Feb 2nd, 2022
5 mins
Members will be aware that if you move goods out of GB through border locations that use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS), some of these locations require an ‘arrived’ export declaration to be submitted so the goods can receive customs clearance (Permission to Progress) and continue to their destination.
It is a legal requirement to notify HMRC within 15 days of the departure of goods for export directly from the UK. But, for some locations, this period was reduced to 5 days in January 2021.
HMRC is aware that this reduced 5-day period is causing problems for some customers where the ‘arrived’ export declaration has been created more than 5 days before the crossing. Therefore, they have updated CHIEF to change the assumed departure period back to 15 days. This change took effect from 00:01 on 21 January 2022. See the latest guidance available on gov.uk.
Where GVMS is being used, the embarkation notification sent to GVMS by the carrier will update the export Declaration Unique Consignment Reference (DUCR) departure state in CHIEF to ICS 60.
If a Transit Movement Reference Number (MRN) is used in the Goods Movement Reference (GMR) instead of the export DUCR, and if no further action is taken with the DUCR, CHIEF will automatically default to assumed departure after 15 days.
Please be aware that even though the draft GMR can be created up to 28 days in advance of the crossing, you should not create any CHIEF declarations prior to 15 days of the actual departure date. For arrived declarations, customs clearance is given in real time upon submission of the declaration. If you create export declarations more than 15 days before departure:
- You will receive an error in the GMR and be unable to finalise it.
- Your driver will be unable to check-in and board the ferry or shuttle.
- Your goods may be delayed while new export declarations are created and entered into a valid GMR.
If you need further help or information about these requirements, you can:
- call the Customs and International Trade (CIT) helpline, which is available 7 days a week. Their customer service advisors are available to help you from 8am to 10pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 4pm at weekends. You can contact them on 0300 322 9434. You can also send your questions or contact them by webchat.
- speak to an adviser using the live chat function on the UK Government’s haulier website. The live chat service is available in five languages: English, Romanian, Polish, Bulgarian and Hungarian.
Other useful information:
The UK Government’s Haulier Handbook (available in multiple languages) provides the latest guidance about all the steps you need to follow to move goods between Great Britain and the EU.
