Valued packing list with AMID

Valued packing list

In international cargo transportation from the USA, a valued packing list is a substitute for commercial invoices.

When shipping goods from the U.S. overseas, please do not confuse a packing list (1) that supplements commercial invoices with a VALUED packing list, which is a substitute for commercial invoices and acts in international cargo transportation the same as commercial invoices (2).

1. A packing list is occasionally used in cargo transportation to specify how shipping goods are packed for transportation. It is an attachment to a commercial invoice and cannot be used without the commercial invoice. It does not provide a value for shipping from U.S. goods. Do not confuse a packing list with a fumigation certificate.
    
2. A VALUED packing list in international transportation from the USA either acts as a proforma commercial invoice or substitutes commercial invoices in shipping from the U.S. household goods or personal belongings. Unless a commercial invoice is present, a valued packing list is mandatory in international cargo transportation. Besides a commodity description, a valued packing list assigns the value of shipping from the USA goods in US$.

If shipping from the USA commercial goods and the shipper miss or is unable to provide a copy of a commercial invoice, they submit to shipping goods a proforma commercial invoice. In proforma commercial invoices, shippers describe commodities and assign a value to export from the USA goods on their own. It can be in the form of a valued packing list.

If shipping from the U.S. household goods or personal effects is not for sale but for personal use, then a valued packing list is the way to declare the shipping commodity and the value.

Please note that destination countries' customs can always reconsider the value of importing from the U.S. goods and re-assign the value to match it with the fair market value on the day of the entry of the goods to the commerce zone of the country.

In respect of international shipping from the USA, the valued packing list must be in English and provide the following information:

• International shipping reference(s) related to the international shipment (ocean carrier's booking number);
• Ports of origin and destination;
• Shipper's and Consignee's (Recipient) full name, address, and valid contact information;
• A detailed description of goods being shipped from the USA;
• Number of shipping units and the weight and;
• Value of each item in USD

Valued packing lists are always considered along with the sea freight bill of ladings. Then, if some information is missing on a valued packing list, it can be retrieved from the corresponding sea freight bill of lading.

Valued packing list with AMID Logistics

If shipping from the U.S. aboard a commercial shipment, then a copy of a commercial invoice is always preferable. It can be a copy of a purchase receipt or invoice for exporting from the USA goods. Most important, it should describe the commodity of shipping goods and the value in US$. Please make a copy in a PDF file and email it to us before delivering the cargo for shipping. 

However, if, for some reason, you miss such a document OR shipping from the USA household goods or personal effects, then with AMID Logistics, you can submit a valued packing list online via a web link provided in our shipping instructions. The format of the document is acceptable by most international freight carriers and by U.S. Customs. Most of the time, it should be acceptable by destination customs as well.

Important: Effective on January 1^st, 2011. All commercial invoices or valued packing lists must indicate at least the first eight digits of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule, same as in bills of ladings.

• In respect of international shipping from the USA mixed household goods or personal effects, if there is no major commodity described, we may suggest the HS Code 4016.99.05 “Household articles not elsewhere specified or included.”
• Any commercial shipments must provide HS codes (at least the first eight digits)

Shippers may find U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule on the following websites: http://hts.usitc.gov/ or https://uscensus.prod.3ceonline.com/ or http://www.foreign-trade.com/reference/hscode.htm.

Upon your online booking request, you will receive our email with shipping instructions that include a web link to complete and submit your valued packing list online. You can see the format of the document in this link.

The blank of the valued packing list via the web link in our shipping instructions will be pre-formatted based on the information you provided when booking your international shipment on our website.

Just to remind you that when you are submitting or receiving any documents related to your international shipping from the U.S., always double-check all the information. If you see any errors or typos, urgently re-submit the document or ask us via email for a correction. No verbal correction requests will be accepted. All corrections in documents relating to international cargo transportation from the USA abroad must be requested in an email.

During the process of submitting your documents to international shipping, you will have several opportunities to edit and re-submit these shipping documents. However, as soon as your documents are submitted to the ocean freight carrier and your bill of lading is issued, all further corrections may be subject to amendment fees. As soon as your goods are entered into the commerce zone of your destination country, all amendments are under the destination country's officials' supervision.