How to Declare Goods Astray?

How to Declare Goods Astray?

Good Astray shipment. This type of Informal Entry allows goods to be released at the border if they:
  • Were originally exported from the U.S.
  • Are returning within 45 days as undeliverable
  • Remained in the custody of the carrier or foreign customs the entire time
To claim a release under Goods Astray, the requester must be ready to present evidence to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirming the goods meet these criteria if required.

Highway carriers transporting shipments into the U.S. under Goods Astray must report them on their ACE Manifest. To do so, the carrier must create an ACE Shipment with the shipment type "Free Astray/Head Note 1 under Tariff Act" and ensure the shipment is included in their ACE Manifest.

Although Goods Astray shipments differ from PAPS shipments, the carrier is still required to provide a unique Shipment Control Number, along with all the standard information for an ACE Shipment, such as the Shipper, Consignee, and Commodity details. Additionally, the export date of the goods from the United States must be included.

As with all Informal Entries, no customs broker is needed, and the carrier will not receive an Entry Number for the shipment. At the border, the driver should be ready to present paperwork for the original export and any documentation supporting the claim that the shipment is undeliverable.