§ 1484. Entry of merchandise

(a) Requirement and time

(1) Except as provided in sections 1490, 1498, 1552, and 1553 of this title, one of the parties qualifying as “importer of record” under paragraph (2)(B), either in person or by an agent authorized by the party in writing, shall, using reasonable care—

(A) make entry therefor by filing with the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection such documentation or, pursuant to an authorized electronic data interchange system, such information as is necessary to enable the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection to determine whether the merchandise may be released from custody of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection; ^[1]

(B) complete the entry, or substitute 1 or more reconfigured entries on an import activity summary statement, by filing with the Customs Service the declared value, classification and rate of duty applicable to the merchandise, and such other documentation or, pursuant to an electronic data interchange system, such other information as is necessary to enable the Customs Service to—

(i) properly assess duties on the merchandise,

(ii) collect accurate statistics with respect to the merchandise, and

(iii) determine whether any other applicable requirement of law (other than a requirement relating to release from customs custody) is met.

(2)

(A) The documentation or information required under paragraph (1) with respect to any imported merchandise shall be filed or transmitted in such manner and within such time periods as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe. Such regulations shall provide for the filing of import activity summary statements, and permit the filing of reconfigured entries, covering merchandise released under a special delivery permit pursuant to section 1448 (b) of this title and entries or warehouse withdrawals made during a calendar month, within such time period as is prescribed in regulations but not to exceed the 20th day following such calendar month. Entries filed under paragraph (1)(A) shall not be liquidated if covered by an import activity summary statement, but instead each reconfigured entry in the import activity summary statement shall be subject to liquidation or reliquidation pursuant to section 1500, 1501, or 1504 of this title.

(B) When an entry of merchandise is made under this section, the required documentation or information shall be filed or electronically transmitted either by the owner or purchaser of the merchandise or, when appropriately designated by the owner, purchaser, or consignee of the merchandise, a person holding a valid license under section 1641 of this title. When a consignee declares on entry that he is the owner or purchaser of merchandise the Customs Service may, without liability, accept the declaration. For the purposes of this chapter, the importer of record must be one of the parties who is eligible to file the documentation or information required by this section.

(C) The Secretary, in prescribing regulations to carry out this subsection, shall establish procedures which insure the accuracy and timeliness of import statistics, particularly statistics relevant to the classification and valuation of imports. Corrections of errors in such statistical data shall be transmitted immediately to the Director of the Bureau of the Census, who shall make corrections in the statistics maintained by the Bureau. The Secretary shall also provide, to the maximum extent practicable, for the protection of the revenue, the enforcement of laws governing the importation and exportation of merchandise, the facilitation of the commerce of the United States, and the equal treatment of all importers of record of imported merchandise.

(b) Reconciliation

(1) In general

A party may elect to file a reconciliation with regard to such entry elements as are identified by the party pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary. If the party so elects, the party shall declare that a reconciliation will be filed. The declaration shall be made in such manner as the Secretary shall prescribe and at the time the documentation or information required by subsection (a)(1)(B) of this section or the import activity summary statement is filed with, or transmitted to, the Customs Service, or at such later time as the Customs Service may, in its discretion, permit. The reconciliation shall be filed by the importer of record at such time and in such manner as the Secretary prescribes but not later than 21 months after the date the importer declares his intent to file the reconciliation. In the case of reconciling issues relating to the assessment of antidumping and countervailing duties, the reconciliation shall be filed not later than 90 days after the date the Customs Service advises the importer that the period of review for antidumping or countervailing duty purposes has been completed. Before filing a reconciliation, an importer of record shall post bond or other security pursuant to such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe.

(2) Regulations regarding AD/CV duties

The Secretary shall prescribe, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, such regulations as are necessary to adapt the reconciliation process for use in the collection of antidumping and countervailing duties.

The Customs Service may permit the entry and release of merchandise from customs custody in accordance with such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe. No officer of the Customs Service shall be liable to any person with respect to the delivery of merchandise released from customs custody in accordance with such regulations.

