From time to time importers may receive from U.S. Customs and
Border Protection ("CBP" or "Customs") a CBP
Form 28 ("CF 28") Request for Information. The issuance
of a CF 28 is a standard procedure used by Customs to gain more
information about entered merchandise. Totally harmless, right? Not
necessarily. As discussed below, it is important for importers, and
customs brokers responding on behalf of importers, to take the
issuance and response to a CF 28 seriously.
According to CBP, a CF 28 is issued when there is
"insufficient information in the entry summary package to
determine admissibility, appraised value, or classification of the
imported merchandise."1 CBP frequently uses CF 28s
to request samples of a product, valuation and classification
information, or support for a claim of free trade agreement
qualification, among other requests. After receiving a CF 28, the
importer has 30 days to provide a response to CBP. A CF 28 is not a
voluntary request; if the