Expanding your business and importing products can be as difficult in the Philippines as in any other country. Most of the time, suppliers are not aware of the rules and laws that they need to adhere to while importing products into the Philippines. Regardless of having a registered business existence in the Philippines, you may not have the required Custom License or delegation to act as an importer of record. TLS Technology has a track record of having a reliable local partner in the Philippines.

Due diligence, cross-checking documentation, building rapport with a local partner, and top-notch customer service are ways through which TLS has built its brand over the years.

What documents are required for IOR services for the Philippines?

To help you understand the whole process, here is the list of documents that you will need while importing products into the Philippines.

National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) & Optical Media Board (OMB) permit:

An NTC permit is needed while importing any devices that uphold radio communication or networking and an OMB permit is needed for devices that support optical communication or optic/magnetic storage.

Commercial Invoice:

The commercial invoice or proforma is one of the most important documents required during ocean freight. This is a legal document issued by the exporter to the importer that can be thought of as a contract or proof of sale between the two.

Bill of landing:

In the case of importing products over a consignment held through the sea, a bill of landing is required. It is a document that is issued by the transporter to affirm receipt of cargo for shipment for transportation by sea.

Certificate of origin:

In some cases, a certificate of origin is required by the Philippines customs authority. A document that contains information related to the product, its destination and the country to be imported from. It is required mostly for cross-border trade and can help evaluate the authorities if the products are qualified enough to be imported or not.

• Advance tax:  The customs may ask for an advance tax ruling if it is not utilized while declaring products or goods.
• Survey reports: While importing products in bulk, a discharge port survey report and load port survey report will be required.
• Tax certificates: Tax debit memos or tax certificates are needed to serve as proof that you have paid all the custom taxes and duties.
• Actual picture of the item and specification sheet: For the goods to be approved for custom clearance into the Philippines, the actual picture of the item/s and specification sheets of the products needs to be shared with the IOR provider.

Why an importer of record (IOR) is needed for the Philippines?

As the list of documents required to import your products into the Philippines is so long, and you’ll have to gather all those documents by yourself, it is easy to use importer of record (IOR) services for the Philippines. There are other reasons too to avail of this service as you may not be aware of all the compliances and local laws of your importing country. By getting a reputed IOR provider for the Philippines, you can easily expand your business across borders, without these unnecessary hassles. Most importantly, you can focus mainly on your core business, while IOR service providers for the Philippines can take care of the tedious process of clearance and last-mile delivery of goods.