When goods have not yet completed import clearance, they cannot move freely: they must travel under customs control. In Guatemala this move is known as transporte bajo fianza (in-bond transport), because the carrier must back it with a guarantee before the customs service.
When it is used
In-bond transport applies when the goods leave the port without having been cleared for import, for example:
- When clearance will take place at another customs office in the country rather than at the port.
- When the cargo is going to a bonded warehouse or a free zone, where it can remain without paying import duties yet.
- When the goods are crossing Guatemala on their way to another country.
Your customs broker will tell you whether your operation requires this regime, technically known as customs transit.
What the regulations require of the carrier
The Regulations of the Central American Uniform Customs Code (RECAUCA), which apply in Guatemala, establish, among other requirements, that:
- The carrier must be authorized and registered with the customs service as a customs carrier, along with the vehicles it will use for the transit.
- It must maintain a guarantee (a bond, bank guarantee or insurance) that answers to customs and is renewed every year.
- It must carry the goods along the legal routes and within the established time limits, and keep the security devices placed on the cargo and the vehicle intact.
In Guatemala, the tax and customs authority (SAT) also uses the electronic seal (marchamo electrónico) to track these moves: the device monitors the route from the customs office of departure to the destination office, where it is removed with customs authorization.
What to prepare to coordinate the move
- State in your request that the move is in-bond transport.
- Destination customs office or facility: another customs office, a bonded warehouse or a free zone.
- Your customs broker’s details, since they handle the transit declaration.
- Weight and characteristics of the container.
- Expected date and receiving hours at the destination.
At AXENIS we handle container moves that travel under bond. Mention it when you request your quote so we can review the operation’s requirements from the start.
This guide is for information only and does not replace advice from your customs broker. SAT procedures may change; confirm the current requirements before each operation.
Sources
- Regulations of the Central American Uniform Customs Code (RECAUCA), Resolution 224-2008 COMIECO-XLIX (in Spanish), articles 61, 62, 65 and 99 to 106.
- Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias: SAT and the electronic seal in customs transit (in Spanish).