News

The Cayman Islands Customs & Border Control Service (CBC) would like to remind persons who are importing goods for the holiday season to ensure all supplier or sales invoices are provided to your appointed Agent before the goods arrive. This would help ensure a timely clearing and release of the goods.

First time persons importing goods using a courier or broker agent, will need to register with CBC through Customs Online System (COLS). A legible and valid Government identification document e.g. driver’s license or passport (voter ID not accepted) will need to be submitted with your electronic application. Once your application is approved, you will receive an email from CBC with login instruction information. After completing this process, you are free to appoint or remove agents as you so desire within COLS.

Below are some useful tips to follow:

Do

• As soon as you know you are receiving goods, gather the necessary documents and share them with your agent.
• The necessary documents should be your Supplier or Sale Invoice(s). Provide these documents in PDF format to your agent.
• If additional documentaion is required to collect your package, obtain this prior to the shipment arriving (e.g. approval needed from the Department of Agriculture). If you are not sure what other information is required, ask your agent or CBC’s Customer Suport Centre.

Don’t

• Omit or misrepresent the value of your goods (don’t assume “everyone” will know the value of a given item).
• Hand written invoices are not normally accepted.
• The importer is responsible for providing all necessary and proper documentation, do not rely on the agent to do this.

With over 22,000 individual imports recorded for the month of November 2022, the expected trend for the season is that imports will continue to rise for the holidays.

For assistance, contact CBC’s Customer Support Centre at 649-4579 and press 0 and then 1 for import assistance or email CBC.OnlineSupport@gov.ky with questions or queries relating to imports.