What documents do I need to import from China?
Short Answer: Four Core Docs - Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading (or AWB) and Customs Entry - Plus Product-Specific Certificates
The standard document set for a China import is four documents: a Commercial Invoice (value and terms), a Packing List (cartons, weights, dimensions, HS codes), a Bill of Lading for sea or Air Waybill for air (proof of transport), and a Customs Entry filed via your broker with the HS code and declared value. Product-specific extras may include a Certificate of Origin, test reports such as CE, FCC or UKCA, and licences for restricted goods. Your forwarder or Yiwu agent prepares most commercial documents and the export declaration; you or your broker handle the import entry and duty. Keep digital copies - customs can ask for them months later, and missing paperwork is the top cause of clearance delays.
The Four Core Documents
Every sea or air import rests on four documents. The commercial invoice states value and Incoterm, the packing list details the physical shipment, the bill of lading or air waybill proves carriage, and the customs entry is what actually clears the goods. Get any one wrong and clearance stalls regardless of how good the other three are.
| Document | Purpose | Prepared by |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Invoice | Value and trade terms | Supplier / agent |
| Packing List | Cartons, weight, dims, HS | Supplier / agent |
| Bill of Lading / AWB | Proof of transport | Carrier |
| Customs Entry | Clears goods, declares value | Broker (you) |
Product-Specific Extras
Beyond the core four, many products need certificates that prove they are legal to sell in the destination. These are not optional paperwork - a missing CE or FCC report can mean a hold at the border or a marketplace removal. Gather them at the sampling stage, not after production, because lab tests take weeks.
Who Prepares What
The split is clean: your supplier or forwarder produces the commercial documents and the Chinese export declaration, while you (through your broker) file the import entry and pay duty. A Yiwu agent sits in the middle, preparing the commercial docs accurately so the broker's entry matches - a mismatch between packing list and entry is a classic clearance delay.
Keep Digital Copies - Customs Asks Later
Customs authorities retain the right to request documents years after import (five years under 19 CFR 163 in the US). A clearance that looked finished can be reopened, and if you cannot produce the invoice or test report you face reassessment or penalties. Keep everything scanned and backed up, tied to the shipment reference.
Scan every document at booking
Not after clearance, when files get scattered.
Name files by shipment reference
So a 2026 audit finds the 2024 file fast.
Store certificates with the entry
Tests and licence with the matching import.
Back up off-site
One drive failure should not lose a customs record.
Match packing list to entry
Mismatches trigger the delays.
The Top Cause of Clearance Delays
In practice, inaccurate or missing documents - not duty rates - are what stall shipments at the border. A packing list that omits HS codes, a declared value that disagrees with the invoice, or a missing test report each sends a container to the back of the queue. Getting the paperwork right before sailing is cheaper than a week of demurrage arguing about it.
Case: A Hold Avoided by a Certificate
The client's CE test report and EU Responsible Person details were attached to the entry before sailing. A similar shipment from another trader was held two weeks for a missing report.
How RND SOURCING Handles Documents
We prepare the commercial invoice and packing list to match exactly - same HS codes, weights and dimensions as the entry your broker will file - because a mismatch is the usual delay, not the duty. We collect CE, FCC, UKCA and any licence at the sampling stage so they are ready before production finishes, and we hand you a scanned document pack per shipment. We are not a broker, but we make sure what your broker receives is complete.
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