CSMS Message: 97-001248

TO : ALL ABI BROKERS.
FROM : CARLA ZZ-DONOFRIO

SUBJECT : PAPERLESS-SINGAPORE

DATE : 12/24/97

DECEMBER 23, 1997

SPE-2 FO:TC:I:E CDD
CATEGORY: TEX

TO : ALL PORT DIRECTORS, CUSTOMS MANAGEMENT CENTER (CMC)
DIRECTORS AND STRATEGIC TRADE CENTER (STC) DIRECTORS

FROM : DIRECTOR, TRADE COMPLIANCE

PASS TO : ALL IMPORT SPECIALISTS, NATIONAL IMPORT
SPECIALISTS, ENTRY OFFICERS, INSPECTORS AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE SPECIALISTS, BROKERS AND OTHER
INTERESTED PARTIES

SUBJECT : TBT-97-121 - ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PAPERLESS ELVIS
(ELECTRONIC VISA INFORMATION SYSTEM) REQUIREMENT OF
CERTAIN COTTON, WOOL AND MAN-MADE FIBER TEXTILE
PRODUCTS PRODUCED OR MANUFACTURED IN SINGAPORE

BACKGROUND:

A CITA DIRECTIVE, DATED DECEMBER 23, 1997, INFORMED U.S.
CUSTOMS THAT, EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 1, 1998, THE PAPER VISA
WILL NO LONGER BE REQUIRED FOR THE ENTRY OF SHIPMENTS OF
TEXTILE PRODUCTS, PRODUCED OR MANUFACTURED IN SINGAPORE AND
EXPORTED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1998. THE GOVERNMENT OF
SINGAPORE MUST ISSUE AN ELVIS TRANSMISSION FOR EACH SHIPMENT
OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS, AS DEFINED IN THE ARRANGEMENT, FOR
TEXTILE PRODUCTS EXPORTED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1998.

THE CITA DIRECTIVE DIRECTED U.S. CUSTOMS TO PROHIBIT,
EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 1, 1998, ENTRY INTO THE CUSTOMS
TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES (I.E., THE 50 STATES, THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO)
FOR CONSUMPTION AND WITHDRAWAL FROM WAREHOUSE FOR
CONSUMPTION OF COTTON, WOOL AND MAN-MADE FIBER TEXTILE
PRODUCTS IN CATEGORIES 200-239, 300-369, 400-469 AND 600-
670, INCLUDING PART CATEGORIES, PRODUCED OR MANUFACTURED IN
SINGAPORE AND EXPORTED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1998 FOR WHICH
THE GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE HAS NOT TRANSMITTED AN
APPROPRIATE ELVIS (ELECTRONIC VISA INFORMATION SYSTEM)
TRANSMISSION FULLY DESCRIBED BELOW. SHOULD ADDITIONAL
CATEGORIES OR PART CATEGORIES BECOME SUBJECT TO IMPORT QUOTA
THE ENTIRE CATEGORY(S) OR PART CATEGORY(S) SHALL BE INCLUDED
IN THE COVERAGE OF THIS ARRANGEMENT.

AN ELVIS MESSAGE MUST ACCOMPANY EACH COMMERCIAL SHIPMENT OF
THE AFOREMENTIONED TEXTILE PRODUCTS.

A. EACH ELVIS MESSAGE WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
INFORMATION:

I. THE VISA NUMBER. THE VISA NUMBER SHALL BE IN THE STANDARD
NINE CHARACTER FORMAT, BEGINNING WITH ONE NUMERIC DIGIT
FOR THE LAST DIGIT OF THE YEAR OF EXPORT, FOLLOWED BY THE
TWO CHARACTER ALPHA COUNTRY CODE SPECIFIED BY THE
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO) (THE
CODE FOR SINGAPORE IS "SG"), AND A SIX DIGIT NUMERICAL
SERIAL NUMBER IDENTIFYING THE SHIPMENT; E.G., 8SG123456.

II. THE DATE OF ISSUANCE. THE DATE OF ISSUANCE SHALL BE THE
DAY, MONTH AND YEAR ON WHICH THE VISA WAS ISSUED.

III. THE CORRECT CATEGORY(S), PART CATEGORY(S), QUANTITY(S)
AND UNIT(S) OF QUANTITY IN THE SHIPMENT AS SET FORTH IN THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE CORRELATION AND IN THE
HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE OF THE UNITED STATES, ANNOTATED
OR SUCCESSOR DOCUMENTS. QUANTITIES MUST BE STATED IN WHOLE
NUMBERS. DECIMALS OR FRACTIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

IV. THE MANUFACTURER ID NUMBER (MID). THE MID SHALL BEGIN
WITH "SG", FOLLOWED BY THE FIRST THREE CHARACTERS FROM EACH
OF THE FIRST TWO WORDS OF THE NAME OF THE MANUFACTURER,
FOLLOWED BY THE LARGEST NUMBER ON THE ADDRESS LINE UP TO THE
FIRST FOUR DIGITS, FOLLOWED BY THE FIRST LETTERS FROM THE
CITY NAME.

