FAQS
WHAT DO I NEED TO GET STARTED?
The first thing you need to do to start a brokerage relationship is complete a POA. Once a valid POA is in place, you need to make sure you have necessary bonds in place. Once you have a POA & Bond(s) in place, we can begin transacting customs business together!
WHAT IS A POWER OF ATTORNEY?
The Power Of Attorney is a legal document stating that you are legally giving authority to Import Automation to file customs documents on your behalf. That's simple! We, in turn, have a responsibility to conduct your business as ethically and responsibly as possible. It's a win-win!
WHY DO I NEED A BOND?
Customs requires a bond to ensure that payments to customs will be completely satisfied. Think of it as an insurance policy that customs requires you to have. If for some reason you are not able to pay, customs can call on your bond to pay the debt that you are unable to pay.
WHAT IS AN ISF FILING?
ISF Filings are related to OCEAN shipments only. They are precursor filings to the customs entry (7501) and contain only a portion of the information required to make full entry into U.S. Customs territory.
WHEN IS THE DEADLINE TO FILE ISF?
ISF must be filed no later than 24 hours before the cargo is laden aboard the vessel at the foreign port. Penalties for late filing could result in fines up to $5,000 per occurrence.
DO I NEED TO FILE ISF FOR AIRFREIGHT?
NO! ISF is for ocean shipments only.