GEM & JEWELRY ARTICLE

Shipping Gemstones and Jewelry to the USA

Important information on receiving your purchases through customs in the USA

Nicky Thomas

Gemstone & Jewelry
Style & Trends Editor

When we ship to you in the USA, we will use Fedex or UPS. They are safe, quick and take care  of all customs procedures for you, however, if your order is in excess of $2,500, it will require a formal entry to be prepared on your behalf for US customs. This is an extra step and the information below will help you to ensure the process does not delay delivery of your shipment.

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The Process

Notification from FedEx: After your international shipment is in transit or has arrived at a FedEx hub (such as the Memphis hub), FedEx will notify you, the recipient/importer, via the email address associated with your shipment. They do this because, for security and privacy reasons, they cannot complete the form with your personal identification information themselves.

Receiving the form: The email will typically come from dse_NA3@docusign.net (a DocuSign email) and will contain a secure, digital version of the CBP Form 5106 for you to fill out. Please check your spam folder in the days leading up to your delivery, if you haven't  received it. Alternatively, you can call Fedex to have them re-send it to you. You can also proactively whitelist emails from fedex.com in your email program to ensure this important email does not get blocked.

Proactive Submission: If you wish to submit the form proactively in advance, which will significantly speed up the process,you can download a PDF version of the form from the CBP website and email the completed form to paperwork@fedex.com with your tracking number in the subject line. This is  a secure, automated system which will allocate the form directly to your shipment and expedite the process. You can do this even as soon as you receive the shipment notification email from us.

Below is a sample filled form, to assist you in filling it out. As an individual, you only need to fill pages 1 and 3 as follows : 

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Customs Clearance: Once you submit the completed form, FedEx provides it to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The customs clearance process typically takes an additional 24 to 48 hours, provided all information is correct.

Delivery: After customs clearance is complete, FedEx releases the package for final delivery. 

Why is the form needed? : The CBP Form 5106 is required to create or update an importer's unique identification information within CBP's systems. This helps customs properly identify and process commercial goods entering the U.S., especially for shipments valued over a certain amount (e.g., currently $2500 USD, though the threshold can vary) or for specific product types or origins. This article on the CBP Website explains all.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nicky Thomas

Educated at the University of Exeter and a key part of our team here at The Rare Gemstone Company, Nicky has been fascinated by gemstones and jewelry since childhood. She explores all areas of the industry in her blog and revels in the proximity to gems and jewels that working at the source of some of the world’s most beautiful and rarest gemstones provides her.

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