(d) Signing and contents

(1) Entries shall be signed by the importer of record, or his agent, unless filed pursuant to an electronic data interchange system. If electronically filed, each transmission of data shall be certified by an importer of record or his agent, one of whom shall be resident in the United States for purposes of receiving service of process, as being true and correct to the best of his knowledge and belief, and such transmission shall be binding in the same manner and to the same extent as a signed document. The entry shall set forth such facts in regard to the importation as the Secretary may require and shall be accompanied by such invoices, bills of lading, certificates, and documents, or their electronically submitted equivalents, as are required by regulation.

(2) The Secretary, in prescribing regulations governing the content of entry documentation, shall require that entry documentation contain such information as may be necessary to determine whether the imported merchandise bears an infringing trademark in violation of section 1124 of title 15 or any other applicable law, including a trademark appearing on the goods or packaging.

(e) Production of invoice

The Secretary may provide by regulation for the production of an invoice, parts thereof, or the electronic equivalents thereof, in such manner and form, and under such terms and conditions, as the Secretary considers necessary.

(f) Statistical enumeration

The Secretary, the Secretary of Commerce, and the United States International Trade Commission shall establish from time to time for statistical purposes an enumeration of articles in such detail as in their judgment may be necessary, comprehending all merchandise imported into the United States and exported from the United States, and shall seek, in conjunction with statistical programs for domestic production and programs for achieving international harmonization of trade statistics, to establish the comparability thereof with such enumeration of articles. All import entries and export declarations shall include or have attached thereto an accurate statement specifying, in terms of such detailed enumeration, the kinds and quantities of all merchandise imported and exported and the value of the total quantity of each kind of article.

(g) Statement of cost of production

Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the Customs Service may require a verified statement from the manufacturer or producer showing the cost of producing the imported merchandise, if the Customs Service considers such verification necessary for the appraisement of such merchandise.

(h) Admissibility of data electronically transmitted

Any entry or other information transmitted by means of an authorized electronic data interchange system shall be admissible in any and all administrative and judicial proceedings as evidence of such entry or information.

(i) Special rule for foreign trade zone operations

(1) In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as provided in paragraph (3), all merchandise (including merchandise of different classes, types, and categories), withdrawn from a foreign trade zone during any 7-day period, shall, at the option of the operator or user of the zone, be the subject of a single estimated entry or release filed on or before the first day of the 7-day period in which the merchandise is to be withdrawn from the zone. The estimated entry or release shall be treated as a single entry and a single release of merchandise for purposes of section 58c (a)(9)(A) of this title and all fee exclusions and limitations of such section 58c of this title shall apply, including the maximum and minimum fee amounts provided for under subsection (b)(8)(A)(i) of such section. The entry summary for the estimated entry or release shall cover only the merchandise actually withdrawn from the foreign trade zone during the 7-day period.

(2) Other requirements

The Secretary of the Treasury may require that the operator or user of the zone—

(A) use an electronic data interchange approved by the Customs Service—

(i) to file the entries described in paragraph (1); and

(ii) to pay the applicable duties, fees, and taxes with respect to the entries; and

(B) satisfy the Customs Service that accounting, transportation, and other controls over the merchandise are adequate to protect the revenue and meet the requirements of other Federal agencies.

(3) Exception

The provisions of paragraph (1) shall not apply to merchandise the entry of which is prohibited by law or merchandise for which the filing of an entry summary is required before the merchandise is released from customs custody.

(4) Foreign trade zone; zone

In this subsection, the terms “foreign trade zone” and “zone” mean a zone established pursuant to the Act of June 18, 1934, commonly known as the Foreign Trade Zones Act (19 U.S.C. 81a et seq.).

(j) Treatment of multiple entries of merchandise as single transaction

In the case of merchandise that is purchased and invoiced as a single entity but—

(1) is shipped in an unassembled or disassembled condition in separate shipments due to the size or nature of the merchandise, or

(2) is shipped in separate shipments due to the inability of the carrier to include all of the merchandise in a single shipment (at the instruction of the carrier),

the Customs Service may, upon application by an importer in advance, treat such separate shipments for entry purposes as a single transaction.

[1] So in original. The word “and” probably should appear at end.

U.S. Code

§ 1484. Entry of merchandise