CBP Revises PAPS Procedures To No Longer Require Invoices for Primary Clearance, Etc
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a memorandum stating that CBP is revising its procedures, effective immediately, for Pre-Arrival Processing System (PAPS) entries in order to reduce the work load for Customs brokers and CBP Officers.
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CBP indicates that these changes are necessary as the use of PAPS has become mandatory for truck carriers at land border ports of entry, as a result of the Trade Act of 2002.
CBP to No Longer Require Invoices for Primary Clearance
CBP states that for PAPS transactions an invoice with or without an affixed barcode will no longer be required for primary clearance. Transmission of the invoice and PAPS information via fax or Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to the Customs broker is still required.
According to CBP, the broker continues to be responsible for maintaining the invoice copies and shall make them available upon demand of a CBP Officer. PAPS entries are not considered to be paperless and require documentation at the time of entry. For release purposes at primary processing locations, a properly completed and signed CBP 7533 with a barcode containing the required PAPS information is sufficient.
CBP Release Stamps to No Longer be Required on CBP 7533 or Invoices
Due to this change in processing, CBP release stamps will no longer be required to be placed on CBP 7533 or invoices for PAPS entries. The electronic release date retained in the Automated Commercial System (ACS) and transmitted to the filer via ABI will be the date of record for release date purposes. Entry date calculations will be made using the electronic release date in ACS.
According to CBP, the current PAPS requirement to present an invoice copy containing a PAPS barcode at primary release and the use of a release stamp by CBP officers on these invoices causes additional work for all parties.
(PAPS requires the carrier to provide a barcode to be placed on a CBP 7533 (Inward Cargo Manifest) and invoice that contains the carrier's SCAC code and a pro-bill number (northern border) or filer code and entry number (southern border). The invoice is transmitted via fax or EDI to a customhouse broker for input into the Automated Broker Interface (ABI). The manifest and invoice with barcodes affixed are presented to the CBP Officer at the time of primary processing.)
(According to the memo, affected port directors were to ensure that this information was distributed to the trade community no later than January 15, 2005. The memo was also to be posted to the CBP.gov web site and distributed via email to affected trade associations.)
CBP contact - James Swanson (202) 344-2576
CBP memorandum (dated 01/18/05) available at
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/communications_to_industry/advance_info/updated_paps.xml.