Which documents you need to import goods from China

The export declaration deserves a separate word. It is the document without which goods formally cannot leave China, and customs in Ukraine examines it closely — above all the declared value. The problem arises when the factory has no export licence or works for the domestic market. We file the Chinese export declaration ourselves, including when you have no documents from the supplier.

Documents supporting the customs value

This is the most common source of disputes at customs. Customs value is not simply the figure on the invoice: the cost of delivery and insurance to the Ukrainian border is added to the invoice value.

For it to be accepted without adjustment, you need documents that agree with each other:

• invoice and specification with identical descriptions and prices;
• bank documents confirming that this exact amount was paid;
• the forwarder's invoice and a statement of transport costs broken down into "before the border" and "after the border";
• the manufacturer's price list or quotation, if customs asks for it;
• the insurance policy, if insurance was arranged.

An example of a typical discrepancy. The invoice shows 1200 units of goods for $9600, the packing list 1180 units; the bill of lading shows 40 packages, the packing list 38. Each of these discrepancies is minor on its own; together they produce a customs query, cargo standing idle and storage charges. That is why the invoice is reconciled against the packing list back at the warehouse in China, during receipt and inspection, and not at the port.

Permits: when and which

Not everyone needs them and not always — the list is determined by the HS code. The most common cases:

• Technical regulations. Electronics, household appliances, chargers, toys, personal protective equipment, machinery and industrial equipment. A declaration or certificate of conformity is required, often together with a test report.
• Radio equipment. Anything that transmits a radio signal: two-way radios, communication modules, drone equipment. Besides a declaration of conformity, a radio frequency authorisation may be needed.
• Food products and tea. Sanitary documents, a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin, registration of the importer's facilities.
• Dietary supplements and nutraceuticals. A separate regime with a notification of placing on the market and confirmation of composition.
• Lithium batteries, power banks, portable power stations. Dangerous goods under classification UN 3480 / UN 3481: a safety data sheet, a UN 38.3 test report and special carriage conditions are required.
• Dual-use goods. Some drone components, thermal imaging and optical equipment: a permit from the State Export Control Service.

Obtaining these documents is part of our certification service, not a separate quest for you.

Why document packages are rejected most often

• The description of the goods on the invoice is too general — "goods", "samples", "accessories". Customs cannot match it to a code.
• Discrepancies in quantity or weight between the invoice, the packing list and the transport document.
• The value on the Chinese export declaration does not match the value on the invoice.
• There is no document evidencing the cost of delivery to the border.
• A permit turned out to be required and this was discovered after the cargo arrived.

All five causes share one feature: each is cheap to close before departure and expensive after arrival.

We close the documentary side in full: the export declaration in China, the shipping document package, permits and certification, customs clearance by our own or partner brokers, and a complete set of VAT documents for your accounts. If you are still only planning your first shipment, send us a description of the goods and we will tell you which documents it will need, before you pay the factory.