason Wu
Jason WuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0

International Logistics & Supply Chain ManagerStart a Chat

For import receipt and payment compliance, attention shall be paid to the accuracy of SWIFT messages. Beneficiary information and remittance purpose shall be consistent with the contract to avoid fund return.

Offshore account management shall ensure legal sources of funds, and foreign exchange payment vouchers shall be kept for verification. CIPS RMB cross-border payment is preferred, with lower exchange rate cost and fast arrival (1-2 working days).

When settling foreign exchange, the import declaration form shall be provided as authenticity proof, and the amount shall be consistent with that on the declaration form to avoid attracting the attention of the foreign exchange administration. In addition, foreign exchange verification shall be handled in time to ensure that the receipt and payment data matches the customs declaration data.

Cindy Chen
Cindy ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0

Key Account ManagerStart a Chat

Legal risks of import business are concentrated on contract clauses and cargo ownership transfer. The contract shall clarify the scope of "force majeure", such as epidemics, port strikes, etc., to avoid breach of contract. For cargo ownership transfer, the type of bill of lading endorsement shall be selected carefully: blank endorsement has high risk, while straight endorsement has higher security.

For letter of credit payment, soft clauses such as "the bill of lading needs to be confirmed by the shipping company" shall be reviewed to avoid inability to cash. It is recommended to add the "cargo ownership retention clause", under which the seller retains the cargo ownership before the full payment of the goods, to reduce collection risks. In addition, all contracts and documents shall be kept for at least 5 years for use in case of legal disputes.

Michael Zhang
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0

Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat

For on-site inspection of imported goods, attention shall be paid to the authenticity identification of seals. Check whether the seal number on the bill of lading is consistent with that on the container seal. If it is damaged or inconsistent, take photos immediately and notify the shipping company.

Cooperate with the customs during unpacking inspection, provide cargo lists and instructions, and prepare operation manuals in advance for mechanical equipment. Tips for machine inspection: avoid metal shielding in packaging to prevent image blur leading to secondary inspection.

Read the inspection notice carefully to clarify the time, place and required materials. If you cannot be present, apply for extension in advance to avoid port detention fees. Cooperate with the customs process for inspection and appraisal, and provide samples and relevant materials in time.

Evelyn Li
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0

Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat

Packaging compliance of imported goods shall focus on MSDS and dangerous goods packaging requirements. For dangerous goods, UN dangerous goods packaging certification shall be handled in advance, and the packaging shall be marked with correct dangerous goods signs. The preparation of MSDS shall include physical and chemical properties, first aid measures, etc., conforming to the standards of the importing country (such as EU REACH).

Moisture-proof reinforcement scheme: use moisture-proof film for goods prone to moisture, and fill gaps with buffer materials for fragile goods. Special packaging engineers suggest pre-testing the packaging before import to ensure that it meets international transportation standards, and avoid cargo return or detention caused by unqualified packaging.

Kevin Lin
Kevin LinYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0

Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat

Supply chain planning for enterprises switching from export to import shall focus on inventory linkage and cost actuarial calculation. For inventory linkage, match import inventory with export orders to avoid overstock, for example, JIT mode is adopted for raw material import to reduce capital occupation. The cost actuarial model shall include all costs such as logistics, customs duty, value-added tax, port detention fees, etc., and compare the total cost of direct shipping and transit schemes to select the optimal one.

Attention shall be paid to the risk transfer point when converting CIF/FOB terms: under CIF, the seller bears transportation insurance, and the risk is transferred at the ship's rail; under FOB, the buyer bears relevant costs, and the risk is transferred upon shipment. Enterprises shall select terms according to their risk tolerance to optimize the supply chain cost and risk structure.

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