What is an ISF-Import Security Filing (10+2)
An Import Security Filing (ISF or 10+2) is a requirement by the United States Customs for all ocean shipments. The ISF is to avoid terrorist weapons from entering the United States. To comply with the ISF the importer or person responsible for importing into or thru the United States is responsible to file information about the shipment with Customs. This filing must be done at least 24 hours prior to the shipment departing from the last foreign port to the USA.
The required information is necessary for Customs to find any high-risk shipments. It is to make sure of cargo safety and security, and to prevent smuggling. At the same time ocean carriers, under the 24 hour Manifest Rule must file information about the shipment with Customs. If the ISF information is not filed, customs can penalize the responsible party.
Penalties from $5,000 to $10,000
The penalties can start at $5,000 and go up to $10,000 per shipment if the ISF is not filed on time, or if the information is filed incorrectly. Depending on the situation of the violation, Customs can reduce the penalty to a lower amount.
Who is Responsible for the Filing
The responsible party for filing the ISF is the importer or the party that caused the goods to arrive in the United States by an ocean carrier. For shipments that enter the commerce of the U.S. the responsible party to file the ISF is the importer. If the shipment remains in-bond and continues to another country the responsible party is the company that caused the goods to arrive in the U.S.
We make filing an ISF easy
To file and ISF all you have to do is download from the forms tab the ISFform. You then have the shipper or freight forwarder in the originating country fill it out. Once it is filled out, you send it to us and we do the rest. When the ISF is submitted to Customs, they will issue an ISF transaction number that is unique and only for that shipment. We will then provide the ISF transaction number to you and to the freight forwarder shipping the freight to you. At that time it will be safe to export the shipment and not be in danger of getting any penalties for not filling the ISF, or for filling late.
