What is an Importer Security Filing?

Under the new rule, before merchandise arriving by vessel can be imported into the United States, the “Importer Security Filing (ISF) Importer,” or their agent (e.g., licensed customs broker), must electronically submit certain advance cargo information to CBP in the form of an Importer Security Filing. This requirement only applies to cargo arriving in the United States by ocean vessel; it does not apply to cargo arriving by other modes of transportation.

Who is Responsible for the Filing?
The ISF Importer is required to submit the Importer Security Filing. The ISF Importer is the party causing the goods to arrive within the limits of a port in the United States by vessel. Typically, the ISF Importer is the goods’ owner, purchaser, consignee, or agent such as a licensed customs broker. However, for foreign cargo remaining on board (FROB), the ISF Importer is the carrier. For immediate exportation (IE) and transportation and exportation (T&E) in-bond shipments, and goods to be delivered to a foreign trade zone (FTZ), the ISF Importer is the party filing the IE, T&E, or FTZ documentation.

What Must Be Filed?
Shipments Consisting of Goods Intended to be Entered into the United States and Goods Intended to be Delivered to a Foreign Trade Zone ISF Importers, or their agent, must provide eight data elements, no later than 24 hours before the cargo is laden aboard a vessel destined to the United States. Those data elements include:
• Seller
• Buyer
• Importer of record number / FTZ applicant identification number
• Consignee number(s)
• Manufacturer (or supplier)*
• Ship to party *
• Country of origin *
• Commodity Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) number

ISF Importers have flexibility with respect to the submission of these four data elements. For these data elements, importers may submit a range of acceptable responses based on facts available to the ISF Importer at the time of submission.

The Importer Security Filing must be updated as soon as more accurate or precise data becomes available and no later than 24 hours prior to the ship’s arrival at a U.S. port. Two additional data elements must be submitted as early as possible, but no later than 24 hours prior to the ship’s arrival at a U.S. port. These data elements are: • Container stuffing location; and • Consolidator
FROB, IE Shipments, and T&E Shipments

For shipments consisting entirely of FROB and shipments consisting entirely of goods intended to be transported in-bond as an IE or T&E, the Importer Security Filing must consist of five elements. Importer Security Filings for IE and T&E shipments must be submitted no later than 24 hours before the cargo is laden aboard a vessel destined to the United States and Importer Security Filings for FROB must be submitted any time prior to lading.

The following five data elements must be submitted for FROB, IE and T&E shipments: • Booking party • Foreign port of unlading • Place of delivery • Ship to party • Commodity HTSUS number

Buyer Info:
ISF Filer needs to provide the complete name, address, city, state, zip code, telephone and fax #, and email address of the person or company that is importing the cargo into the United States.

Buyer Tax I.D. :
ISF Filer needs to provide the Tax I.D. Number, such as: IRS Number / Employer Identification Number / Social Security Number / Custom Assign Number, of the person or company that is importing the cargo into the United States.
Important: ISF Filer needs to provide the Federal Tax Identification Number… not the state or local number…. Must be the Federal Tax I.D. Number.

Buyer Import Bond # :
ISF Filer needs to provide the complete name, address, city, state, zip code, telephone and fax #, and email address of the person or company that will Custom Clear the imported cargo that will be arriving into the United States. This means this person or company will be responsible for the payment of all US imported duties and taxes to the U.S. Custom Department.
Important: If the person or company that will be responsible for the payment of import duties and taxes is the Buyer. If so, then ISF Filer would put “Same Buyer” Highly Recommend: We strongly recommend that all importer(s) purchase an annual / yearly Continuous Import Bond (CTB – Activity 1 Bond)

Ship To / Receiver:
ISF Filer needs to provide the complete name, address, city, state, zip code, telephone and fax number of the first person or company that will be receiving the imported cargo that will be arriving into the United States.
Important: The person or company that will be receiving the imported cargo maybe the same as the Buyer. If so, then ISF Filer would put “Same Buyer”
Important: If more than one company will be receiving this cargo or container. Please provide the first company that will receive the cargo or container. We need the complete company name, address, city, state and zip code of this company receiving the cargo or container.

