Customs Clearance Delays? These Key Points You Must Note!
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Customs Clearance Delays? These Key Points You Must Note!Customs clearance refers to the formal process that goods must go through to comply with various laws and regulations when importing, exporting, or transiting through a country’s customs territory. Also known as "customs entry," goods are under customs supervision during this period and cannot circulate freely. Every delay has a cause—so what are the common reasons for customs clearance holdups?
1. Reasons Related to the Goods Themselves
(1) Prohibited Import Items: All countries have prohibited imports. Well-known examples include drugs, firearms, ammunition, and weapons—banned globally. Animals, plants, meat, and books are prohibited in nearly every country; traditional Chinese medicine is banned in the U.S.; dairy and meat products in the UK; and e-cigarettes in Singapore. Prohibited goods will be seized or directly returned by the destination country’s customs.
(2) Branded or Infringing Products: Protected by intellectual property rights, selling branded products requires official authorization. Customs will request a brand authorization certificate upon entry—without it, clearance will be delayed, goods may be seized, or even ordered to be returned.
(3) Sensitive Goods (Powders, Liquids, Battery-Powered Items): Sensitive goods such as powders, liquids, battery-powered/ magnetic products, and solids face higher inspection rates and longer clearance times than general goods. These products typically experience delays—sellers must confirm with recipients their ability to clear such goods before shipping.
2. Reasons Related to the Agent or Shipper
(1) Incomplete or Non-Standard Documentation: Inaccurate or incomplete completion of documents (e.g., incorrect quantity, misdeclared product name—e.g., declaring shoes as clothing, or declaring a value drastically lower than the actual value to reduce recipient taxes). An incomplete commercial invoice will require the shipper to provide a new, complete version.
(2) Logistics Method: To save costs or profit from freight differences, sellers may choose cheap, slow logistics channels. Lower-cost options often mean slower customs processing and higher risk of lost shipments.
3. Reasons Related to Customs
(1) Routine Inspections: Customs randomly conducts routine checks. If selected, no recipient action is needed—inspections typically take 1-3 working days, and goods are released if no issues are found.
(2) Tax Assessment: Customs may dispute the declared value, requiring the recipient to complete clearance. If the declared value is accurate, provide proof of value; if understated or overstated, the recipient must pay the required duties.
(3) Corrupt Customs Practices: In some countries/regions, customs officials may demand improper payments even for compliant goods, delaying clearance until fees are paid.
4. Reasons Related to the Recipient
(1) Refusal to Pay Duties: If duties are too high (exceeding the goods’ value), the recipient may refuse payment, leaving goods in customs storage. Unclaimed goods may be auctioned or returned after the clearance deadline.
(2) Lack of Required Documentation: Recipients without necessary documents (e.g., import licenses) cannot complete clearance, causing delays.
(3) Fraudulent Buyers: Some foreign buyers intentionally avoid clearance or duty payment to obtain goods for free. They may refuse delivery (knowing return freight is expensive) or falsely claim non-receipt (exploiting slow/lack of tracking for small-parcel shipments) to demand refunds.
5. Other Reasons
(1) Environmental Factors: Customs, port, airport, or logistics worker strikes; natural disasters; or wars.
(2) Policy Factors: Slow clearance, complex procedures (e.g., Brazil), or strict national policies governing customs processes.
