Maldives : ELVIS is Implemented for Exports on/after September 7, 2004

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has issued a notice announcing that the U.S. and Maldives have amended the existing U.S.-Maldives textile and apparel visa arrangement in order to implement the Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) for textiles and apparel subject to visa requirements, that are produced or manufactured in Maldives and exported on or after September 7, 2004.

(No textiles or apparel are subject to quota from Maldives. However, categories 237, 239, 330-359, 431-459, and 630-659 are subject to visa requirements for exports on or before December 31, 2004.

Visa and ELVIS requirements for Maldives and all other World Trade Organization member countries (all ELVIS countries are WTO members except Vietnam), will be terminated for exports on or after January 1, 2005. See ITT’s Online Archives or 07/06/04 news, (Ref: 04070620) for BP summary on the elimination of visa, ELVIS, GAL, and exempt certification requirements for WTO members’ exports on/after January 1, 2005, etc.)

Highlights of the New ELVIS Requirements

Attached to CITA’s notice is a copy of its directive to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) containing the new information on ELVIS, which is highlighted below:

Information required for each ELVIS transmission. CITA states that each ELVIS transmission shall include the visa number; date of issuance; correct category(s), merged category(s), part category(s), quantity(s) (in whole numbers), and unit(s) of quantity provided for in the Commerce Department’s Correlation and in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS); quantity of the shipment in the correct units of quantity; and the manufacturer ID number (MID).

Reasons for entry of a shipment not being permitted. According to CITA, entry of a shipment will not be permitted if:

• an ELVIS transmission has not been received from the Government of Maldives;
• the ELVIS transmission is missing any of the following: visa number; category, part category, or merged category; quantity; unit of measure; date of issuance; or manufacturer ID number;
• the ELVIS transmission for the shipment does not match the information supplied by the importer, or the Customs broker acting as an agent on behalf of the importer, with regard to the visa number; category, part category, or merged category, or unit of measure;
• the quantity being entered is greater than the quantity transmitted; or
• the visa number has been previously used, except in the case of a split shipment or cancelled, except when entry has already been made using the visa number.

CITA states that a new, correct ELVIS transmission from the Government of Maldives is required before a shipment that has been denied entry for one of the above reasons will be released.

CITA also states that visa waivers will only be accepted if the shipment qualifies for a one-time special purpose shipment that is not part of an ongoing commercial enterprise.

System failure. CITA states that shipments will not be released for 24 hours or one calendar day in the event of a system failure. If a system failure exceeds this time frame, for the remaining period of the system failure, CBP will release the shipments on the basis of the visa data provided by the Government of Maldives.

Personal Use and $800 or Less Properly Marked Samples

According to CITA, merchandise imported for the personal use of the importer and not for resale, regardless of value, and properly marked commercial sample shipments valued at US$800 or less, do not require a visa or ELVIS transmission and shall not be charged to quota limits.

(CITA also states that the visa stamp remains unchanged.)

CITA Contact -- Ross Arnold (202) 482-4212

CITA notice (FR Pub 08/27/04) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/E4-1953.pdf

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