Shipping guide · Americas

Shipping from China and Hong Kong to the United States

The United States has two requirements that catch first-time importers before the cargo even sails: the Importer Security Filing, due 24 hours before the container is loaded at origin, and a customs bond, which must exist before the goods arrive.

Talk to us about United States

Customs authority: US Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Before loading: Importer Security Filing (ISF 10+2), due 24 hours before loading at origin
Before arrival: A customs bond, single entry or continuous, must be in place
Consumption tax: No federal VAT. State sales taxes apply at retail, not at import
Duty basis: Harmonized Tariff Schedule, plus additional tariffs on many Chinese origin goods
Main entry points: Los Angeles and Long Beach, New York and New Jersey, Savannah, Houston

Neither of those is optional and neither can be fixed retrospectively. The ISF, usually called 10+2, is filed with Customs and Border Protection 24 hours before loading at the foreign port, and late or inaccurate filings carry penalties per shipment. The bond is a financial guarantee to CBP, either single entry or continuous, and without one the entry cannot be filed.

The routing decision is unusually consequential in the US because the country is large and the coasts behave differently. Los Angeles and Long Beach are the fastest from Asia and the most congested; the east coast ports are a longer sail but land the cargo where much of the population is; and intermodal rail from the west coast is a well developed system in its own right.

There is no federal VAT. Duty is assessed under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, and for Chinese origin goods additional tariffs have applied on top of the base rate for several years. Those additional rates and the treatment of low value shipments have changed repeatedly, so both belong in the category of things to confirm per shipment rather than assume.

Where cargo lands

Main freight and distribution centres

Los Angeles and the Inland Empire

The largest import gateway in the country, with an enormous warehousing belt inland at Ontario and Riverside.

Chicago

The intermodal rail capital. Most west coast containers moving east pass through here, and it is a major air cargo point.

New York and New Jersey

The largest east coast market, with the port complex and distribution capacity alongside it.

Atlanta and Savannah

The southeastern distribution corridor, growing fast, with Savannah as one of the busiest container ports in the country.

Dallas and Houston

Central and Gulf distribution, with Houston serving as the main energy and project cargo gateway.

Sea freight

Ports of entry and what they mean for your cargo

Los Angeles and Long Beach

The fastest sea transit from Asia and the largest volume. Also the most exposed to congestion, and dependent on inland rail or trucking for anything east of California.

New York and New Jersey

The main east coast gateway. A longer sail from Asia, but the cargo lands next to the market rather than a continent away from it.

Savannah

Efficient, growing quickly and well connected to the southeastern distribution network. Frequently a smoother alternative to the larger ports.

Seattle and Tacoma

Northwest gateway with good rail links, and the shortest Pacific crossing from North Asia.

Houston

The Gulf gateway, dominant for energy, chemicals and project cargo, and increasingly used for containers serving Texas.

West coast versus east coast is a genuine calculation, not a preference. West coast plus rail is faster to the middle of the country; an all water service to the east coast is slower but avoids the rail leg and the west coast congestion risk entirely.

US ports charge demurrage and detention aggressively once free time expires, and the clock does not care whose fault the delay was. Planning the pickup before arrival is worth real money here.

Intermodal rail from the west coast is efficient for volume but adds handling points. For time critical single containers, transloading and trucking is sometimes the better answer.

Air freight

Airports and when air is the right answer

Los Angeles (LAX)

The main west coast air gateway with extensive direct capacity from Asia.

Chicago O Hare (ORD)

The central air cargo hub, well placed for onward distribution across the country.

New York JFK (JFK)

The main east coast gateway, with specialised handling for high-value cargo.

Anchorage (ANC)

The technical stop on many Asia to US freighter routes, and a significant cargo hub in its own right.

Miami (MIA)

The gateway to Latin America, relevant when US cargo continues south.

Air freight from Asia to the US is a mature, high capacity market, so the constraint is usually cost rather than availability, except during peak season when it can become both.

The ISF requirement applies to ocean shipments. Air shipments have their own advance data requirements, which are handled differently, and confusing the two is a common error.

Indicative transit times

How long the movement usually takes

Sea FCL, South China to Los Angeles or Long BeachAround 14 to 20 days port to portThe fastest ocean option from Asia to the United States.
Sea FCL, South China to the east coastAround 28 to 38 days port to portAll water services via the Panama Canal or around Africa depending on routing conditions.
Intermodal rail from the west coast to Chicago or the eastAround 5 to 12 daysAdded to the ocean transit, plus terminal handling at both ends.
Air freight, Hong Kong or South China to the USAround 4 to 8 days door to doorStandard consolidated service including pickup, handling and clearance.

