At ImportAnything.ph, we have a growing number of countries where you can import from absolutely without papers. We call these our “specialty countries”. You can see the our list of specialty countries here.
Non-specialty countries, on the other hand, are countries not included in this list.
Yes, we also handle shipments coming from these countries. The only difference is that we will require an invoice and packing list, preferably before your cargo ships out of the origin country. We’ll discuss why in a bit but first let’s talk about the two documents you need.
Invoice
An invoice is a document detailing what you purchased and what their prices are. This could be a proforma invoice, which is what suppliers issue as a formal payment request. Or it could be a commercial invoice, which is what suppliers issue after the payment has been made.
Packing list
A packing list looks a lot like an invoice but instead of prices, it only has quantities, dimensions, and weights.
We need these two documents in order to be able to get you a quotation. Unlike with shipping from specialty countries, we have to present your papers to the Philippine customs for pre-approval (more on this in the next part). Both documents can be obtained from your supplier, even if you haven’t paid them yet.
PRE-APPROVAL & QUOTATION
Pre-approval is the step where we ensure that your shipment will go through the Bureau of Customs without any issues. When we present your two documents to the BOC and they give us the green light, we’re 100% sure that your shipment wil be cleared and in the shortest time possible.
What if you didn’t get pre-approval?
If the shipment is already on its way, send us the invoice, packing list, and waybill information. We’ll try to secure its clearance, although this is probably going to cost you more than if when you had it pre-approved before shipping out.
If the shipment is already with customs, we can still get it out. But by then, your shipment has already popped up in the radar of one too many people (you can figure out what that means) and it will cost more to get it cleared – and even more so if you take too long and they’ve marked your shipment as “abandoned”.
The thing to keep in mind when you’re in either of the above situations is that you have to act fast. Get in touch with us right away and we’ll get it taken care of.
To get started, fill up the form below or call us at 0917-638-4274. When filling up the form, please select “Import: Loose Cargo” or “Import: Full Container” then select “Other” under country of origin.
