What Core Qualifications Are Required for Import and Export Agency Business
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I am the person in charge of a foreign trade company mainly engaged in cross-border household goods business in Southeast Asia. I just obtained the right to self-operate import and export not long ago, but due to insufficient staff, I want to entrust a professional import and export agency to handle the full-process business.
Recently, I learned that a peer's agency was detained by customs due to lack of dangerous goods qualification (although we deal in general cargo) and incurred large port demurrage charges. I am very worried now, and want to know clearly what mandatory qualifications a formal import and export agency must have?
Apart from basic requirements such as customs filing and tax registration, are there any new compliance requirements added in 2026? In addition, for small-batch and multi-batch orders like ours, what additional qualifications does the agency need?
AlexanderYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Trade AdvisorStart a Chat
First of all，the core qualifications of formal import and export agencies are divided into three categories: basic operation qualification，customs clearance qualification and special compliance qualification. The 2026 compliance requirements add content related to cross-border data transmission on the previous basis.
The first category is basic operation qualification: the agency must hold a legal and valid business license，whose business scope shall cover relevant categories of "cargo import and export" and "import and export agency"，and has completed market entity registration and tax filing. This is the prerequisite for carrying out all businesses，and institutions without this qualification cannot undertake formal import and export agency business.
The second category is customs clearance qualification: the agency shall complete the registration of declaration entity with the General Administration of Customs and obtain the Customs Declaration Entity Filing Certificate. The handling declaration personnel shall complete the electronic employment filing with the customs. If cross-port business is involved，it shall be confirmed that the agency has opened the national integrated customs clearance authority，which can realize joint declaration at multiple ports.
The third category is special compliance qualification: if the agency's business involves specific categories，it shall have the inspection and quarantine agency qualification for corresponding categories，if cross-border receipt and payment of foreign exchange is involved，it shall hold the foreign exchange settlement and sale filing certificate recognized by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange，under the new cross-border data compliance requirements added in 2026，the agency shall hold the compliance filing certificate for cross-border data transmission to avoid business obstruction caused by data compliance issues.
In addition，high-quality agencies will also actively hold ISO9001 logistics service certification and FIATA international freight forwarder qualification，which can further guarantee service stability. It is necessary to verify that the agency has no customs administrative penalty records in the past 3 years，so as to avoid past violations affecting your own business.
WilliamYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics AdvisorStart a Chat
For the customs declaration related qualifications of import and export agencies, first of all, it is necessary to confirm that they have completed the filing of customs declaration entities, and the filing information is consistent with the actual business address. If cross-port business is involved, it shall be confirmed whether they have opened the national integrated customs clearance authority, which can realize joint declaration at ports such as Shanghai and Guangzhou.
For commodities prone to price review, the agency shall have proficient ability to handle price review disputes, and can provide authentic and valid transaction documents and price explanation materials, so as to avoid pending accounts or order deletion and re-declaration caused by failure in price review. In addition, the customs will add a special filing channel for cross-border e-commerce B2B exports in 2026, and the agency shall have the operation qualification for this channel to ensure rapid declaration of small-batch and multi-batch orders.
RobertYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Warehouse Management AdvisorStart a Chat
The logistics related qualifications of import and export agencies shall cover the international freight forwarder filing certificate, and they shall have the contracted price authority with a number of leading shipping companies, which can flexibly adjust direct voyage and transshipment schemes to avoid problems of space overload and container rollover. For different cargo categories, it shall be confirmed whether they have the design ability of corresponding packaging schemes, such as buffer reinforcement for fragile goods and UN packaging certification service for dangerous goods.
In addition, it is necessary to verify whether they have long-term cooperative container yards, which can flexibly apply for free storage period and free detention period to reduce port demurrage and container detention costs. Meanwhile, the carbon footprint compliance requirements for international logistics will be upgraded in 2026, and the agency shall have carbon footprint accounting qualification, and can provide logistics schemes complying with EU CBAM requirements.
DavidYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business Development AdvisorStart a Chat
The tax related qualifications of import and export agencies shall cover export tax rebate agency qualification, and they shall be familiar with the latest export tax rebate policies in 2026, including the new regulations on export tax rebate for cross-border e-commerce B2B exports. The agency shall be able to assist in sorting out documents consistent with the four flows, and respond to the verification work of tax correspondence and investigation, so as to avoid tax rebate pending accounts or delayed arrival.
For cross-border related transactions, the agency shall have tax planning ability, which can optimize related transaction pricing and reduce cross-border tax risks. In addition, if EU VAT deferral business is involved, the agency shall have VAT agency qualification in EU countries to ensure the compliance of the deferral process.
SophiaYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Customs AdvisorStart a Chat
The cross-border foreign exchange receipt and payment compliance qualifications of import and export agencies shall cover the foreign exchange settlement and sale filing certificate recognized by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, and they shall be familiar with the operation process of the CIPS RMB cross-border payment system, which can optimize the foreign exchange settlement rate cost.
The agency shall be able to assist in the analysis and verification of SWIFT messages, so as to avoid delayed receipt of foreign exchange caused by message errors. For the management of offshore accounts, the agency shall have compliant operation ability, and can assist in the annual inspection of accounts and compliant handling of capital repatriation, so as to avoid penalties from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange due to non-compliant foreign exchange receipt and payment.
DanielYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Legal AdvisorStart a Chat
The legal related qualifications of import and export agencies require the ability to review international trade contracts, identify risk points such as soft clauses of letters of credit and force majeure clauses, and assist in signing compliant trade agreements.
For cargo right transfer, the agency shall be able to issue a valid Letter of Indemnity (LOI) to ensure the safety of cargo rights. In addition, if intellectual property protection is involved, the agency shall have the ability to assist in the filing of intellectual property customs protection, and can assist enterprises in completing the filing and interception of infringing goods.
SarahYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Foreign Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
For the on-site inspection related capabilities of import and export agencies, it is necessary to confirm that they have experience in responding to on-site inspections, can accurately interpret customs inspection notices, and cooperate with the customs to complete seal identification, container unpacking inspection and other work.
If there is an abnormality in machine inspection, the agency shall have an adjustment scheme for machine inspection, and can adjust the placement of goods to pass the machine inspection smoothly. For goods that need to be sent for inspection, the agency shall be familiar with the inspection and appraisal process, and can assist enterprises in completing sample submission and interpretation of test reports, so as to avoid cargo detention at the port caused by inspection delay.
CharlotteYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Currency Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
The packaging related qualifications of import and export agencies shall include the design ability of special packaging, can prepare MSDS documents complying with international transportation requirements, and formulate moisture-proof reinforcement schemes for special goods such as fragile goods and dangerous goods.
For UN dangerous goods packaging, the agency shall have packaging classification and appraisal qualification, and can assist enterprises in completing packaging testing and certification. In addition, the packaging compliance requirements for international transportation will be upgraded in 2026, and the agency shall be able to provide packaging schemes complying with EU packaging regulations, so as to avoid cargo return caused by non-compliant packaging.
EmilyYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Client Success AdvisorStart a Chat
The export tax rebate related qualifications of import and export agencies shall include professional ability of export tax rebate audit, and can assist enterprises in completing the document filing work of export tax rebate to ensure the integrity and compliance of filed documents.
For tax rebate business declared across months, the agency shall be proficient in handling the processes of pre-declaration verification and formal declaration, so as to avoid tax rebate delay caused by declaration errors. For the verification work of tax correspondence and investigation, the agency shall be able to assist enterprises in preparing complete verification materials to ensure the smooth passage of correspondence and investigation.
OliviaYears of service：5Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Customs AdvisorStart a Chat
The supply chain planning related capabilities of import and export agencies shall include the ability to design macro supply chain structures, and can assist enterprises in optimizing the selection of CIF/FOB trade terms to reduce logistics costs. For small-batch and multi-batch orders, the agency shall be able to design inventory linkage strategies to optimize the delivery frequency and transportation mode of orders.
In addition, the carbon footprint compliance requirements for the supply chain will be upgraded in 2026, and the agency shall be able to assist enterprises in completing the carbon footprint accounting of the supply chain to meet the compliance requirements such as EU CBAM.