Trade law problems are usually document problems. The clauses agreed months earlier decide who absorbs the cost when a consignment is held.
What this area covers
- EXIM code registration for exporters and importers
- Customs tariff classification and valuation advice
- Import licences and sector clearances required before shipment
- Documentation review: invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin
- Representation in customs valuation disputes and penalty proceedings
- International sale of goods contracts and Incoterms selection
- Letters of credit, bank guarantees and payment security
- Bonded warehouse and duty exemption applications
Questions about international trade and customs law
What is an EXIM code and who needs one?
The export and import code is issued by the Department of Customs and is required to clear commercial consignments through customs. Any business trading goods across the Nepali border in a commercial capacity will need one, and it is tied to the business registration and tax registration.
What are the most common causes of goods being held at customs?
Classification disagreements, valuation queries, a missing sector clearance and paperwork that does not match the shipment. Most of these are avoidable at the documentation stage, which is why we prefer to be involved before a consignment moves rather than after it stops.
Can a customs valuation decision be challenged?
Yes, there is a review process. The strength of a challenge depends almost entirely on the contemporaneous evidence of the transaction value, so the contract and payment records matter as much as the argument.
Which Incoterm should we use?
It depends on who is better placed to carry the freight, insurance and clearance risk on that route, and on how your payment terms are structured. We look at both together, because an Incoterm chosen in isolation from the payment mechanism creates gaps.