Export documents for a bronze order from Vietnam

A bronze order leaves our workshop with five documents; your broker files two more before the vessel loads. None of it is exotic — cast bronze and brass clear under HS headings 8306 and 7419 like other metal decorative goods. What delays containers is timing and description: an invoice calling a 36 kg five-piece altar set “handicraft” raises more questions at the border than any duty rate. Here is the set, who issues each paper, and when it reaches you.

Who issues what

Five papers come from us. Transport documents come from the forwarder; the security filing is yours as importer of record. We are not your broker and we sign nothing in your name.

Write the invoice the way customs reads it

Every line on our commercial invoice carries six things. A line that says only “bronze incense burner” invites questions at the port of entry.

• HS heading — 8306 or 7419 for reference only; your customs authority makes the final classification.
• Alloy and method — solid sand-cast bronze or brass, not plated or hollow spun.
• Wall thickness — 5 mm on the body, up to 8 mm where the piece carries load. That is what separates our castings from thin-wall imports, and what explains the weight.
• Finish — the named patina or gilding, matching the code on your purchase order.
• Height in centimetres and weight in kilograms — per piece, not per set.
• Tolerance note — a 1–3 cm difference between two pieces of the same model is normal in hand casting; over 5 cm is a defect we replace. Stating it keeps the declared dimensions honest against what an inspector measures. Full table on our specifications page.

The packing list, in the numbers a forwarder uses

Bronze is dense and the cube is small, so shipments weigh out long before they fill out. Our packing list gives net and gross per crate, never an average.

A weight corrected after sailing means an amended bill of lading, so we weigh, not estimate.

Origin and timber: Form B and the ISPM-15 mark

Vietnam issues Form B as the general, non-preferential certificate of origin. It states the goods were made in Vietnam; it does not by itself reduce anything you owe. The application uses the invoice and packing list exactly as issued, so a description or weight changed after filing means starting again. Tell us at order stage if you need one.

Solid wood crating must be heat-treated and carry the IPPC mark; plywood and engineered board fall outside that rule. Ask for the treatment mark on the packing list, not only stamped on the crate, so paper and timber agree. A 36 kg set that shifts inside its box arrives with a dented rim, and the claim then rests on photographs taken before the lid went on, which is why we film and photograph every crate at closing — see our quality control page.

ISF 10+2: what we send, and when

For sea freight into the United States, the importer of record files ten data elements no later than 24 hours before loading at the foreign port; the carrier files two more. CBP assesses liquidated damages of USD 5,000 per violation for a late or wrong filing, so this deadline belongs in your calendar, not only your broker’s.

Five of the ten elements come from the factory side, and we send them as one block once the booking is confirmed: manufacturer name and address, country of origin, the six-digit tariff number, the container stuffing location, and the consolidator.

How the paperwork lines up with casting time

Cast-to-order work runs 21–30 days from approved drawing to finished pieces, and documents follow that clock: weights are not known until the last hand-finishing pass.

1. Order confirmed — proforma invoice, finish codes and line list frozen.
2. Days 21–30 — casting and finishing complete; pieces weighed individually.
3. Before crating — inspection report, photographs, your decision on any piece outside tolerance.
4. Crating closed — commercial invoice and packing list issued with real gross weights.
5. Form B applied for — using those exact documents.
6. 24 hours before loading — our data block already with your broker.
7. After sailing — bill of lading released against the payment terms on our trade terms page.

Frequently asked questions

Can you issue the invoice under a value we agree separately?

No. The invoice shows what you paid. A supplier who offers you a second set of figures is one who will under-declare someone else’s goods too.

Do you have ISO, BSCI or SEDEX certification?

No. We are a casting workshop in Dong Quy village, Nam Truc, Nam Dinh, with showrooms in Nam Dinh, Hanoi and Hai Phong. We would rather say so plainly than claim an audit we have never had. Buyers who need one may commission it at their own cost.

Who is named as manufacturer on the ISF?

Our workshop, at its Nam Dinh address. We are not a trading company buying finished goods elsewhere, so manufacturer and shipper are the same party.

Can you consolidate with another Vietnamese supplier?

Yes, if their cargo reaches us or the forwarder’s warehouse. Each supplier issues its own invoice and packing list, and the consolidator’s details change on the ISF, so tell your broker early.

What if the pieces measure differently from the invoice?

Within 1–3 cm, nothing — that is hand casting, and the tolerance is stated in the documents. Beyond 5 cm the piece is defective; we replace it instead of shipping it with a corrected line.

Send us the shipment, not just the item: the models, quantities, destination port and whether you need a Form B. We will come back with a quotation and a sample document set, so your broker sees the wording before you commit. Use the request a quote form, or message the workshop on WhatsApp at +84 926 199 999.