CBP Reminder on November 14th ISF Transaction Set Changes, Additional Changes Announced

November 13, 2009 |Top News

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message reminding the trade about changes to the Importer Security Filing transaction sets that are scheduled to become effective Saturday, November 14, 2009.

Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article

If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.

Start My Free Preview

CBP is also announcing three additional ISF transaction set changes that will become effective on November 14th.

(CBP has issued another CSMS message providing details on changes being made to the ISF transaction sets that apply to the unified Entry Summary & Security Filing, Cargo Release & Security Filing, and FTZ & Security Filing documents. These changes may require programming modifications, but will not cause rejects until mid-December. See future issue of ITT for details.)

Changes Will Tighten CBP's Edits of ISFs

The November ISF transaction set changes were announced in October 2009, along with a new "bill matching logic" for Bills of Lading. At that time, additional ISF transaction set changes for mid-December were announced. All these changes are intended to tighten the ISF 10+2 edits.

Pending ISF Transaction Sets Posted

CBP has posted pending ISF transaction sets, which include programming changes that will become effective on November 14 and in mid-December 2009. These transaction sets are available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/automated/automated_systems/sf_transaction_sets/pending_sets/.

Newly Announced Changes for Nov 14th

According to CBP, three changes (listed below) will become effective on November 14, in addition to those previously announced:

User can add reference number for tracking purposes. CBP will add the ability for the filer to submit user-defined data in the SF20 record using a new qualifier 'CR.' This functionality will allow the user to provide a reference number for tracking purposes. The SF20 record, including the qualifier 'CR,' will be returned in the SN and SA messages when submitted to CBP in the original SF input message.

Descriptions expanded to explain ISF requirements. The ANSI X-12 309 Importer Security Filing document has expanded many of the descriptions to more clearly explain the requirements for ISF.

Passport data allowed for carnet/diplomatic shipments. CBP has decided to allow for the transmission of passport data for carnet and diplomatic shipments, as well as the current use for personal effects/household goods shipments. Programming will allow the use of a passport when the Shipment Type Code equals 03, 05, or 06.

Previously Announced Changes for Nov 14th

CBP previously announced that the pending ISF transaction sets include a number of programming changes that will become effective November 14, 2009:

SF10 Record Changes in CATAIR and CAMIR:

Code 1 mandatory for certain submission. Shipment Type Code 01 (Standard) will be mandatory for ISF Submission Type 2 (ISF-5).

Codes 08/09 expanded. Shipment Type Codes 08 (FTZ Shipments) and 09 (International Mail Shipments) will be added to expand the possible code values to nine possibilities.

New action reason code. A new Action Reason Code FX will be able to be used to identify a combination of FR (flexible range) and FT (flexible timing) options. CBP notes that ISF filers should read the revised definitions based on this additional code.

ISF filer can submit SCAC for importer. An ISF filer will be permitted to transmit a Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) for the ISF importer, but this will only occur for an ISF-5 submission. The ISF Importer Number Qualifier and ISF Importer Number fields will be modified to allow this.

ISF transaction number format modified. The format for the ISF Transaction Number will be modified as follows:

The ABI format will be FFF-NNNNNNNNNNN

The AMS format will be FFFFNNNNNNNNNNN

Returned ISF transaction number. An ISF Transaction Number is normally returned in the SF10 record. In the case of a transaction that is rejected for Duplicate ISF on File, the ISF Transaction Number is currently being returned in the second SF90 record line following the SF90 that includes the duplicate error. The second SF90 line is going to be eliminated and the transaction number will be returned in the SF10 record as it would in other transactions.

Bond activity code change. The Bond Activity Code for the ISF Bond is being changed to 16. There are a number of changes relating to the explanation of how to properly submit the bond information.

Bond format to be checked, etc. CBP notes that bond information will not be required until January 26, 2010. Submitting an ISF with the bond data missing will not result in a rejected transaction. However, as of the November 14, 2009 implementation date, any bond data that is transmitted in the wrong format or not following the technical requirements set forth in this document will be rejected. If the transaction includes any bond data, all of the bond information must be present and correct for the transaction to accept.

