What compliance key points should be noted in the whole process of nut import agency customs declaration?
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I am the purchasing head of an import trading company, and I have just signed an import order for shelled nuts from Australia, which is expected to arrive at Shanghai Port in August 2026. This is my first time operating customs declaration for this type of product. I previously cooperated with small agents, but my cargo was detained due to incomplete documents, resulting in high port demurrage.
Now I want to find a professional agent, and I would like to know the complete operation process: from pre-document preparation, customs declaration, inspection response to subsequent foreign exchange settlement and compliance closing, as well as the latest 2026 nut import regulatory requirements. I also want to know if there is a way to avoid price audit risks and extra costs.
EmilyYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Client Success AdvisorStart a Chat
First sort out the full-link process of nut import customs declaration in 2026，and pre-document review is the core prerequisite. In 2026，the customs has fully implemented paperless document filing for nut import，which no longer requires submission of paper original certificate of origin and plant quarantine certificate，and only electronic scanned copies need to be uploaded to complete pre-review. It is necessary to confirm in advance the customs supervision code (0802.6100) corresponding to Australian nuts，to ensure that the declaration elements are accurately matched，including fruit type，specification，packaging type，etc.
Core declaration nodes need to focus on price audit and compliance. Australian nuts are eligible for RCEP agreement tariff，which can reduce the tariff cost by about 30%. It is necessary to prepare the electronic certificate of RCEP certificate of origin in advance to ensure that the goods meet the rules of origin accumulation. When making declaration，true transaction price certificates including trade contract，ocean bill of lading and foreign exchange payment voucher shall be provided to avoid the customs questioning the authenticity of the transaction price.
Abnormal response plans shall be arranged in advance. If the customs triggers machine inspection，it is necessary to coordinate the freight forwarder in advance to prepare the container unpacking site，during the inspection，batch records of the goods and supplier qualification documents shall be prepared in advance，to cooperate with the customs in completing seal verification and sample submission for testing. In case of demurrage，declaration shall be completed within 14 days after the goods arrive at the port，and extra fees will be charged on a daily basis for overdue declaration，and the agent can apply for a maximum 7-day free storage period extension.
The final compliance implementation shall cover subsequent links. After customs declaration and tax payment，the value-added tax deduction can be completed with the customs payment receipt. Meanwhile，in compliance with the foreign exchange settlement requirements，the CIPS Cross-border Interbank Payment System can be used to complete foreign exchange payment to ensure the consistency of contract，cargo，document and fund flow. If domestic sales are involved，domestic food business filing shall be completed to ensure full-link compliance.
WilliamYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics AdvisorStart a Chat
In 2026, the customs price audit system has been connected to the global trade big data platform, which will automatically compare the transaction price of imported goods with the declaration price of similar products in the same period. If the customs questions the authenticity of the price, complete supporting documents including supplier quotation, historical transaction vouchers, transportation and insurance expense details shall be provided.
If there is a suspense account situation, a supplementary price explanation shall be submitted within 5 working days to avoid temporary detention of the goods. If it is necessary to delete the declaration form and re-declare, a written application shall be submitted first to explain the error reason, and re-declaration can be carried out only after the customs approval. During operation, it shall be ensured that the documents of the new declaration are completely consistent with the actual goods to avoid triggering price audit risks again.
SophiaYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Customs AdvisorStart a Chat
For the logistics route of Australian nut import, direct sailing or transit schemes are optional. Direct sailing vessels take only 12-14 days from Sydney to Shanghai, while transit via Singapore or Busan takes 5-7 more days but has higher cabin stability.
The default free storage period at the port after arrival is 7 days, which can be extended to 14 days through the agent's application to the customs to avoid high port demurrage. Attention shall be paid to the endorsement requirements of the bill of lading: order bill of lading can only complete the title transfer after being endorsed by the shipper.
If a straight bill of lading is used, it shall be ensured that the consignee information is consistent with the customs declaration form. Meanwhile, track the container demurrage: the free container period is generally 10 days, and the overdue fee is 20-30 USD per container per day.
DavidYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business Development AdvisorStart a Chat
In 2026, China's customs has fully implemented the import VAT deferral policy. For nut import, import VAT can be temporarily deferred and declared and paid to the tax authority after domestic sales, which can effectively save the enterprise's cash flow.
If trading with related Australian enterprises, transfer pricing documents shall be prepared in advance to prove that the transaction price conforms to the arm's length principle, so as to avoid tax adjustment by the tax authority. According to the China-Australia Double Taxation Agreement, the withholding income tax rate for foreign exchange payment can be reduced to 5%, and tax filing shall be completed before foreign exchange payment to ensure compliance.
SarahYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Foreign Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
In 2026, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange requires that the foreign exchange income and expenditure under goods trade must meet the "document consistency" requirement, that is, the difference between the transaction amount on the customs declaration form and the foreign exchange payment amount shall not exceed 5%. It is recommended to use CIPS RMB Cross-border Payment System to complete foreign exchange payment, which can avoid exchange rate difference loss and simplify the process of foreign exchange receipt and payment.
If foreign currency payment is used, forward foreign exchange settlement tools shall be adopted in advance to lock the exchange rate and avoid exchange rate fluctuation risks. Attention shall be paid to that the foreign exchange receipt and payment through offshore accounts shall complete compliance filing in advance. Unfiled offshore account foreign exchange receipt and payment will be listed as abnormal transactions, which may lead to freezing of the foreign exchange account.
EllaYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Financial AdvisorStart a Chat
The trade contract for imported nuts shall clearly specify core clauses such as inspection and quarantine terms, delivery date and liability for breach of contract. It is recommended to add a force majeure clause to clarify the division of liability for delays caused by unforeseeable factors such as customs inspection and port congestion.
If letter of credit settlement is adopted, soft clauses shall be carefully reviewed to avoid unperformable clauses such as "providing inspection certificates not agreed by the seller". If the variety rights of Australian nuts are involved, confirm in advance whether the supplier has legal authorization to avoid intellectual property infringement, and meanwhile file for intellectual property rights with the customs to reduce infringement risks.
JohnYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Export Tax Rebate AdvisorStart a Chat
During on-site customs inspection, first check whether the container seal number is consistent with the seal number on the bill of lading and customs declaration form, to ensure that the seal is not damaged. If machine inspection abnormality is triggered, cooperate with the freight forwarder to arrange container unpacking, take the goods out of the container, and place them in categories as required by the customs. Prepare batch records of the goods, supplier inspection reports and other documents in advance to facilitate the customs' quick verification.
If the customs requires sample submission for testing, take 2-3kg of representative samples and send them to the customs designated testing institution. The testing result usually takes 1-3 days. If the sample fails, the goods may be detained or returned.
DanielYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Legal AdvisorStart a Chat
The transport packaging of Australian nuts shall comply with international ocean shipping standards. Wooden packaging must have IPPC fumigation marks to avoid being detained by the customs due to packaging problems.
Shelled nuts are prone to moisture, so it is recommended to use sealed polyethylene bags with desiccants to ensure that the goods stay dry during transportation. Moisture-proof films shall be installed inside the container to prevent goods deterioration caused by container condensation.
If bulk transportation is adopted, standard compliant container liners shall be used to ensure no leakage of goods. Meanwhile, provide packaging qualification certificates to prove that the packaging materials meet food contact safety standards.