These ranges are indicative and exist to help you plan. Real transit time depends on the service, the season, the routing and the clearance itself, and we confirm it per shipment rather than publish it as a promise.

Customs

How clearance into United States actually works

The competent authority is US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The Importer Security Filing must be transmitted to CBP at least 24 hours before the container is loaded onto the vessel at the origin port. It requires data from the supplier as well as the importer, which means the information has to be collected early, not at the point of shipping.

A customs bond is mandatory. A single entry bond covers one shipment; a continuous bond covers a year and is more economical for anyone importing more than a few times. It has to be in place before arrival, and arranging one takes time.

Duty is assessed under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, based on the classification of the goods. Additional tariffs have applied to a large proportion of Chinese origin goods for several years, and both the scope and the rates have been revised repeatedly. Confirm the current position for the specific classification rather than working from a figure you used previously.

The treatment of low value shipments has also changed substantially, and the historic de minimis exemption should not be assumed to be available. This is the single most volatile area of US import rules and it needs to be checked at the time of shipment.

A foreign company can import as a non resident importer, but it needs a customs bond, a CBP assigned identification number and, in practice, a US customs broker willing to act. It is workable, but it has to be organised in advance.

Many products fall under a federal agency in addition to CBP: FDA for food, cosmetics, medical devices and food-contact materials, FCC for electronics with radio functions, CPSC for consumer products, and others. Customs clearance does not substitute for those requirements.

Documentation

What you need to have ready

Commercial invoice

Value, terms, country of origin and a description precise enough to classify. Vague descriptions cause CBP queries.

Packing list

Piece counts, weights and dimensions per package.

Bill of Lading or Air Waybill

The transport contract and the release instrument.

ISF 10+2 filing

Ocean shipments only. Due 24 hours before loading at the origin port.

Customs bond

Single entry or continuous. Must exist before the goods arrive.

Arrival notice and entry documents

Filed by the customs broker acting for the importer of record.

Agency specific documentation

FDA prior notice, FCC declarations, CPSC certificates and similar, depending on the product.

Country of origin marking

Goods must be marked with their country of origin. Unmarked goods can be refused or held.

Controlled and restricted goods

What gets stopped, and why

Country of origin marking is enforced literally. Goods that are not properly marked at the item level can be held or refused, and correcting it after arrival is expensive.
Forced labour enforcement is a serious and growing area. Goods with supply chain links to certain regions can be detained, and the burden is on the importer to evidence the supply chain.
FDA regulated goods, including food, cosmetics, medical devices and anything that contacts food, require prior notice and compliance with their own rules entirely separate from customs.
Electronics with radio or wireless functions require FCC compliance, and consumer products need CPSC certification where applicable.
Intellectual property enforcement is aggressive at US ports, with recorded trademarks actively protected.
Wood packaging must comply with ISPM 15, and non compliant packaging can result in the entire container being refused entry rather than just re-packed.

Working with Velonex

What clients usually bring us in for on this lane

First-time importers who need the ISF and bond organised before the container is loaded, because after that point it is already too late.
Choosing between west coast plus rail and an all water east coast service, which for most importers is worth more than the freight rate negotiation.
High-value electronics and devices, where FCC compliance, marking and secure handling all have to be right at the same time.
Foreign companies importing as non resident importers, where the bond, the identification and the broker relationship need setting up in advance.
Retail and hospitality projects with fixed opening dates, where US demurrage charges make a slow pickup expensive very quickly.

Get a quote

Tell us what needs to move to United States

We listen before we quote. Share the cargo, the deadline and the constraint, and we will come back with a route that accounts for all three, the documents it will need and a timeline we can stand behind.

Your details

Includes your name, company name and email address

Shipment route

Includes your pickup location and destination

Cargo type

Includes the type of cargo you are shipping

Special requirements

Includes a short note about your challenge

Timeline

Includes your desired timeline

Your quote

A tailored response based on everything above

Corporate logistics partner

Trust, clarity and operational follow through for complex cargo.

Not ready for a quote? Email info@velonex-hk.com or message us on WhatsApp with the question and we will answer it.

Sources

Where this information comes from

General guidance, last reviewed August 2026. Customs rules and product requirements change, and the treatment of any specific shipment depends on its classification, origin and value. Confirm the detail with us or with the authority before you commit to a movement.

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