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Vehicle Import Regulation


cheths727

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  • 2 months later...

Hi,

Could someone share information about the vehicle clearance process and approximate time it will take. How to time each step to get the vehicle cleared without a delay. 

Lets make a start

1. Opening LC

2. Once the vehicle is shipped, the dealer will send all documents to the Bank 

3. Once documents are received by the bank, Often, the bank will contact the person who opened the LC. The person can negotiate with the bank and get a good rate for the foreign currency.

4. Before the vehicle is delivered to the harbor we can advice the bank to make the payment.

5. Receipt of documents from the bank

6. Payment of taxes - Can we pay the taxes, before the vessel arrived to Sri Lanka? if so we can expedite the process

7. Handing over the documents and tax receipts to the clearing agent

8. Get the clearing done. How long it take to unload vehicles? Can we do the clearing in the weekend?

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1 hour ago, vitz said:

Hi,

Could someone share information about the vehicle clearance process and approximate time it will take. How to time each step to get the vehicle cleared without a delay. 

Lets make a start

1. Opening LC

2. Once the vehicle is shipped, the dealer will send all documents to the Bank 

3. Once documents are received by the bank, Often, the bank will contact the person who opened the LC. The person can negotiate with the bank and get a good rate for the foreign currency.

4. Before the vehicle is delivered to the harbor we can advice the bank to make the payment.

5. Receipt of documents from the bank

6. Payment of taxes - Can we pay the taxes, before the vessel arrived to Sri Lanka? if so we can expedite the process

7. Handing over the documents and tax receipts to the clearing agent

8. Get the clearing done. How long it take to unload vehicles? Can we do the clearing in the weekend?

Well I will try to answer your questions as best as I can.

1. Opening LC - As long as you have funds in the bank and the documents  (shipper's Proforma Invoice etc) the process takes only a couple of hours.

2. The shipper should get the confirmed LC to his bank before he can ship the vehicle. This will take a few days depending on the bank to bank communication.

3. Whether bank will contact the consignee (you in this case) depends on the LC Field 42C. If it is Drafts at Sight which is the usual term the vehicle exporters demand for, the bank can pay the shipper without making any intimation with the consignee. After the payment is released to the shipper the Bank can release the documents at any time.

4. Refer to 3 above.

5. Refer to 3 above.

6. Payment of taxes cannot be done until good arrive at the Bonded Warehouse (ie. Customs).

7. It is the Clearing Agent who handles the process from the point once the documents arrive here (Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Import Permit etc)

8. This area is a bit cloudy. 

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1 hour ago, Rumesh88 said:

Well I will try to answer your questions as best as I can.

1. Opening LC - As long as you have funds in the bank and the documents  (shipper's Proforma Invoice etc) the process takes only a couple of hours.

2. The shipper should get the confirmed LC to his bank before he can ship the vehicle. This will take a few days depending on the bank to bank communication.

3. Whether bank will contact the consignee (you in this case) depends on the LC Field 42C. If it is Drafts at Sight which is the usual term the vehicle exporters demand for, the bank can pay the shipper without making any intimation with the consignee. After the payment is released to the shipper the Bank can release the documents at any time.

4. Refer to 3 above.

5. Refer to 3 above.

6. Payment of taxes cannot be done until good arrive at the Bonded Warehouse (ie. Customs).

7. It is the Clearing Agent who handles the process from the point once the documents arrive here (Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Import Permit etc)

8. This area is a bit cloudy. 

Thanks, this is helpful

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7. If you are willing to...you can do the clearing process yourself (my dad did it for the last few cars we got down), especially if it is a straight forward import and you have the money for duty, etc...all lined up and just drive it home :) . However, it will test your patience and level of diplomacy and ability to make "friends". Or the easier way is to give everything to the clearing agent who will do all the work for you. Advantage with the latter is that the agents have contacts inside who will push your paperwork through faster (at the expense of others having to wait). the advantage of the former is you save up on agent fees and certain amounts of money that is requested as gratuity for his contacts inside :D 

8. How long to get it unloaded = Depends on when the vessel arrives. Whilst the vessel might arrive on a certain date, it doesn't mean it can dock immediately (in some countries the demurrage for this is partly transferred to the consignee. No idea of SL). It might have to wait outside the port for sometime. Once the carrier is berthed it gets unloaded within a day or so. When can you start clearing = weekends are usually are a no for things like cars (yes for essential commodities) UNLESS there is a HUGE backlog of vehicles and they need to clear out the docks. This rarely happens though. Although the ship gets unloaded (for example on a day like Friday or just before a public holiday) it doesn't necessarily mean you get to start the clearing process immediately and yo have to wait till the next business day. Usually the port authorities give you an X number of days (included in your port charges and it used to be 5 working days ?) which includes a weekend before they start charging you demurrage. 

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9 hours ago, iRage said:

7. If you are willing to...you can do the clearing process yourself (my dad did it for the last few cars we got down), especially if it is a straight forward import and you have the money for duty, etc...all lined up and just drive it home :) . However, it will test your patience and level of diplomacy and ability to make "friends". Or the easier way is to give everything to the clearing agent who will do all the work for you. Advantage with the latter is that the agents have contacts inside who will push your paperwork through faster (at the expense of others having to wait). the advantage of the former is you save up on agent fees and certain amounts of money that is requested as gratuity for his contacts inside :D 

8. How long to get it unloaded = Depends on when the vessel arrives. Whilst the vessel might arrive on a certain date, it doesn't mean it can dock immediately (in some countries the demurrage for this is partly transferred to the consignee. No idea of SL). It might have to wait outside the port for sometime. Once the carrier is berthed it gets unloaded within a day or so. When can you start clearing = weekends are usually are a no for things like cars (yes for essential commodities) UNLESS there is a HUGE backlog of vehicles and they need to clear out the docks. This rarely happens though. Although the ship gets unloaded (for example on a day like Friday or just before a public holiday) it doesn't necessarily mean you get to start the clearing process immediately and yo have to wait till the next business day. Usually the port authorities give you an X number of days (included in your port charges and it used to be 5 working days ?) which includes a weekend before they start charging you demurrage. 

Thanks IRage, 

Noted that Sri Lanka Customs might have changed their regulations. Source http://www.customs.gov.lk/declaration/mvu

 

16. Can I clear my own vehicle from Customs without the service of a Customs House Agent?

A. No. Under the provisions of the Customs ordinance, the Customs clearance documents must be presented and the clearance formalities completed by a licensed Customs House Agent. However, Motor Bicycles brought in as part of unaccompanied personal baggage can be cleared by the passenger without a Customs House Agent.

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