The Importer Security Filing or ISF form is one used when you’re importing items into the United States. An ISF 10 form is specifically used when you’re importing items via cargo ship. This could be anything from 5,000 custom widgets made in China to a large imported sculpture from the Caribbean. The ISF 10 form must be filled out whenever the item passes through an ocean port. The paperwork is generally filled out by freight forwarders and shipping forms. Yet you can fill out the isf 10 form yourself and do so electronically. The question for many is: how?
Get Your Information Together
You can face a five thousand dollar fine for an incomplete ISF form. That’s equal to the fine you’d pay if you fail to submit an ISF form. What information do you need to fill out an ISF 10 form? You’ll need to provide seller contact information and buyer contact information. The importer of record number is either your Social Security Number or the EIN / TIN for your business. You’re supposed to provide the manufacturer contact information. You must provide the consignee number; this is typically their SSN. Ship to party contact information is necessary, though that may be the same as the importer or record. For example, you can have an importer like a freight forwarding service receive the information and then forward it to you. The country of origin is the country where the products were made. You will need the HS code or harmonized commodity description and coding system code for your type of product. The shipper will provide information like the container stuffing location, the consolidator’s contact information (those who stuffed it in the cargo container) and a bill of lading number. You need to know the bill of lading number to include on the form.
Choose How You’ll Fill Out the Forms
Filling out paper forms is not just time-consuming. It is risky, because paper forms may not reach the necessary authorities within the time frames required by law. For example, the ISF form must be filed within 24 hours of the cargo ship departing. You may be required to submit it to your freight forwarder within 72 hours. You can be hit with a five thousand dollar fine for filing flawless forms late.
You can fill out the ISF form online. You can use services like EezyImport that store your information to minimize data entry and save your submitted forms for you while letting you submit the ISF 10 online. If you do it right, this is much cheaper than paying an import/export service to fill out the paperwork for you.
Prepare Your Related Paperwork
Line up the additional paperwork required by customs. This list includes a commercial invoice, and the data on that should match the ISF 10 form. You should provide a packing list containing detailed information. For example, the ISF may say you’re shipping 1000 items, all of which are consumer electronics. Your bill of lading will identify them as model ABC of product XYZ. Your paperwork should also include an arrival notice from your agent, if you’re using one.
