There are new changes in the direct return of imported goods!

　　In international trade, when the consignee is unable to declare imported goods normally due to trade, logistics, national policies, etc., they need to handle direct return procedures at customs. This is similar to returning goods purchased online domestically. Today, I will provide a detailed introduction to the relevant regulations and the latest changes regarding the direct return of imported goods.

　　PART 1. Situations Applicable for Direct Return of Imported Goods

　　Link to the provisions:

　　"Regulations on Direct Return of Imported Goods by the Customs of the People's Republic of China" (Order No. 217 of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China)

　　Article 3: After the goods enter the country and before the customs release procedures are completed, if any of the following situations occur, the parties can apply to the customs at the location of the goods for direct return procedures:

　　① Due to adjustments in national trade management policies, the consignee is unable to provide relevant documents;

　　② Goods that were wrongly sent, misloaded, or overflowed, and can provide written proof from the shipper or carrier;

　　③ Both the sender and receiver agree to the return and can provide written proof of mutual agreement to return;

　　④ There is a trade dispute, and valid court judgments, arbitration decisions, or undisputed valid proof of ownership of the goods can be provided;

　　⑤ The goods are damaged or do not meet national inspection and quarantine standards, and relevant inspection certificates issued by national inspection and quarantine departments can be provided.

　　There are many situations applicable for return. For further inquiries, you can call the customs hotline 12360.

　　PART 2. New Regulations for Parties Applying for Direct Return

　　Direct return includes applications for direct return by the parties and orders for return issued by customs. The new regulations for parties applying for direct return have fixed previous on-site processing bugs, and now it can be done online.

　　Link to the provisions:

　　"Operational Procedures for Direct Return of Imported Goods by the Customs of the People's Republic of China"

　　Article 2: After the goods enter the country and before the customs release procedures are completed, the importer or exporter, the person in charge of the original means of transport, or their agent (hereinafter collectively referred to as "the parties") can directly return all or part of the goods abroad, and customs shall apply these procedures according to national regulations.

　　Article 4: For handling the direct return of imported goods, the parties shall declare to the customs at the location of the goods via the Internet and submit relevant materials.

　　This new regulation helps reduce the manpower loss for enterprises, making the business process more convenient, which is undoubtedly good news for businesses.

　　In the past, a set of return documents might have to go through several processes involving the owner, freight forwarder, shipping agent, customs clearance department/logistics department, etc., before reaching the hands of the on-site customs officer. There was also the possibility of returning empty-handed due to incomplete documentation, which not only caused delays but also resulted in varying degrees of economic losses.

　　Now! Enterprises no longer need to run back and forth; they can directly apply for direct return to customs via the Internet. At the same time, customs officers will review the completeness of the electronic documents received and provide timely feedback.

　　According to regulations, customs acceptance to approval should be completed within 5 working days. During this process, applicants can check the progress of the handling online at any time, making the operation transparent and reassuring.

　　After customs completes the internal processing procedures, the applicant will receive a receipt of approval for return from customs, and the relevant parties can choose to handle the return matters at the customs clearance department or logistics department according to their actual situation.