Clearing Cargo in the BVI

CUSTOMS BROKERAGE / SHIPPING AGENT

Disclaimer

The information on this page was written by Digital Freight Management Solutions and is our summation of the BVI clearance process. It is meant only as a guide and does not represent or supersede any information provided by BVI Customs.

All goods imported into the BVI are liable for customs duties with some exception. These goods can be declared by the importer or a customs broker acting on his/her behalf. Here is a quick overview of the steps involved. Note that Steps 1 and 2 are interchangeable.

Collect the release documents from your shipping carrier/agent
Collect the release documents from your shipping carrier/agent. These consist of the Bill of Lading and one or more of:
Obtain an Importer Id
Obtain an Importer Id for the consignee (importer) named on the Bill of Lading. Skip this step if you already have an Importer Id for your selected customs broker.
- You must fill out a CAPS Trader Registration Form. Check with your broker on how they handle this process. For Digital Freight you can come to our office and fill out the form or request one electronically. A valid government-issued picture ID is required and for businesses, a copy of your current Trade License is also required.
- If you already have an Importer Id and you wish to have your Trade Declaration (T-12) prepared by another customs broker/preparer, the process is the same to link that new customs broker to your existing Import Id. You only need to do this once per customs broker.
Submit the required documents to your customs broker/preparer
Submit the Bill of Lading, Cargo Release, Freight Invoice (if applicable) and Cargo Invoice(s) to your customs broker/ preparer. Trade declarations are now completed and submitted online through the Customs Automated Processing System (CAPS). Once a declaration has been reviewed and approved by customs a payment summary is sent to the preparing agent. If there is a problem with the submission a query report is generated that lists the offending issue(s) that must be corrected before the declaration can be re-submitted for approval.
Collect your completed Trade Declaration (T12)
Once the declaration has been approved by customs, collect the completed Trade Declaration (T-12) from your customs broker.
Pay outstanding duties and collect your cargo
Proceed to the designated customs station (Port Purcell, Road Town, Airport) to pay any outstanding customs duties and/or port fees and collect your cargo.

Glossary

Document / Reference	Description
Bill of Lading ( BOL )	Issued by the shipping carrier or its agent and specifies the details of the shipment including (1) the names of the shipper and consignee (importer), (2) the names of the departure and destination ports, (3) the dates of departure and arrival, and (4) an itemized list of the goods being shipped along with the weight and volume of the cargo. An Express Bill of Lading or Waybill facilitates the immediate release of cargo without requiring an original BOL. An Original Bill of Lading OBL is a physical copy of the BOL generated by the shipping carrier and given to the shipper. The shipper sends this copy to the consignee after all transactional obligations have been met. The consignee must present this physical copy to claim their cargo. Alternatively, the consignee may request a Telex (paperless) release from the shipper.
Cargo Release	Issued by the shipping carrier or its agent and indicates (stamped or signed) that a shipment is authorized to be released to the consignee. It may contain overlapping information found on the Bill of Lading and for some carriers it is a stamped/signed copy of the Bill of Lading.
Freight Invoice	Issued by the shipping carrier and details the freight rate and applicable fees to ship the cargo. Note: In some cases, the freight cost is included in the Bill of Lading.
Cargo Invoice(s)	Details the cost of the goods being shipped: For general merchandise this may consist of one or more consumer receipts/invoices. For vehicles, this is a Bill of Sale. Before a trade declaration can be completed, the vehicle must be examined by a customs officer who validates and signs off on the value. For personal effects including barrels where a commercial invoice or receipt is not applicable, the items must be examined by a customs officer who validates and provides an estimated value or signs off on the given value(s).
Importer Id	Trade declarations are now completed and submitted online through the Customs Automated Processing System (CAPS). All persons or entities importing cargo into the BVI must register with the Customs Department to obtain an Importer Id (Trader Identification Number).