The in-bond process allows imported merchandise to be entered at one U.S. port of entry without appraisement or payment of duties and transported by a bonded carrier to another U.S. port of entry or other authorized destination provided all statutory and regulatory conditions are met. At the destination port, the merchandise is entered or exported within a specific time frame.

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A transportation entry may be filed by: (1) The carrier, or authorized agent of the carrier, that brings the merchandise to the origination port; (2) The carrier, or authorized agent of the carrier, that is to accept the merchandise under its bond or a carnet for transportation to the port of destination or the port of exportation; or (3) Any person or the authorized agent of any person, who has a sufficient interest in the merchandise as shown by the bill of lading or manifest, a certificate of the importing carrier (such as a power of attorney or letter of authorization), or by any other document. CBP may request evidence to demonstrate sufficient interest.

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An electronic in-bond application is required for in-bond merchandise transported by ocean, rail, and truck. The methods available to submit an in-bond application are the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) or QP/WP. QP/WP is an ABI-hosted in-bond system that allows all parties, carriers, and non-carriers, to submit electronic in-bond applications directly to CBP, as well as report their arrival and export. The ‘‘QP’’ half is the application function, the ‘‘WP’’ half is the arrival/export function. ACE can be used to file the in-bond application in conjunction with advance or arriving manifest information. For in-bond merchandise transported by air, carriers can file the in-bond application also using ACE or QP/WP.

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