关键要点
- Description must match the tariff classification and the physical goods.
- Incoterm, named place and currency must appear explicitly.
- Values must reconcile with the packing list and transport document.
Required content
Seller and buyer details, invoice number and date, contract or order reference, full goods description, quantity, unit price, total value, currency, Incoterm with named place, country of origin and payment terms.
Customs consequences
The invoice drives valuation. Discounts, commissions, freight and insurance treated inconsistently with the declared Incoterm are common audit findings, and corrections after clearance are costly.
Consistency across the set
Quantity, description, marks and origin must be identical on invoice, packing list, transport document and certificates. Inconsistency is the single most common trigger for documentary examination.
需要核查的内容
- Description matching the tariff classification used on the declaration
- Incoterm with named place and currency stated
- Quantities and values reconciling with the packing list
需管理的风险
- Undeclared additions to value discovered on audit
- Description too generic for the customs classification claimed
- Origin stated inconsistently with the certificate of origin
常见错误
- Using a proforma invoice for clearance
- Omitting the Incoterm or the named place
- Rounding quantities so they no longer match the packing list
常见问题
Is a proforma invoice acceptable to customs?
Generally not for final clearance. It is used for offers, payment applications and pre-clearance estimates; the final commercial invoice is required for the declaration.
Who is responsible for invoice accuracy?
The seller issues it, but the importer is responsible for the declaration built on it, so the buyer should review it before clearance.