Documentation Requirements
It is important that each of these documents be filled correctly and within a specific time frame. Each document has different requirements.
It is common to issue more than one
original document - one for each of several parties.
Most countries still requ
Commercial Invoice
transactions conducted in an international
environment are much more complete and detailed than in a
domestic environment. They must include:
1.
A detailed description of the goods, with HS number
2.
The Incoterm of the transaction
3.
Details on the costs
Pro Forma Invoice
A quote (preview of the commercial invoice) provided by the
exporter to the importer for the purpose of obtaining a letter of
credit
Consular Invoice
A commercial invoice that is printed on stationery provided by the
consulate of the country in which the good will be imported.
Specialized Commercial Invoices
Some countries require that invoices be printed on special forms.
Shipper's Export Declaration
a data-collection
document. It is used to tabulate what products are exported from the
United States, and to which countries they are exported
Export Licenses
is an express authorization by a given country's
government to export a specific product before it is shipped.
U.S. Export Controls
The United States export control policies focus on three elements to
determine if an export needs a license:
1.
The type of product exported
2.
The person or entity purchasing the product
3.
The ultimate country of destination
End-of-Use Certificates
a document required by some exporting
countries in the case of sensitive exports, such as ammunition, to
ensure that the product is used for acceptable (to the exporting
country's government) purposes
Export Taxes
Some countries require exporters to pay an export tax on certain
commodities.
Export Quotas
a limit, set by the exporting country's
government, on the quantity of a specific commodity that can be
exported in a given year.
Certificate of Origin
a document
provided by the exporter's chamber of
commerce that attests that the goods
originated from the country in which the
exporter is located.
Certificate of Manufacture
document provided by the exporter's
chamber of commerce that attests that
the goods were manufactured in the
country in which the exporter is located.
The NAFTA Certificate of Origin is
actually a Certificate of Manufacture
Certificate of Analysis
attests that
the goods conform to the chemical
description and purity levels contained
in the invoice provided by the exporter.
Phyto-Sanitary Certificate
attests that the goods conform to the agricultural
standards of the importing country
Certificate of Free Sale
A document that attests that the product exported conforms to all
of the regulations in place in the exporting country and that it can
be sold freely in the exporting country.
Some importers use this certificate as a guarantee of quality
Import License
The express authorization, granted by the government of the
importing country, to import a particular product in a given country.
Certificate of Insurance
a
document provided by the exporter's
insurance company that attests that
the goods are insured during their
international voyage.
Bill of Lading
is a generic term used to describe a document that
fulfills three functions in international transport:
1.
It is a contract between the carrier and the shipper. The
carrier agrees to transport the goods from A to B for a given
price.
2.
It is a receipt fo
Uniform Bill of Lading
when the goods travel by road or rail.
Intermodal Bill of Lading
when the goods travel on more
than one mode of transportation under a single contract
Air Waybill
when the goods travel by air
Charter Parties
a type of contract of carriage between a carrier
and a shipper, in which the shipper uses all or most of the carrying
capacity of the ship to transport commodities.
Packing List
A document that lists out what a shipment contains, in great detail.
A packing list always accompanies every shipment.
Shipper's Letter of Instruction
A document in which the shipper spells out how it wants the
carrier to handle the goods while they are in transit.
Shipments of Dangerous Goods
Shipments of dangerous goods are regulated by the International
Maritime Organization's
International Maritime Dangerous Goods
Code
,
the International Civil Aviation Transport Association's
Dangerous Goods Regulations
, the International Civil Aviation
O
Manifest
A document, internal to the shipping company (the carrier), which
lists all cargo onboard the transportation vehicle. There is a
manifest for every voyage undertaken by the carrier.
Proprietary Commercial Electronic Data Interchange
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Document Preparation as a Marketing Tool
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