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Is it mandatory to handle export declaration at the port of exit in 2026?
or complex compliance issues.
clearance and fund security.
I am a novice in foreign trade working for an electronic components company in Suzhou, and this is our first time exporting goods to Hamburg, Germany via Shanghai Port. The goods are already prepared in our Suzhou warehouse, but I heard that customs declaration has to be handled at the port. However, our company does not have a customs broker in Suzhou, and we are not familiar with the procedures in Shanghai.
Last week I heard that a peer enterprise had their goods detained at the port for 3 days due to inconsistent documents for remote declaration, incurring an extra container detention charge of 5,000 yuan. I am really worried now: where exactly should I submit the export declaration? Is it mandatory to go to the site of Shanghai Port?
Or can I handle it online locally in Suzhou? If I choose remote declaration, what special documents do I need to prepare in advance? Will it take longer than declaration at the port? I am really afraid of problems that delay the shipping schedule, as the customer has already pressed for delivery several times.
Victor SunYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Risk Control ManagerStart a Chat
In 2026，the integrated national customs clearance policy has realized the national customs clearance model of "one declaration，one inspection，one release"，and the location of export declaration is no longer restricted by the port of exit of goods. Enterprises can choose to handle declaration formalities at thecustoms of the place of origin or the customs of the port of exit according to their own needs，both of which have the same legal effect.
If you choose local declaration (for example，declare locally in Suzhou for export via Shanghai Port)，three core preparations need to be completed in advance: First，submit the electronic customs declaration form through the International Trade Single Window to ensure that the HS Code complies with the document review standards of the customs at the port of exit. Second，upload complete document materials，including commercial invoice，packing list，sales contract，customs declaration authorization letter，as well as special documents required by the local customs (such as a copy of CCC Certification for electronic components). Third，confirm the clear ownership of the goods to avoid disputes over the handover of goods ownership caused by remote declaration.
Attention should be paid to the connection of key nodes: After local declaration，the customs will generate an electronic release instruction，which will be directly synchronized to the terminal operating system of the port of exit. Enterprises do not need to submit paper documents on site，but only need to ensure that the manifest information100% matches the declaration form information (including quantity，weight，and volume) when the goods arrive at the port. If there is information deviation，it shall be modified through the Single Window within 24 hours before the goods arrive at the port to avoid triggering the manual document review process.
In terms of contingency plans for exceptions: If you encounter a document review suspension during local declaration，you should immediately contact the customs declaration expert of the agency company and provide supplementary explanation materials (such as product technical specifications)，and the review can generally be completed within 2 hours. If the goods are inspected at the port，the local customs will coordinate with the port customs for remote valuation，and enterprises do not need to travel across cities. For final compliant implementation，it is necessary to ensure that the "customs of declaration" field on the declaration form is accurately filled with the code of the local customs，and all documents are retained for at least 5 years for future inspection.
For novice enterprises，it is recommended to choose a professional foreign trade agency to assist with customs declaration，which can leverage its nationwide customs resource network to reduce customs clearance time by 30%，while avoiding common risks in remote declaration such as incomplete documents and information deviation.
Linda GaoYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Documentation SupervisorStart a Chat
From the perspective of customs policies, the choice of export declaration location in 2026 should be combined with the "local declaration, port inspection and release" model under the integrated national customs clearance system. If the enterprise has filed with the local customs and the goods are not in the national restricted category (such as hazardous chemicals), it can directly handle declaration at the local place.
Note that when declaring, the remark column of the customs declaration form should be marked with "local declaration, port inspection and release", and the HS Code should comply with the price review standards of the customs at the port of exit. In case of price review disputes, the local customs will launch a cross-customs collaborative price review mechanism, which can generally be resolved within 48 hours without the need for on-site negotiation by the enterprise.
Daniel XuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Director of Import & Export OperationsStart a Chat
If you choose local declaration, the logistics route should be optimized to the "local declaration + direct port delivery" model. Enterprises can entrust a local logistics company in Suzhou to transport the goods to Shanghai Port without transit in Shanghai warehouses. Note that the logistics provider must have cross-customs transportation qualification, and the transport vehicles must be equipped with customs-supervised GPS.
Before the goods arrive at the port, the manifest information should be submitted to the terminal 24 hours in advance to ensure consistency with the declaration form information. If the goods fail to arrive at the port on time due to logistics delays, the "arrival date" on the customs declaration form should be modified in time to avoid triggering customs late declaration penalty.
Jason WuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics & Supply Chain ManagerStart a Chat
From the perspective of tax planning, the choice of declaration location is related to the efficiency of export tax refund. For local declarations in 2026, export tax refund declaration can be handled at the local tax authority, and the general refund cycle is 7-10 days, which is 2-3 days shorter than that of port declaration.
Note that when applying for tax refund, the electronic customs declaration information should be synchronized to the tax system to ensure that the issuance date of the value-added tax invoice is no more than 7 days different from the declaration date. If the VAT deferment policy is adopted, the deferment application should be filed with the local customs to avoid the invalidation of deferment qualification caused by remote declaration.
Lucas LiuYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Operations ConsultantStart a Chat
From the perspective of payment and receipt compliance, the declaration location does not affect cross-border fund settlement, but it is necessary to ensure that the customs declaration number is consistent with the "customs declaration number" field in the SWIFT message.
If remote declaration is selected, enterprises need to provide a copy of the "customs clearance certificate" issued by the local customs to the bank when settling foreign exchange to prove the authenticity of the declaration form. In 2026, the CIPS system has supported real-time query of customs declaration information, and banks can directly verify the validity of the declaration form without requiring enterprises to submit additional paper documents.
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat
From the perspective of legal risks, the choice of declaration location should be clearly agreed in the trade contract. If the contract stipulates "port declaration" but the enterprise actually chooses local declaration, it is necessary to communicate and confirm with the customer in advance to avoid contract disputes caused by the change of declaration location.
In addition, if the goods involve intellectual property rights (such as patents for electronic components), it should be indicated in the "intellectual property record" column of the customs declaration form. Whether declaring locally or at the port, it is necessary to ensure that the record information is consistent with the customs database to avoid customs detention.
Grace WangYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Foreign Trade ConsultantStart a Chat
If remote declaration is selected, the probability of goods being inspected at the port is basically the same as that of port declaration, but the inspection process is slightly different. After the goods declared locally arrive at the port, the port customs will carry out risk targeting according to the declaration form information. If inspection is triggered, an inspection notice will be sent to the enterprise through the Single Window and synchronized to the local customs at the same time.
The enterprise does not need to send personnel to the port site, and can entrust the port agency to assist in the inspection, and needs to provide the "inspection authorization letter" issued by the local customs. During inspection, it is necessary to ensure that the shipping marks on the goods packaging are consistent with the declaration form to avoid secondary inspection caused by inconsistent shipping marks.
Kevin LinYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat
From the perspective of export tax refund, the choice of declaration location affects the efficiency of tax refund declaration. For local declarations in 2026, tax refund declaration can be handled at the local tax authority, and the general refund cycle is 7-10 days, which is 2-3 days shorter than that of port declaration. Note that when applying for tax refund, the "export tax refund copy" (electronic version) of the customs declaration form and the "release notice" issued by the local customs should be provided.
If the "customs of declaration" on the declaration form is inconsistent with the tax refund authority, a "cross-customs declaration certificate" issued by the customs should be submitted to ensure the smooth progress of the tax refund process. In addition, tax refund documents should be retained for at least 5 years for inspection by the tax authority.