Time Saving Strategies

To help Flegenheimer International obtain all necessary releases and get your shipment to you in the shortest possible time, we have a couple of suggestions:

1) Provide your commercial documents (commercial invoice, packing list, additional required documents, shipment info) as early as possible.  We can file our entries with U.S. Customs and other government agencies BEFORE the shipment actually arrives. For airfreight shipments, we can file an entry 24 hours prior to the plane’s arrival.  For ocean freight shipments, we can file entries 5 days in advance of the vessel’s arrival.

Early receipt of documentation increases the likliehood of your entry being reviewed and released by Customs and FDA prior to the freight’s arrival – especially crucial to airfreight shipments. It will also allow us to catch any errors, omissions or discrepancies before the shipment arrives – thereby saving you time and money.

2) Make sure your shipper provides a complete commercial invoice and packing list.  The commercial invoice should show the scientific name of the product (especially important with seafood) in addition to the correct quantities, carton counts and value.  Any invoice for importing seafood also needs to show whether the product is farmed or wild caught.  Please also make sure the shipper includes the complete name, address and FDA registration number of thepacker or processor.

For FDA purposes, a packing list should show the total number of cartons in the shipment and how those cartons are packed – the number of  packages in each carton (if applicable), and the weight of each package.

Early and complete documentation from your shipper can help us reach our goal of having your shipment fully released before it docks or touches down.