Importer of record
A surprising number of registrations can only be held by an Indonesian legal entity. If you have not agreed who holds them, the answer is nobody.
What the importer of record is
The Indonesian legal entity that is responsible to Indonesian customs for the import: its declaration, its duties, and its compliance. It is not a shipping term. It is a legal position, and it cannot be occupied by a company outside Indonesia.
What sits with them, not with you
| Held by | What |
|---|---|
| Indonesian entity | BPOM registration (ML number) for retail food and supplements |
| Indonesian entity | AKL licence for medical devices |
| Indonesian entity | Import permits, including agricultural quarantine permits |
| Indonesian entity | Customs declaration and duty liability |
| You, the exporter | Halal certification of the product and facility |
| You, the exporter | Certificate of origin, phytosanitary, fumigation, analysis |
An exporter assumes the buyer has the permit. The buyer assumes the exporter's paperwork is sufficient. The container arrives and neither is true. This costs demurrage, storage and sometimes the cargo.
What to put in writing before the first shipment
- Who is the importer of record, named as a legal entity, not a person.
- Which permits they hold, with numbers and expiry dates. Ask to see them.
- Who pays for what if the cargo is held, and for how long.
- Who is responsible for label compliance in Bahasa Indonesia.
Where we fit
Our Indonesian entity, Wepronex, contracts with Indonesian buyers. Where we are running the indent we make sure this is settled before anything loads. How the two entities work.