Customs begins registering importers for e-system

| 11/10/2017 | 6 Comments

(CNS Business): The Cayman Islands Customs Department will start registering importers Monday, ahead of plans to roll out a new online electronic system for entry declaration in November. The implementation of the new system will require importers to complete and submit entries electronically to customs using the new gateway portal COLS (Customs Online System). Importers will be able to access the portal through the customs website. But before they can use COLS, importers will have to be formally registered and recognised as an importer by customs. 

This means that individuals will need to go to customs and provide all the relevant information, including a government-issued identification, such as a driver’s licence or passport, while companies and businesses will need to provide their business licence or companies registration, including directorship.

Customs will conduct the registration process on 16 October until 27 October from 8:30am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday at 1st floor of Customs Headquarters, 42 Owens Roberts Drive (Airport Road).

Most importers were previously registered in the old system but it is now necessary for all importers to be re-registered with the department in the new system, officials said. Once registered with customs, importers can then submit entries electronically and do business with customs without having to attend in person.

Customs has said it will provide in-house training for individuals who have not yet received previous training in the use of the new system, and importers who miss this current registration window will be able to register during normal business hours in future.

Tags: ,

Category: Import/Export, Local Business

Comments (6)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Beaumont Zodecloun says:

    Any scheduled dates for registration on the Sister Islands?

  2. Richard Wadd says:

    Now which GENIUS in Customs thought that it is a good idea to roll out a NEW system at the start of the absolute busiest time of the year?
    Anyone with ‘sense’ would wait until AFTER Xmas.
    Where is the voice of the (ever useless) Chamber of Commerce?

    • Positive thinking says:

      Hi you genius,

      Did you ever think that’s why they are doing it at this time? Obviously, the system that they are using now is not assisting with trade facilitation, so they decided to use automation to speed things up.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Nothing on Customs website yet about this but does this mean if you have a valid TIN number you are free to use the online submission form? I do about 3-4 imports a month and last time, last year, I asked a Customs agent to look up my TIN information they couldn’t find anything. Needless to say I was not surprised.

    • Anonymous says:

      Existing TINs are not valid. You need to go and re-register with ids and other info as noted in the story.

      • Anonymous says:

        Thanks for the notification, I guess using existing TINs would be too easy, another line to stand in before being in line for your shipments

Please include your email address in the form below if you are using your real name. You can use a pseudonym, with or without leaving an email address, or just leave the form blank to be "Anonymous". All comments will be moderated before they are published. The CNS Comment Policy is at the top of this page.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.