What are Customs Surety Bonds and How to Obtain One?
You may find several types of bonds in the market such as
contractors bonds, dealer bonds, bid bonds, etc. You may have heard of
performance/contract bond that guarantees satisfactory completion of a project
by a contractor. That saves consumers from poor business practices and
unsatisfactory outcomes. A surety bond has a little different definition. It is
like an insurance policy/contract issued by a third party agency/brokerage to a
business/individual that guarantees its services to its customers.
Identically, a customs
surety bond is a contract between three parties – the importer, bond issuer,
and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). A customs bond is required by the CBP
that guarantees payment of duties and taxes on time. It also bonds the
importers to import items from foreign countries that comply with relevant laws
and regulations.
Customs Bonds
In order to import merchandise in the United States,
importers need to provide a customs
surety bond to the CBP to assure the financial obligations. This type of
bond protects the government to collect all the monies and penalties levied on
the shipment in the event the importer fails to pay the duties to CBP. The
insurance company becomes liable to pay the remaining clearance on behalf of
the bond owner.
There are mainly two types of bonds, Single Entry Bond and Continuous Customs bond. A single entry
bond is valid for one-time importation via ocean vessels. On the contrary, a
Continuous Customs Bond is valid for all the imports made within a year and
suitable for companies that bring goods into the US frequently.
Note: If you’re carrying a single transaction bond, you will
be required to purchase an additional Importer Security Filing (ISF) bond also
known as 10+2. You will be required to submit it to the CBP 24 hours prior to
the goods being loaded to the vessel.
Bond Amount
The amount of bond is calculated on the basis of the total
value of shipment and duties and fees associated with it. Mostly, the minimum
amount for a Continuous Customs Bond
is $50,000.
Comments
Post a Comment