Like it or not, whether you’re shipping by land, sea or air, there’s always a possibility that your cargo will be damaged along the way. There’s no way of completely guaranteeing safe cargo. You can’t control natural disasters, weather anomalies, human error, or, if you’re unlucky, dishonest shippers. Just a [...]
A customs broker can do a lot for business owners and individuals involved in the importing industry. First and foremost, a broker will relieve any excess stress that comes with handling international imports, such paperwork, government regulations, and international trading laws. But that’s not all a customs broker can do [...]
When it comes to importing, there are dozens of things that need to be considered, like documentation, tariff codes, and tax exemptions -- to name a few. But there are two aspects in particular that are often considered a top priority: the country of origin and the rules of origin. [...]
For as long as the U.S. has been a country, there have been tariffs -- but the motivation behind the tariffs was a little different back then from what you see now. The country was in its infancy, so when the U.S. Congress passed the tariff act in 1790 to [...]
While they may be one of the more popular items to import into the States, cigarettes and tobacco products are not exempt from the strict importation laws of the US customs border. Whether you’re bringing back some discounted cigarettes from your vacation abroad for personal use or you’re a serious [...]
Stories about strange bans at borders around the world are abundant online. Did you know that prison-made goods are banned from import into Canada? Or that musical cards are a big no for import into Saudi Arabia? How about the curious case of Nigeria, who has banned the importation of [...]
With recent stories of NAFTA’s renegotiation to form the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, as well as an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China dominating headlines in the past few months, the global trade landscape appears to be in a highly contentious period. Though trade wars are typically cause [...]
It’s not uncommon for importers to have items be detained for physical examination by US customs agents. While undoubtedly frustrating, at least one can take comfort in knowing their goods are still en route and there is conceivably a light at the end of the tunnel. But what about knowing [...]
Foreign companies that export their goods worldwide are, in many cases, the lifeblood of their counterparts in the United States. These suppliers allow American companies to operate, make sales, and generate revenues to grow their businesses. Whether you deal specifically in importation or you’re reliant upon selling of items from [...]
When you think importing, what comes to mind? We’re willing to bet you said cross-border shopping, or commercial importing, or even moving vehicles around... but what about importing personal goods that belong to someone else? Whether you’re helping someone move or bringing them a gift, you may someday run into [...]