(Sources state that CBP is not currently editing for bond formatting and technical requirements.)

SF20 Record Changes in CATAIR and CAMIR:

New reference identifier qualifier for carnets. A new Reference Identifier Qualifier 6C will be added for ISF reporting of a carnet. The format will be a two character country code (representing the issuing country) followed by the carnet number (i.e., UScarnet). This is required if the Shipment Type code is 06.

New reference identifier qualifier for bonds reference number. A new Reference Identifier Qualifier SBN will be added to report the Bond Reference Number. This is not a bond number; it is a reference number that the surety will put on a single transaction bond. This must be present if the Bond Activity code is 16 and the Bond Type is 9.

M10 Segment Changes in X-12 309:

Code 1 mandatory for certain submission. Shipment Type Code 01 (Standard) will be mandatory for ISF Submission Type 2 (ISF-5).

Codes 08/09 expanded. Shipment Type Codes 08 (FTZ Shipments) and 09 (International Mail Shipments) will be added to expand the possible code values to nine possibilities.

N9 Segment Changes in X-12 309:

Surety reference identifier. A new Reference Identifier Qualifier SBN will be added to report the Bond Reference Number. This is not a bond number; it is a reference number that the surety will put on a single transaction bond. This must be present if the Bond Activity code is 16 and the Bond Type is 9.

Bond format to be checked, etc. As stated before, bond information will not be required until January 26, 2010. Submitting an ISF with the bond data missing will not result in a rejected transaction. However, as of the November 14, 2009 implementation date, any bond data that is transmitted in the wrong format or not following the technical requirements set forth in this document will be rejected. If the transaction includes any bond data, all of the bond information must be present and correct for the transaction to accept.

(Sources state that CBP is not currently editing for bond formatting and technical requirements.)

AMS ISF transaction number format modified. The AMS format for the ISF Transaction Number will be modified as follows: FFFFNNNNNNNNNNN

Returned ISF transaction number. An ISF Transaction Number is normally returned in the N9 segment with a 7U qualifier. In the case of a transaction that is rejected for Duplicate ISF on File, the ISF Transaction Number is currently being returned in the second K1 segment following the K1 segment that includes the duplicate error. The second K1 segment is going to be eliminated and the transaction number will be returned in the N9 segment as it would in other transactions.

NM1 Segment Changes in X-12 309:

ISF filer can submit SCAC for importer. An ISF filer will be permitted to transmit a SCAC for the ISF importer, but this will only occur for an ISF-5 submission. The ISF Importer Number Qualifier and ISF Importer Number fields will be modified to allow this.

REF Segment Changes in X-12 309:

(Sources state that CBP is not currently editing for bond formatting and technical requirements.)

New BOL Matching Logic to Start Nov 14th

In coordination with the programming changes described above, CBP will implement a new bill matching logic that will compare the bill of lading (BOL) type along with the BOL number in order to determine if the BOL presented in the ISF pairs with a BOL filed in the Automated Manifest System (AMS).

Beginning November 14, 2009, CBP will provide a Status Advisory message that includes "NO BILL ON FILE" when there is a discrepancy with the BOL type even if the BOL number matches one in AMS. For example, if simple bill (OB) SCAC123456 is submitted in an ISF, it will only match with simple bill SCAC123456 in AMS. Simple bill SCAC123456 will not match with house bill (HB) SCAC123456 in AMS and the filer will receive a "NO BILL ON FILE" message. CBP asks that the filer ensure the ISF data submitted is accurate and complete.

(According to CBP sources, CBP does not currently require the bill type reported in the ISF to match what is on file in AMS.)

(See ITT's Online Archives or 10/19/09 news, 09101905, for BP summary of CBP announcing the changes for November 14th and mid-December.

See ITT's Online Archives or 10/15/09 news, 09101530, for Part V of BP's summary on CBP's updated 10+2 FAQs, with links to previous parts.)

CSMS message (09-000349, dated 11/12/09) available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=17743&page=&srch_argv=&srchtype=&btype=&sortby=&sby