Delays at customs are almost always a paperwork problem, not a policy one. Missing or inconsistent documentation is the most common reason a shipment sits at the border rather than moving through it.
Every international shipment needs, at minimum, four documents: a commercial invoice stating the value and terms of sale for customs valuation, a packing list itemizing cargo contents, weights, and dimensions, a bill of lading or air waybill serving as the transport contract and title document, and a certificate of origin confirming where the goods were manufactured.
Shipments involving classified Dangerous Goods need an additional DG declaration, and the classification has to match the cargo exactly — an incorrect or incomplete DG declaration is one of the more common causes of a shipment being held for inspection.
The details on these documents need to match each other exactly — the value on the commercial invoice, the weights on the packing list, and the description on the bill of lading should all tell the same story. Customs support is included as part of our standard service on every international shipment, precisely because getting this right the first time is what keeps cargo moving.