Forms Needed for International Shipping

A commercial invoice form is the primary document used for importation control, valuation and duty determination of the ship. It’s required for all shipments containing non-documents. Long story short, it identifies the products that are being shipped.

The form should include:

• Complete name and address information for both shipper and recipient
• Phone numbers for both shipper and recipient
• Terms of Sale (Incoterm)
• Reason for export
• A complete description of the item
• What the item is
• What the item is used for
• Harmonized Tariff Codes, if known
• Country or territory of origin (where manufactured) for each item
• Number of units, unit value and total value (purchase price) of each item
• Number of packages and total weight
• Shipper's signature and date

If there’s no commercial value for what’s being shipped, a fair market value must be listed.

Need help filling out a commercial invoice? We made a guide to help walk you through it.

A packing list is an optional document that allows shippers to give specific details on a shipment’s contents. A packing list might seem similar to a commercial invoice, but it’s not the same. A packing list should not - and will not - replace a commercial invoice. Why?  Because it isn’t used by customs to determine duties and fees associated with the shipment.

Without information about the cost or value of a shipment’s contents, a packing list can still be very useful. For example, packing lists come in handy when a shipment’s contents are being forwarded to a third party, such as a customer or vender.

A certificate of origin is a document that verifies the manufacturing country of the items being shipped, and the item’s origin and destination determine if the certificate is required. Requirement reasons could be because of established Treaty arrangements, varying duty rates and preferential duty treatment dependent on the shipment´s origin.

Generally, if the country of origin is the U.S., a certificate will be needed. To be sure, use our Import and Export Regulations tool to see which forms you’ll need. 

Rules for when a certificate is needed change frequently. Be sure to verify your specific requirements before shipping.

Electronic Export Information is a document generally required by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (ACE) for U.S. exports that contain a single item valued at over $2,500.00. EEIs are filed electronically with ACE, either by you or UPS on your behalf.

Filing options are as followed:

• Self-file at ACE: While free of charge, you’ll need to view the UPS Port of Export Guide to determine from which port the shipment left the U.S. (required by ACE).
• Print an EEI from a UPS shipping system: This can be through UPS WorldShip^®, Internet Shipping or UPS CampusShip^®. We’ll need you to provide us with a completed Power of Attorney form to file. A small fee will apply. 
• Provide your own company's printed EEI or a completed commercial invoice. A Power of Attorney form is required, and a small fee will apply.