18/06/2026
Recently, the U.S. shipping market went through another major compliance shake-up.
Many importers received automated verification requests from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, also known as CBP.
This included both China-based importers and U.S.-based importers.
The notices were sent through the IOR Program email to importers, logistics providers, and customs brokers.
Importers were required to complete verification before the stated deadline.
To help clients respond quickly, we prepared guidance on how to complete CBP Form 5106.
For many companies shipping to the U.S., this is the first time they have seen CBP carry out large-scale importer verification.
It feels similar to KYC checks on platforms like Amazon.
The authorities need to confirm who the importer is and whether the importer information is real.
For traditional U.S. importers, this may not be too difficult.
But for China-based cross-border sellers, the challenge may go beyond simply filing Form 5106.
In the future, video verification or even on-site verification may be possible.
However, this has not happened yet.
This large-scale action shows that loose customs supervision is becoming a thing of the past.
For small and medium-sized e-commerce sellers, and the logistics companies serving them, this may become one of the biggest compliance challenges.