Buying From ( Oversea Seller ):
ISF Filer needs to provide the complete name, address, city, state or province, postal code, telephone and fax number of the person or company that sold the product or commodity that is being imported into the United States.

Manufacturer:
ISF Filer needs to provide the complete name, address, city, state or province, postal code, telephone and fax number of the person or factory that made or produce the product or commodity that is being imported into the United States. Important: For textiles we need the factory that manufactured the fabrics. The complete name, address, city, state or province, postal code, telephone and fax number of that person or factory.

Important: The person or factory that made or produced the product or commodity maybe the same person or factory as the oversea seller. If so, then ISF Filer would put “Same As Buying From ( Oversea Seller )”

Country of Origin:
ISF Filer needs to provide the country where the imported cargo / commodity are being imported from.
Tariff Code / HTS / HTC:
ISF Filer needs to provide the HTC (Harmonized Tariff Code) or HTS (Harmonized Tariff Schedule) for the product / commodity that is being imported into the United States.
Absolutely Important: The US Custom needs the “Ten- (10)- Digits” of the Tariff Code (HTS / HTC) for the imported cargo.
Important: Here is a direct link to the complete list of the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Code & Schedule
Important: If ISF Filer does not know where to locate or what the Harmonized Tariff Code of the commodity / good that is being imported but it is the same commodity that was previously imported. Then, ISF Filer can go to their previous US entry fling document (CBP 7501 – Entry Summary) to locate the Harmonized Tariff Code.
The Tariff Code (HTC/HTS) are sequenced in 4-digits.2-digits.4-digits (1234.56.7890) Here is a link to the Customs Border and Protections CBP 7501 Entry Summary form (
http://forms.cbp.gov/pdf/CBP_Form_7501.pdf )

Container Stuffing Location:
ISF Filer needs to provide the complete name, address, city, state or province, postal code, telephone and fax number of the person or company that loaded the imported cargo into the container.
Important: If the person or company that loaded the container can and maybe the same person or company as the manufacturer or oversea seller. If so, the ISF Filer would put “Same Manufacturer”

Consolidator / Stuffer:
ISF Filer needs to provide the complete name, address, city, state or province, postal code, telephone and fax number of the person or company that loaded the imported cargo into the container.
Important: If the person or company that loaded the container can and maybe the same person or company as the manufacturer. If so, the ISF Filer would put “Same Manufacturer”

Bill of Lading:
ISF Filer needs to provide the Bill of Lading (MBL / HBL / BOL / BL / Lading) number for the shipment that is about to depart or leave the origin port. The bill of lading is considered vital and crucial information in filing the ISF since this will become the linked number when the ISF is submitted and filed with US Custom. The Bill of Lading number will only be issued by the vessel operators / shipping-line / steamship / freight carriers when the cargo(s) or container(s) is officially in the control, possession, or hands of the vessel operators and/or steamship line.
With the Bill of Lading number in hand the ISF Filer, importer or consignee can at least be assured that the cargo(s) or container(s) has been delivered by the vendor, supplier, or oversea seller to the freight carrier for departure.
Important: ISF Filer must ask, request, and/or demand this Bill of Lading number from there vendor, supplier, or oversea seller.
Important: The Bill of Lading number can either be the Master Bill of Lading (MBL) number or House Bill of Lading (HBL) number, either B/L number is acceptable for ISF filing.

Is This Full Container:
ISF Filer needs to answer whether this shipment is a Full Container Load or not. Full Container load can be standard container or reefer container (refrigerated) load, here are types of containers size: 40ft Container, 20ft Container, 40ft High Cube (HC/HQ) Container, or a 45ft Container Load.
Important: The reason ISF Filer needs to provide this information is because US Custom needs to know in the ISF Filing what type of Mode of Ocean Transportation (MOT) the imported cargo is coming into the United States ports.

Quantity Cartons:
ISF Filer needs to provide the total quantity of the products, commodities, or goods that are being imported in this shipped.

Contact Info:
ISF Filer needs to provide the complete name, address, city, state, zip code, telephone and fax number, and email address of themselves since the ISF Filer inputted the data.