Some US suppliers offer free or discounted delivery within the USA, often through their arrangements with carriers such as UPS or FedEx.

If your supplier can arrange for the goods to be delivered to our local partner’s warehouse near the relevant port or airport, this may work out cheaper than arranging a separate collection from the supplier’s premises.

We can then arrange the international shipment and subsequent delivery in the UK.

If you’d like more information about an arrangement like this, please contact us to discuss your requirements and obtain a quotation.

Most commercial shipments from the USA will require a full commercial invoice and packing list, together with information about the goods, the US shipper and their commodity classification.

Depending on the shipment and the requirements of the US forwarding agent, additional information or documentation may include:

• Full Commercial Invoice: Showing the supplier and buyer details, description of goods, quantities, values and currency.
• Packing List: Confirming the number of packages, their contents, dimensions and weights.
• US Shipper’s Tax ID Number: The relevant US business identification number, which may be needed for export documentation.
• Full HS Code: The commodity classification of the goods, required for the relevant export formalities.
• Foreign Principal Party in Interest (FPPI) Form: May be requested where the overseas buyer is responsible for arranging the export shipment, particularly under certain US export arrangements.
• Shipper’s Letter of Instruction (SLI): Provides shipping instructions and, where applicable, authorisation for the forwarding agent to complete export formalities.
• Power of Attorney (POA): May be required to authorise an agent to act on behalf of the appropriate party.
• Electronic Export Information (EEI): Certain shipments require export information to be submitted electronically to the US authorities through the Automated Export System (AES).

Not every shipment requires all of these documents, and additional requirements may apply depending on the goods being exported.

Our US forwarding partners can advise on the documentation required for your particular shipment, and UK Import Services can help coordinate the arrangements.

Goods transported by air from the USA must meet aviation security requirements.

If you’re considering shipping your goods by air, it’s worth asking your US supplier whether they are registered as a ‘Known Shipper’ or classified as an ‘Unknown Shipper’.

This information is usually requested by our US forwarding agent and may affect the security screening requirements and available air freight arrangements.

Our US forwarding partners can advise on the relevant requirements when arranging your shipment.

To provide an accurate quotation, we’ll generally need:

• Collection Address: Where the goods are located in the USA, or whether your supplier can deliver to a forwarding warehouse.
• UK Delivery Address: The destination postcode or full address.
• Description of Goods: What you’re importing, including any special handling requirements.
• Packages, Dimensions and Weight: How the goods are packed, their measurements and gross weight, or the container size required.
• Value of Goods: The commercial value and currency.
• Terms of Sale: The agreed Incoterms, if known.
• Ready Date: When the goods will be available for shipping.

Don’t worry if you don’t have every detail immediately available. Send us what you have and we’ll advise on anything else required.

When your shipment arrives in the UK, the goods will need to be Customs cleared before they can be released for delivery.

The amount of Customs Duty and import VAT payable will depend on the individual circumstances, including the type of goods, their value and their country of origin.

For full containers, this will generally involve arranging container haulage. Smaller sea freight and air freight shipments can be collected from the relevant warehouse or cargo facility and delivered using suitable commercial transport.

Rest assured that UK Import Services can handle the Customs declaration and coordinate the onward delivery to your premises.