Importing from China to San Marino: goods checks
San Marino requires checks on goods arriving from outside the EU regardless of value. Plan the local goods endorsement with your own customs broker before ordering, then agree a quote to your named seaport or border point. Sourcing and inspection in China are coordinated by Cambridge China Bridge.
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Start with goods endorsement, regardless of value
San Marino's government states that imports from outside the EU must always undergo the competent authority's controls, regardless of their value, purpose or import procedure. For a purchase from China, a small order therefore does not escape this control through its value. This is the local goods endorsement step, called Visto Merci.
Before paying a factory deposit, ask your own customs broker to map the endorsement process for your shipment. Agree who prepares the request, supplies the transport documents and follows up the outcome. The Italy import guide covers the Italian side; include the San Marino step in your shipment plan.
Name the seaport or border point in the quote
San Marino is landlocked. Tell us the seaport or border point you want quoted, together with your specification, quantity and packing requirements. Agree the delivery term, included freight and destination charges in writing, with onward transport to San Marino agreed separately.
Our overseas buying guide explains sourcing for buyers outside the UK. Use the buy-through-UK-company service to agree the seller, payment arrangement and scope of our work. Goods can travel from China towards your chosen destination while you contract through a UK company.
Prepare the factory and shipment documents
For a factory sale, the Chinese factory provides the commercial invoice and packing list. We coordinate and check them against the order and inspected goods, including buyer and seller details, descriptions, quantities, carton counts and weights. If we sell you the goods, agree the commercial invoice arrangement with us and your broker.
Ask your broker whether a certificate of origin is needed and agree who obtains it. We collect available factory test reports and coordinate agreed additional testing. Match reports to the actual model, materials and configuration. Send draft documents to your broker before dispatch so corrections can be made in China.
Give your own broker the arrival work
Appoint your own customs broker to confirm the route, entry arrangements, classification, customs value, duties, local import taxes and any product-specific permissions. Ask it to coordinate clearance at the arrival point, the San Marino endorsement arrangements, carrier release and onward delivery. Your own customs broker confirms the final entry.
Agree who monitors the local request and retains its outcome. The government's procedure manual says changes between request stages are notified to the applicant by email. Ask your appointed handler to share progress and the resulting records with you.
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Verify the supplier and inspect before shipment
Our own staff in China check the supplier's identity, manufacturing site, equipment and ability to meet your specification. Agree a retained sample and written acceptance criteria. Before shipment, inspect the goods for function, dimensions, finish, quantity, packing and approved labels. The quality inspection guide explains how to define the scope.
Ask your broker or product adviser to confirm the testing, certification and labelling checklist before production. Compare the factory's evidence with that checklist, and agree how defects will be corrected before shipment approval. Factory audits and inspections are usually included in the quote; complex checks that need a third party are charged separately and agreed in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Are small China orders exempt from San Marino goods checks?
A low purchase value does not remove this control for goods from outside the EU. Ask your broker to plan the local endorsement for your consignment.
Can I get a quote to a port for San Marino?
Yes. Name the seaport or border point you want quoted. Agree included charges and arrange the onward leg to San Marino separately.
Which documents should my Chinese factory provide?
For a factory sale, request the commercial invoice, packing list and relevant test reports. Your broker should confirm whether a certificate of origin is needed; we coordinate the agreed pack.
Who handles customs when my China shipment arrives?
Your appointed customs broker handles the agreed arrival work and confirms the final entry. Agree its scope for local endorsement, release, taxes and onward transport before dispatch.
Sources
Buying from China for a business outside the UK? China sourcing agent for businesses outside the UK →