Factors that affect documentation
The principal difference between selling a product domestically and selling it abroad is the amount of paperwork involved.
The U.S. government requires export documentation for a number of different reasons, including national security, control of products in short supply, compiling export statistics, administration of export laws, protection of endangered species and to protest U.S. export markets by ensuring product quality of specific exports.
And, each importing country has different requirements regarding import documentation for a number of different reasons, including the administration of their import laws, assessment of taxes, and protection from hazardous pests and diseases.
Information you’ll need
Having the following information on hand will serve you well for all of your international shipping documents.
- The shipper’s FedEx account number.
- The shipper’s name, address, phone number and tax identification number. (In the U.S., the tax identification number is the Employer Identification Number [EIN] or Social Security number.)
- The recipient’s name, address (including postal code), phone number and tax identification number.