Do I need an International Carrier Bond?

A question came in through our online chat service today about a company transporting a plane for repairs. The company already had an International Carrier bond on file or Activity Code 3 bond. They didn't know if this bond would allow them to enter the US after their plane was fixed in Costa Rica.

We get questions everyday to where there is a completely unique situation to an importer or carrier. In this instance we told them to make sure and contact the port in which the plane would be returning to. The size of their carrier bond would have been determined at this port as well, when they went to place the bond. The size of the bond usually depends on the port and the aircraft in question. It is our understanding that entrance to this port would not be different from any of the company's other activies and thus would be included under this bond. However, always make sure and double check with the port!

You can find a complete list of port contact information here.

Make sure and add this to your favorites in your web browser. You will be surprised how ofter you will need to access this!

Customs Entry Monitoring System Free to Bond Holders

How to use Eagle Eye to answer your import questions.

TRG, the direct provider of US Customs bonds, offers more than just great pricing.

Have you ever wasted time and resources trying to answer one of these important questions?

Do I owe any duties to Customs?
Which entries have not liquidated?
How much duty did I pay last year?
Which of my entries are suspended?

All TRG customs bond holders have free access to this information.

The more you know about your import practices the better for your compliance

What exactly can Eagle Eye do?

The system offers 4 pre-designed reports.

The bond report, the entry status report, the supplemental duty bills report and the liquidated damages report.

The information in these reports streams directly from US Customs.

Eagle Eye is accessed through TRG’s website. You are able to view this timely data from any computer with an Internet connection. The bond report outlines any Customs bonds your company currently has on file.

This report will tell you your bond effective date, bond number, liability amount and many other useful data elements relating to your bond. This is an example of a bond summary report. The entry status report will allow you to see each entry number, date and status as well as import value and estimated duty. This button will allow you to see more detailed information on each entry. You can query the supplemental duty report by bill number, entry number or importer number. This report shows you the status of your bills due to classification review or anti-dumping or countervailing. Again click on each bill to see detailed information. https://traderiskguaranty.com/EagleEyeLanding.aspx

The fourth report is the liquidated damages report and provides you with a streamlined view of any penalty notices by customs per entry.

So that’s a brief overview of Eagle Eye. We hope you take advantage of this free tool. If you are not yet a Customs bond holder with TRG. To take advantage of this system you will need to apply for a bond with us online at trgbond.com. Should you have an questions please submit them to askanexpert@traderiskguaranty.com

What is a "multi-year" continuous Customs bond?

"My broker told me there are no multiple year continuous Customs bonds".
US Customs bonds are continuous, meaning once they are on file with Customs, they remain active until terminated in writing. TRG offers a 1,2 or 3 year term for the bonds, we are referring to billing terms. TRG has negotiated discounted premium rates for importers that pay for 2 or 3 years at one time. At the end of the chosen term, TRG contacts your company to see if you wish to continue the previous term or select a different payment term.

Multi-year pricing on the Customs bond offers companies our best pricing with our best rates for 3 years. Also note, that TRG has not increased pricing on the $50,000 Customs import bond since 1991!

Airport Security Bonds

TRG offers all types of Customs bonds. The most common type of Customs bond is the import bond and is the bond most companies are familiar with. Over the past few months, TRG has begun to see a rise in the applications of Airport Security Bons (ASB). These are also a type of Customs bond, however US Customs is only now just regulating the requirement with more force.

An Airport Security Bond (ASB) is a US Customs bond needed for out sourced service companies to enter secured areas of airports (like cleaning services not employed by the airlines to clean planes or maintenance individuals not employed by the airlines to fix something).

Bond Amount Calculation for Airport Security Bonds: The Customs bond amount is determined by the Airport the company is operating in.

To apply for the ASB visit www.trgbond.com and click apply now!

The Renewal of Your US Customs Bond

When the time comes for your Continuous Customs bond to renew, make sure to compare your current rates with TRG's rates. We have updated our online application and every importer should look into TRG and see how easy it is to apply for the same bond direct.

“Applying for a Customs bond is already a simple process when handled by a professional company, but we need to go beyond simple. This improved application streamlines the process for the importer as well as the process for our administrative staff,” stated John Michel, TRG President. “Changes we are making internally not only relieve any sense of burden the importer may have, it also minimizes our costs to allow TRG bond prices to remain extremely competitive. In fact, we have not increased pricing on the $50,000 Importer Bond even once in our entirety.”