How to know the quality, quantity or contents of goods before import customs clearance

Posted on 08 April 2023 Category : Import

The information provided here is part of Import Export online Training

How to know the quality, quantity or contents of goods before import customs clearance?

This article is an interesting one for any importer – How to know the quantity, contents or quality of goods before import customs clearance to take delivery?

I suspect my supplier on an import consignment he shipped to me. I doubt the said exporter on quantity and quality of goods he supplied. Are there any arrangements at importing country to examine goods before I take delivery of imported goods? Before customs clearance, can I reject goods if imported goods are not satisfactory to take delivery?

A legal document called bill of entry has to be filed with customs department for any goods arriving from other country. The cargo has to be value appraised. In certain case of imports, the importer does not know the exact quantity or quality of goods received from his overseas buyer. Or in some other cases the importer may have a dispute or suspect on quality of goods arriving. The importer complete customs clearance and take delivery of cargo to his place means he has taken ‘delivery of goods’. Once delivery has been taken by importer, the seller/supplier/exporter has very less obligation on such consignment. If an imported consignment has been taken delivery, it means, the importer/buyer accepted the goods.

So, before taking delivery of goods or before completing import customs clearance procedures, importer wants to confirm on the quality, quantity or contents of the consignment shipped by his overseas supplier.

Here, an importer can approach concerned customs appraising officer and request for ‘first check appraisement’.

If Bill of Entry is filed manually – without electronically - the importer or their customs broker completes the ‘entry procedures of import’ and requests the concerned customs appraising officer to mark ‘open examination order’. After obtaining the necessary open order from the appraiser, the customs broker or importer approaches the concerned customs personnel to inspect the cargo. If Import Bill of Entry is filed electronically importer can request concerned customs officials for a first check procedures of value assessment. The goods are inspected completely or partially as per the requirements, and prepare report on examination of goods. The Samples of commodity is drawn for quality check, if the importer or customs needed. Once after confirming and satisfying the quality, quantity and contents of consignment, the importer proceed further in completing import customs clearance procedures to take delivery of cargo. If he is not satisfied with the goods, he informs his overseas supplier about his dispute. If dispute could not be settled each other, the cargo is abandoned ‘un cleared’.

Once after completing the reporting of inspection either electronically or manually if no electronic filing system available, the appraisement procedures are carried out. The importer takes delivery of cargo after payment of duty if any.

In second check appraisement, the examination of cargo takes place after value appraisement. Once after filing Bill of entry by CHA or importer, the document transfers to value appraiser. The concerned value appraising group asses the value and appraise the goods after verifying the necessary documents submitted. Once after completion of appraisement of goods, the goods are inspected.

Also read: Documents required for import clearance Documents required for import customs clearance

I hope, this article helps importers those who were not known about first check appraisement procedures till reading my article. I hope these information help buyers of international trade to stop accepting goods if not satisfied with quality, quantity or contents of imported goods supplied. Also I hope, this article helps importers to know about the arrangements at importing country to examine goods before taking delivery of imported goods.

Do you wish to add more information about this subject – How to know the quality, quantity or contents of goods before import customs clearance? Share your experience in rejecting cargo at final port or destination before import customs clearance due to poor quality, quantity or contents of imported goods.

Comment below your thoughts about this article - How to know the quality, quantity or contents of goods before import customs clearance?

Also read - What is self assessment in import customs clearance in India? Is Risk Management System (RMS) simplify import? What is RMS in import.

The above information is a part of Export Import Training course online

Other details on how to import export

What happens if your buyer rejects cargo? What are the major problems if consignee not taken delivery of cargo?

What happens if proper tracking of goods not effected in export import business?

Difference between first check appraisement and second check appraisement in imports

Consignee “To Order” in Bill of Lading

Can an importer take delivery of goods without original bill of lading?

How to file Bill of Entry Manually

Excise and Customs - Click here to read complete notification under Budget 2014

How to get Export Orders?

How to settle dispute in Exports and Imports?

