- Importer of record
- Depends on the country of import and the chosen arrangement
- Customs clearance
- An additional service on request, DPC is not a customs broker
- Dispatch weight
- Terms depend on the shipment
- Carriage times
- Kazakhstan by road 10–15 days, Europe by air 12–20 days
- Validity of a quote
- 7 days
DPC is not a customs broker. For each country and import arrangement, we confirm who will be the importer of record, which documents are required and who will handle customs clearance. We prepare the cargo and our part of the paperwork and coordinate the process.
How the importer of record is determined
The chosen arrangement determines the importer of record and the required documents. If your business is the importer, the contract, invoice and customs declaration are issued in the name of your company or sole trader. We organise the shipment and prepare the cargo and our part of the paperwork.
Customs clearance is an additional service on request: it is carried out by a specialist party in the country of import, and DPC is not a customs broker. Exactly what is assembled for a consignment is set out on the page documents for import.
- If your business will be the importer of record, we need the legal details of your company or sole trader before dispatch so that the documents can be prepared for the chosen arrangement.
- The supplier payment and payment reference are linked to the agreed invoice and payment arrangement.
- The procedure for paying customs duties and taxes and calculating the shipment budget depends on the country of import and the importer of record.
- The requirements for the applicant named on a certificate or declaration of conformity depend on the country of import, product category and chosen arrangement.
- If another legal entity is to take over the role of importer, this must be agreed before the contract is signed and the goods are dispatched.
Official import and cargo are two different instruments
Cargo and official import solve different problems. Cargo is carriage: the calculation is by weight and volume, and no set of documents covering the goods is produced. Official import is a supply where documents are attached to the goods – documents that live on in your accounts, in your marketplace account and in a tender submission.
The choice depends on what you do with the goods after you receive them. If the goods go into retail and the question of a VAT deduction does not arise, cargo covers the task. If you sell to companies, to chains, through a marketplace, or you take part in procurement, the documents become part of the product.
| Criterion | Cargo | Official import |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | The carrier's transport documents; there is no set covering the goods | Contract, invoice, packing list, transport documents, declaration |
| VAT | There is no input VAT to reclaim | VAT treatment depends on the country of import, the importer's tax status and the specific arrangement |
| Timings | Shorter: fewer preparatory stages before dispatch | Longer: contract and payment, classification of the goods, permits, clearance |
| Requirements on the goods | Carriers' restrictions by product range | A correct description, a label, and where necessary certificates and labelling codes |
| Who it suits | Small and one-off consignments, retail | Marketplaces, supplies to companies and chains, public procurement, the balance sheet |
What documents appear with official import
For each consignment a set is assembled that can be presented to a third party: a bank, the tax authority, a marketplace, a customer. The composition depends on the goods and the country of import, while the basic part repeats from one supply to the next.
- Foreign trade contract: subject matter, price, delivery terms, settlements
- Invoice: the list of goods, quantities and values by item
- Packing list: goods by box and pallet, weight and volume
- Transport documents to the country of import
- Customs declaration and documents evidencing payment of duties and taxes
- Certificate or declaration of conformity, if the goods are subject to assessment
- Labelling documents for categories that require labelling
VAT treatment, whether the goods can be recorded on the company's books and the required permits all depend on the country of import, the importer's tax status and the specific arrangement. The origin of the shipment is supported by documents, which are described on the page documents for import.
The contract with the supplier and why it is needed beyond customs
The contract is the only document that describes what you bought and on what terms. Without it a dispute with the factory comes down to messenger correspondence, and at clearance the consignment looks like goods without an evidenced value.
We help agree the contract with the factory and bring it into a form fit for the bank and for clearance. Settlement with the factory goes through us, see paying the supplier, so the contract, the invoice and the payment reference match. A divergence between them is a frequent cause of delays.
- Item numbers match across the contract, the invoice and the packing list
- The delivery terms determine who is responsible for the cargo on each leg
- Packaging and labelling requirements are written down before dispatch
- The procedure for returning and replacing defective goods is settled before payment
What we need from you for clearance
- The details of the company or sole trader that will be the importer
- A description of the goods: what they are, what they are made of, where they are used, the trade mark
- Links to the goods on the supplier's side, photographs, technical description
- The quantity and how often you buy
- The country of import and the city of delivery
- Sales channels: whether certificates and labelling codes are needed
If you found the supplier yourself, the arrangement does not change: we work both with your factory and with purchasing on the marketplaces, see buying on 1688. A consignment can be built from purchases at several factories through consolidation into one dispatch.
What affects the final cost of the official scheme
The cost is made up not of a per-kilogram rate but of blocks. We do not publish specific rates for duties and taxes: they depend on the classification of the goods and the country of import and are calculated on the actual consignment. The logic of the calculation is set out on the page pricing and cost structure.
- The value of the goods on the invoice: customs duties and taxes are calculated from it
- The category of the goods: it determines the duties and taxes and the permits required
- The weight, volume and density of the consignment: they determine the cost of carriage
- The route and mode of transport to the country of import
- Preparation of the cargo: goods receipt at the warehouse in Guangzhou, repacking, palletising, labelling
- The work of specialist parties: broker, laboratory, certification body
When official import is cheaper than cargo, and when it is dearer
Compare the total landed cost, including taxes, rather than the freight rate alone. VAT treatment and its effect on the total depend on the country of import, the importer's tax status and the specific arrangement. A low per-kilogram rate does not always mean a low landed cost.
