Importer Security Filing (ISF)
Effective since 2009, the Importer Security Filing (ISF) rule applies to all vessel shipments (except bulk cargo) that enter the United States.
This rule obliges the importing U.S. parties to submit certain data elements about the imported cargo to the U.S. Customs. That data is transmitted electronically in the form of an Importer Security Filing.
Also known as the 10+2 rule, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) introduced this regulation to help mitigate shipment associated risks.
As per the ISF rule:
- The CBP must receive a total of ten data elements from cargo importers and two from ocean carriers
- The CBP must receive the ISF declaration at least 24 hours prior to loading the cargo onto the U.S.-bound vessel
- The complete ISF must be submitted 48 hours before the vessel’s departure from the port of loading
Any failure to comply with these regulations can result in heavy penalties and cause unnecessary delays in the shipping process.
To help avoid such inconveniences, you need someone who is well-versed with the do's and don’ts of these regulatory measures. That’s where we come in.
At Airlift USA Inc, a dedicated ISF team takes complete responsibility for successfully submitting your ISF.
From procuring all the necessary data elements in advance to following up with overseas officials, our ISF team handles everything.
Using their experience and knowledge, our ISF experts plan every step of the procedure ahead of time. This allows us to take care of all the formalities systematically and thereby eliminate the possibility of fines and delays.
Our ISF services also come with flexible software solutions. Using these, our certified experts can easily track your ISF data and make changes whenever needed and thus ensure accurate submissions.
Once filed, we run daily reports to check your ISF status. We also closely monitor CBP messages regarding your ISF filing. In case of any issues, we work with the concerned party (ocean carrier, consignee) and try resolving the problem as quickly as possible.
With effective measures for monitoring every step, our professionals thus assure accurate and timely filing of your ISF.