General Arrival Declaration

General arrival declaration and pre-arrival declaration

Some customs formalities begin before the truck even reaches the border. Pre-arrival declaration and the general arrival declaration let customs receive cargo data in advance and clear it faster. We prepare and submit these documents as part of customs support. The service is for companies and sole proprietors across Ukraine — Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro.

What a general arrival declaration is

The general arrival declaration is submitted to customs when goods arrive on the customs territory of Ukraine. The obligation rests with the carrier, but the declaration may be submitted by the importer, the consignee or another person on whose behalf the carrier acts. It contains general information about the cargo for risk analysis and security.

Preliminary customs declaration

A preliminary customs declaration is submitted before the goods are imported — to let the cargo pass the border and be delivered to the internal customs office where final clearance takes place. It uses general information known at the time of border crossing and is valid for 30 days from issuance. The legal basis is the Customs Code of Ukraine.

Why it is needed: risk analysis and a faster border

Advance data lets customs assess risks in advance and prepare to receive the cargo. For business this means less time at the border and predictability: the truck does not sit waiting while paperwork is processed. This matters especially for perishables and scheduled deliveries.

Who submits the declaration

Data needed in advance

• Information about the goods and the UKT ZED code.
• Consignor, consignee, route and transport.
• Shipping documents: invoice, CMR, packing list.

The more accurate the data, the lower the risk of inspection and delay.

ENS and ICS2 for entry into the EU

For export and transit into the EU there is a separate pre-arrival security declaration — ENS (Entry Summary Declaration) in the ICS2 system. It is submitted before the cargo enters the EU customs territory and contains security data. We account for ENS when planning routes into Europe so the truck is not turned back on entry.

Link with transit and clearance

Pre-arrival declaration connects with customs transit and final clearance. How T1/NCTS transit works is covered in road cargo customs clearance, and submitting declarations through the single system — in electronic declaration. The order of completing the declaration is in the guide to the procedure for filling out a customs declaration.

How we arrange pre-arrival declaration

Frequently asked questions

Pre-arrival declaration with Trans-Hope

Trans-Hope prepares and submits the general arrival declaration and the preliminary customs declaration, accounts for ENS on entry into the EU and brings the cargo through to final clearance. Send the route and cargo data — we will prepare the pre-arrival documents.