I run a small business which sends Italian olive oil to US consumers via the postal service. In order to get the olive oil into the US, we have to complete both a CN22 customs declaration and also an FDA declaration (as it is a foodstuff). The CN22 is relatively simple, you just need to know the country of origin of the product and the HS number for it plus the value and weight of the goods and the shipping cost. The FDA declaration is a lot more of a pain – you have to register yourself and the producer as facilities within the FDA system, you have to obtain DUNS numbers for each of those facilities from a third-party, you have to declare exactly what you are importing including the size and type of packaging used and you need a US agent to deal with any queries if the FDA can’t reach you for any reason. And the FDA systems are super un-user-friendly. For a one-time package, I wouldn’t go near this – it will takes hours if not days of your life to figure it all out. You would be better off trying to find a retailer of the particular oil based in the US or one based in France but who is able to ship to the US (ie has all the necessary registrations in place).

 

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