Other Agency Requirements, Import Restrictions, and Trade Facilitation Programs
Many imports require clearance by Partner Government Agencies (PGAs) in addition to CBP. Know the common examples: FDA for food, drugs, devices, and cosmetics; USDA for meat, poultry, and plant products; CPSC for consumer products; EPA for pesticides and vehicles; ATF for alcohol, tobacco, and firearms; NHTSA for vehicles; and FWS for wildlife. Filings are transmitted through ACE with PGA message sets, and an importer may need licenses, permits, registrations, or prior notices.
Import restrictions include quotas, embargoes and sanctions, antidumping and countervailing duty orders, Section 301 tariffs, and textile/apparel visa requirements. AD/CVD entries require cash deposits and case-number reporting.
Trade facilitation programs include CTPAT, the Importer Self-Assessment (ISA) program, and ACE. Security filings such as the Importer Security Filing (ISF, "10+2") are generally due 24 hours before vessel loading. The de minimis threshold for duty-free informal low-value shipments is generally $800 per person per day.
Traps: assuming CBP alone determines admissibility; missing ISF timing by treating it as an entry requirement; forgetting PGA licenses; and confusing quota with tariff-rate quota.
Worked example/rule of thumb: A shipment of canned tuna requires FDA prior notice and may also require NOAA/Fisheries documentation; CBP will not release it without PGA clearance. Rule of thumb: CBP controls entry; the PGA controls admissibility.