- The official scheme usually wins: the general tax regime, selling to companies or through a marketplace, large regular consignments
- Cargo usually wins: a one-off small consignment, retail with no documentary requirements, goods carrying a high rate of duties and taxes
- A separate factor is time: the official scheme is longer, and the money sits in the goods for longer
Take one real shipment and compare both options on a landed-cost basis: purchase cost, freight, duties and other payments, VAT treatment and lead time. We quote both cargo and official import for the same shipment.
Certification and labelling are a separate matter
Certification and labelling are not part of carriage and are handled separately. Some goods cannot be released onto the market without a conformity document, and some categories require labelling codes. That is a separate timeline and a separate budget, and it has to be started before dispatch.
- We check whether the goods are subject to mandatory conformity assessment
- Samples are selected and testing is arranged, where it is needed
- The eligible applicant and the procedure for obtaining a certificate or declaration of conformity depend on the country of import and the chosen arrangement.
- Labelling is applied: label, manufacturer data, codes
- The marketplace's label requirements are checked before packing
Labelling and applying codes is more convenient to do in China, before dispatch: it combines with the inspection of the goods, when there is access to every box. Re-labelling after the cargo has arrived takes longer and costs more.
Why the official scheme takes longer
The official scheme takes more time because stages that cargo does not have are added before dispatch: the contract and the payment, classification of the goods, permits. The carriage itself takes as long as cargo on the same route; the difference builds up in preparing the documents.
| Route | Mode of delivery | Carriage time |
|---|---|---|
| China – Kazakhstan | Road | 10–15 days |
| China – Uzbekistan | Road | 15–20 days on the accelerated route, 20–35 days on the economy route |
| China – Ukraine | Air | A flight of 4–7 days plus 3–4 days for collection from Poland and customs |
| China – Europe | Air | 12–20 days to the consignee's address |
That is the carriage time, not the time for the whole official scheme. Preparation before dispatch is added to it: signing the contract, the payment, classification of the goods, and where necessary testing and a certificate. Route by route – delivery times; the composition of the set for a consignment – documents for import.
Once the product requirements have been reviewed, the contract is in place and the permits for the chosen arrangement are ready, preparation for a second shipment of the same products may be shorter.
Terms with the factory, signing of the contract, payment under the banking rules
The category of the goods is determined, along with whether permits are needed
Testing, the conformity document, labels and codes
Goods receipt, piece count, measurement, checking, packing, palletising
Carriage by a partner, clearance by a specialist party
Delivery from the warehouse in the country of import to your address
Some of the stages run in parallel: while certification is being arranged, the goods have already been received at the warehouse and are being checked. That is why the second supply runs faster than the first – the requirements for the product range have been worked through and the contract is in force.
How to start without stopping your current supplies
The first official consignment can be run alongside your current provider so that you can compare documents, timing and unit cost on a single product: switching from your provider. Routes: Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Europe.
FAQ
Can VAT be reclaimed if the goods travelled as cargo?
VAT treatment depends on the country of import, the importer's tax status, the available documents and the specific arrangement. We confirm how it will work for your shipment before you choose an import option.
Do you handle customs clearance yourselves?
No, DPC is not a customs broker. Clearance is carried out by a specialist party in the country of import, and we organise the supply together with that party: we agree the contract with the factory, make the payment, and prepare the cargo and the documents at the warehouse in Guangzhou.
In whose name will the customs declaration be made out?
That depends on the country of import and the chosen arrangement. Before dispatch, we confirm who will be named on the declaration, invoice and permits. Customs clearance is handled by a specialist in the country of import; DPC is not a customs broker. The full list is on the page documents for import.
What is the minimum volume that makes sense to bring in officially?
Our minimum consignment is the same for both schemes. The costs of clearance and certification depend little on volume, so on a small consignment they weigh more heavily on the unit cost. Usually we bring purchases from several factories together into one dispatch through consolidation.
How long does the cargo take under the official scheme?
Carriage takes 10–15 days by road to Kazakhstan, 15–20 days on the accelerated route and 20–35 days on the economy route to Uzbekistan, a flight of 4–7 days plus 3–4 days for collection from Poland and customs to Ukraine, and 12–20 days by air to Europe (data as at 20 August 2026). Preparation of the documents before dispatch is added to the carriage, so the official scheme is longer than cargo on the same route. Route by route – delivery times.
How do I tell whether my goods need a certificate?
That is determined by the category of the goods and the country of import, and it is checked before dispatch. Send us a description of the goods and a link to them on the supplier's side – we will check the requirements and tell you what to obtain and in what order.
What happens if the factory ships the wrong quantity or defective goods?
The discrepancy is recorded at goods receipt at the warehouse in Guangzhou, before dispatch: piece count, photo report and a claim to the factory. Under the official scheme this is critical: the quantity in the packing list and the invoice must match the actual quantity. More detail – inspection of the goods.
We will quote the official scheme on your consignment
Send us the product range, the quantity and weight of the boxes, the dimensions and the country of import – we will come back with a quote broken down by block and a comparison with cargo.
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