FTR Letters - No. 1

September 4, 2008

FTR Letter No. 1

This letter clarifies the Foreign Trade Regulations’ (FTR) requirement for advanced filing of Electronic Export Information (EEI) through the Automated Export System (AES), for shipments between the United States and Puerto Rico.  As specified in the FTR, Section 30.4 (b)(2), the U.S. Principal Party in Interest (USPPI) or the authorized agent shall file the EEI, when required, no later than the time period specified by mode of transportation.
 
The new filing deadlines were based upon U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) filing timeframes established pursuant to the Trade Act of 2002.  In reviewing this issue with CBP, we have determined that the Trade Act deadlines do not apply to shipments within the U.S. Customs Territory, which includes Puerto Rico.  Therefore, Puerto Rico is exempt from the filing time frames in the FTR.  The proof of filing citation, post departure filing citation, or exemption citation must be presented to the carrier prior to the departure of goods for shipments from the United States to Puerto Rico and from Puerto Rico to the United States.

This exemption from the required filing of advanced cargo information applies only to the shipments between the United States and Puerto Rico.  Shipments from the United States or Puerto Rico to the U.S. Virgin Islands or a foreign country are not exempt and must follow the required filing time frames as specified in Section 30.4(b)(2).  The U.S. Virgin Islands is not a part of the U.S. Customs Territory.

Every effort must be made by the USPPI and authorized agents to comply with these requirements.  If you have questions concerning these requirements, please contact the U.S. Census Bureau, Regulations, Outreach, and Education Branch, FTD, at 1-800-549-0595, option 3 or by email using ftdregs@census.gov.