Here we will address some of the questions that we hear most often from clients. We hope the answers to these questions will assist you in the coordinating and planning of your future business transactions.

• I am a new importer and I have a shipment arriving soon. What should I do?
  The procedure is simple. First, we must have a power of attorney on file. You may call us and we shall prepare one for you or you may download the form from this website, complete it, and forward us an original copy. Do you have a customs bond? If not, we can arrange bonding for you, if necessary. You may send us via fax copies of the invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, and arrival notice. In most cases, it is perfectly acceptable for us to use copies provided they are legible. We will advise you should we need the originals of any document. Please also provide instructions as to how you prefer the freight to be delivered.
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• How much duty must I pay on my merchandise?
  We can provide you with the duty rate for any commodity as long as you provide us with a very specific description of the product. The description should include the name of the product, the materials it is made from, its use, and the country of origin. We will advise you should we need more information to properly classify the goods. In some cases, we recommend that a binding ruling be first obtained from U.S. Customs when the classification is questionable.
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• How much will shipping cost?
  So that we provide you with an accurate rate quotation on air or ocean freight, you must advise us of the nature of the commodity, the points of origin and destination for the shipment, the weight, and the size of the shipment.
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• When can I expect to receive my goods?
  In many cases, Haines International is able to obtain a release for your cargo prior to its arrival. This, of course, depends on the time that we receive the necessary paperwork from you. To avoid high demurrage charges, we recommend that you allow us at least one business day's notice prior to arrival, in the event that Customs requires the documents to be be physically presented for processing.
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