Click here to know India Trade Classification(ITC)

Click here to know HS code of other product/commodity

Pre shipment bank finance to suppliers for exports through other agencies

Types of export containers
Measurement of export containers
Foreign Trade Policy of India 2015-2020
MEIS, Merchandise Exports from India Scheme
SEIS, Service Exports from India Scheme
Merge your Commercial Invoice and Packing List for all your future exports
Export procedures and documentation

Comments

Nitin Jikamade : On 12 February 2015 I have read your web side www.howtoexportimport.com and lot of clear my doughts. I have need some help form your side .We have done export pharmaceutical products in year 2012 to Ukraine country. We have received payment of the same cargo from buyer .We received benifits of Drawback from customs & FMS license from DGFT. Also used our excise bond of CT1 for dispatch the product expiry date is june 2014. Now due to some reason our customer rejected our goods and now we want to re- Import the same good and destroy the in India. I request you to pls.suggest me the procedure need to follow.

Admin: On 12 February 2015 Please read our article about re-imports. You need to return back the drawback or other incentives to government agencies if availed

Ravi: On 26 March 2015 Dear Sir, I have read your article "Import customs clearance procedures in India". It really helps new importers like me with a check list. We have another issue, the products that we are importing are cotton sanitary napkins etc. I am told, we need to take an approval from "textile committee" for importing. I am also told to get this approval, we need atleast 7-15 days when the items are landed in India and this approval is done before the customs clearance. 1) Can you help us with more details on this issue, such as who are this agency? 2) What is the cost of holding the goods in ICD for more than 2-3 days?

Padam Singh : On 25 April 2015 Dear Sir, Greetings !!! I want to import Pancake Mix Powder from Japan, there is more than 10 ingredients, how and where i can check about ingredients is prohibit or not,there is also Egg Powder is mixed in that Pancake Mix Powder. Please help. Thanks in Advance Padam Singh

Padam Singh Rathore : On 08 July 2015 i want to import pancake mix powder from China, where i can check ingredients HS CODE, or is there any agent who can help me to find HS Code or help me to import pancake mix powder from China.

Suresh Kanna: On 12 August 2015 Dear Sir, I have exported a 40 ft container to Cotonou, Benin...African country without taking any advance payment. The payment terms was sending the BL copy via email after sending the container. We did the same but the buyer refused and insisted to reach the container till his port and will do the payment but after reaching the container also he is denying to do the payment and now his demand is to send the original BL copy then he will inspect the goods and then within 5days he will do the payment. We are afraid that after sending the BL copy if he clears the goods and doesnt pay the payment. Please advise us. Thanks and Regards Suresh Kanna

Ahmad: On 27 January 2016 After unloading the the containers at final sea port of india ,If the buyer reject to pay and discharge the containers and release the goods , Who is responsible for the cost of detantion at final port ? Can shipping company claim detantion from shipper or buyer ? How can the shipper distroy the goods at buyer's port and return the empty countaibers to shipping company ? Regards Ahmad

S K: On 12 February 2017 Hi, i am confused that in First Check, the check is done by the importer to satisfy himself about the quantity/ quality of goods or the importer requests Customs to check quantity and quality of goods ??

Pungja: On 17 February 2017 Why should I have to make clearence before recieving the parcel from abroad

Ramesh: On 19 March 2017 I am an Indian agent for a overseas supplier (S). My customer(C) in India who has imported directly from overseas supplier, claimed to have received a short quantity (lesser than mentioned in import documents- BL,Invoice,packing list) when he received the material at his warehouse. Is there a way to track at what stage the quantity was short/ lost.. at supplier end or during shipping or during transit from port to customer's warehouse ?

Rahul Sonawane : On 13 June 2017 I am a beginner in import business and use your blog to learn about procedural issues regularly. I have an issue for which I need some advice. Recently I sold an import consignment to an indian customer on high seas basis. So all the clearance formalities were carried out by customer. After clearance, customer now is claiming that he has received only part quantity in his warehouse, where as all the shipping documents BL,Invoice, Packing List mention full quantity. Is there a way to track at which stage in the whole chain the quantity became short...... at supplier end or during shipping or during transit from port to customer warehouse. ? I have posted the same quarry on your blog too but I did see it published there, may be waiting for publisher review

yadav.aman: On 17 July 2017 how to check quality of my material.thia is ok pr not. because my sample ia ok.and in my first deal my payment term is lc at sight. i am safe for payment mode but i am confused in quality.

vinesa: On 20 July 2022 Actually i have a question about clearance of copper ingots as i am new in this trade. I want to import copper ingots from indonesia but they have rule overthere, from indonesia below 99% copper ingots is not permitted to export and i have copper ingots of 95% purity but somehow i manage to export that. So now i want to know whether in india customs will take out sample or test the analysis of these ingots before clearance.