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What qualification documents are required for handling import and export agency services in Shantou?
or complex compliance issues.
clearance and fund security.
I am the owner of a small and medium-sized plastic toy enterprise in Shantou. We have just signed an order for 100,000 pieces of toys from a European client recently, which is the first foreign trade business of our company, so I am very unconfident about the whole process. I contacted several local agencies before, whose quotations range from 1% to 3%, but none of them can clearly specify what services are included, which makes me worry about hidden charges.
Besides, I heard that wrong filling of HS code in customs declaration will lead to cargo detention, and toys also need CE certification, I wonder if the agency can help handle these issues? In addition, will the tax refund be transferred directly to our account or to the agency first? What if the agency delays the tax refund?
Also, is there any risk of container rolling for goods shipped from Shantou Port to Europe? I am really worried that one wrong step will lead to a series of mistakes, so I want to know how to handle the import and export agency procedures step by step in Shantou, and what key details should be paid attention to to avoid pitfalls.
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat
The full-chain process of handling import and export agency services in Shantou starts from pre-qualification audit. First of all，you need to prepare the business license (with import and export business included in the business scope)，Filing Form of Foreign Trade Operators，and Registration Certificate of Customs Declaration Units. For toy products，additional CE certification reports and toy safety standard test reports are required. Special attention should be paid that the agency shall assist in confirming the accuracy of the product HS code，which is the basis for subsequent customs declaration compliance. Wrong HS code may lead to customs valuation disputes or cargo detention.
Three steps should be focused on for the connection of core nodes: First，when signing the agency agreement，clarify the service scope (such as whether it includes customs declaration，logistics，tax refund) and fee details (to avoid hidden charges such as document fees，certificate of origin fees，etc.)，Second，in the customs declaration link，the agency shall provide the pre-recorded draft of the customs declaration form for confirmation simultaneously，to ensure that the cargo value and quantity are consistent with the contract，Third，in the foreign exchange receipt and settlement stage，the agency shall handle foreign exchange through compliant channels to avoid being included in the foreign exchange monitoring list.
Exception response plans shall be formulated in advance: If the customs declaration documents are incorrect，the agency shall apply for deleting and resubmitting the declaration before customs final review to avoid late fees，In case of container rolling in logistics，confirm the alternative shipping schedule and the party responsible for container detention fees with the agency in advance，If a tax inquiry is received during the tax refund process，the agency shall assist in preparing supporting documents such as procurement contracts and logistics documents to ensure the inquiry is passed.
Final compliant implementation requires document filing: The agency shall keep documents such as customs declaration forms，contracts，invoices and bills of lading for at least 5 years for inspection by customs or tax authorities. At the same time，confirm that the agency has customs declaration qualification recognized by Shantou Customs，to avoid the decline of the enterprise's credit rating caused by the agency's violations.
Grace WangYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Foreign Trade ConsultantStart a Chat
Shantou Customs has relatively strict valuation requirements for toy products. The agency shall provide authentic and valid procurement contracts and invoices when declaring customs.
If the cargo value is lower than the industry average, the customs may require supplementary price supporting documents (such as transaction records of similar products). In addition, Shantou has realized integrated customs clearance.
The agency can submit customs declaration documents through the "Single Window", but shall ensure that the electronic data is consistent with the paper documents to avoid declaration rejection due to data inconsistency. In case of valuation disputes, the agency shall communicate with the customs in a timely manner and provide the product cost accounting sheet, to strive for customs valuation based on the actual transaction price.
Andy GuoYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Supply Chain Management ExpertStart a Chat
For logistics routes from Shantou Port to Europe, direct shipping or transshipment can be selected. Direct shipping to Rotterdam Port takes about 30 days, but booking 2 weeks in advance is required when shipping space is tight; The transshipment plan can be transshipped via Singapore or Hong Kong, which adds 5 to 7 days to the time limit but has lower cost. The agency shall assist in monitoring cargo ownership and ensure correct endorsement of the bill of lading, to avoid cargo release without the original bill of lading.
In case of container rolling due to full cabin capacity, the agency shall give priority to alternative voyages of the same shipping company, or replace other shipping companies, and negotiate for reduction or exemption of container detention fees at the same time. The free storage period at Shantou Port is usually 7 days, and fees will be charged per container type per day after expiration.
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat
VAT deferment can be applied for toy exports (for European clients). The agency shall assist in submitting the VAT deferment application during customs declaration, to avoid paying import VAT in the importing country and reduce capital occupation cost. In addition, Shantou enterprises need to meet the requirement of "four flows consistency" for export tax refund: contract flow, cargo flow, capital flow and invoice flow are all corresponding.
The agency shall ensure the completeness of tax refund documents, and provide relevant vouchers in a timely manner in case of inspection by the tax authority. The tax refund cycle is usually 1 to 3 months. The agency shall track the tax refund progress to ensure the tax is received in time.
Cindy ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Key Account ManagerStart a Chat
Shantou enterprises shall use compliant accounts to receive foreign exchange through the agency. The agency shall handle cross-border payments through SWIFT or CIPS systems, and avoid using underground banks.
When settling foreign exchange, the agency shall optimize the foreign exchange settlement scheme based on the real-time exchange rate to reduce exchange rate loss. In addition, the agency shall assist in completing foreign exchange receipt and payment declaration, and ensure that the declaration content is consistent with the actual transaction to avoid punishment by the foreign exchange administration authority.
Eric ZhouYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat
When signing the agency agreement, the clause of cargo ownership shall be clarified to avoid the agency disposing of the goods without authorization; At the same time, a force majeure clause shall be added to specify the division of responsibilities of both parties in case of logistics delays caused by events such as epidemics.
If letter of credit settlement is involved, the agency shall assist in reviewing soft clauses of the letter of credit (such as "the bill of lading shall show the specified shipping company") to avoid payment rejection due to failure to meet the clauses. In addition, the agency shall assist in handling intellectual property customs protection filing to prevent product infringement.
Kevin LinYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat
When inspection is carried out at Shantou Port, the agency shall notify the enterprise to prepare inspection documents (such as product manuals and test reports) in advance, and assist in arranging container unloading for inspection.
If the customs suspects that the product quality is unqualified, the agency shall coordinate with the testing institution for appraisal to ensure that the test report meets the standards. In addition, the authenticity of the container seal shall be checked to avoid the container being opened during transportation.
Jason WuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics & Supply Chain ManagerStart a Chat
The agency shall assist the enterprise in completing the pre-declaration of tax refund, and verify the data accuracy through the tax system; After formal declaration, the tax refund progress shall be tracked. If the tax refund is suspended, the reasons (such as wrong invoice information) shall be checked in a timely manner.
Document filing shall be kept for at least 5 years. The agency shall sort out and file documents such as customs declaration forms, contracts, invoices and bills of lading for inspection by the tax authority.