B. ENTRY OF A SHIPMENT SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED:

I. IF AN ELVIS TRANSMISSION HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED FOR THE
SHIPMENT FROM SINGAPORE;

II. IF THE ELVIS TRANSMISSION FOR THAT SHIPMENT IS MISSING
ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:

A. VISA NUMBER
B. CATEGORY OR PART CATEGORY
C. QUANTITY
D. UNIT OF MEASURE
E. DATE OF ISSUANCE
F. MANUFACTURER ID NUMBER

III. IF THE ELVIS TRANSMISSION FOR THE SHIPMENT DOES NOT
MATCH THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE IMPORTER OR THE
CUSTOMS BROKER ACTING AS AN AGENT ON BEHALF OF THE IMPORTER
WITH REGARD TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:

A. VISA NUMBER
B. CATEGORY OR PART CATEGORY
C. UNIT OF MEASURE

IV. IF THE QUANTITY BEING ENTERED IS GREATER THAN THE
QUANTITY TRANSMITTED.

V. IF THE VISA NUMBER HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN USED, EXCEPT IN
THE CASE OF A SPLIT SHIPMENT, OR CANCELED, EXCEPT WHEN AN
ENTRY HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE USING THE VISA NUMBER.

C. A NEW, CORRECT ELVIS TRANSMISSION FROM SINGAPORE IS
REQUIRED BEFORE A SHIPMENT THAT HAS BEEN DENIED ENTRY FOR
ONE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH B.I-V WILL
BE RELEASED.

D. VISA WAIVERS WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED FOR PARAGRAPH B.I.
(IF THE SHIPMENT QUALIFIES AS A ONE-TIME SPECIAL PURPOSE
SHIPMENT THAT IS NOT PART OF AN ONGOING COMMERCIAL
ENTERPRISE.) A VISA WAIVER MAY BE ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF COMMERCE AT THE REQUEST OF THE EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON FOR
THE GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE. A VISA WAIVER ONLY WAIVES THE
REQUIREMENT TO PRESENT A TRANSMISSION AT ENTRY, IT DOES NOT
WAIVE ANY QUOTA REQUIREMENTS.

E. SHIPMENTS WILL NOT BE RELEASED FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OR 1
CALENDAR DAY IN THE EVENT OF A SYSTEM FAILURE. IF SYSTEM
FAILURE EXCEEDS TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OR 1 CALENDAR DAY, FOR THE
REMAINING PERIOD OF THE SYSTEM FAILURE THE U.S. CUSTOMS
SERVICE WILL ONLY RELEASE SHIPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN
AUTHORIZED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE THROUGH THE USE OF
THE VISA WAIVER PROCEDURES.

F. IF IMPORT QUOTAS ARE IN FORCE, U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE SHALL
CHARGE ONLY THE ACTUAL QUANTITY IN THE SHIPMENT TO THE
CORRECT CATEGORY LIMIT. IF A SHIPMENT FROM SINGAPORE HAS
BEEN ALLOWED ENTRY INTO THE COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES
WITH AN INCORRECT ELVIS TRANSMISSION, OR NO ELVIS
TRANSMISSION, OR SYSTEM FAILURE, AND REDELIVERY IS REQUESTED
BUT CANNOT BE MADE, AND AFTER THE GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE
DOES NOT ISSUE A NEW ELVIS TRANSMISSION OR REQUEST A VISA
WAIVER (IF APPLICABLE), THE SHIPMENT WILL BE CHARGED TO THE
CORRECT CATEGORY LIMIT WHETHER A WAIVER IS PROVIDED OR A NEW
ELVIS MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED.

OTHER PROVISIONS.

A. THE DATE OF EXPORT IS THE ACTUAL DATE THE MERCHANDISE
FINALLY LEAVES THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN. FOR MERCHANDISE
EXPORTED BY CARRIER, THIS IS THE DAY ON WHICH THE CARRIER
LAST DEPARTS THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.

B. MERCHANDISE IMPORTED FOR THE PERSONAL USE OF THE IMPORTER
AND NOT FOR RESALE, REGARDLESS OF VALUE, AND PROPERLY MARKED
COMMERCIAL SAMPLE SHIPMENTS VALUED AT U.S. $250 OR LESS, DO
NOT REQUIRE AN ELVIS TRANSMISSION FOR ENTRY AND SHALL NOT BE
CHARGED TO AGREEMENT LEVELS, IF APPLICABLE.

ACTION:

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 1998, A PAPER VISA WILL NO LONGER BE
REQUIRED FOR THE ENTRY OF SHIPMENTS OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS,
PRODUCED OR MANUFACTURED IN SINGAPORE AND EXPORTED TO THE
UNITED STATES ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 1998. AN ELVIS
TRANSMISSION, FULLY DESCRIBED ABOVE MUST ACCOMPANY EACH
COMMERCIAL SHIPMENT OF THE AFOREMENTIONED TEXTILE PRODUCTS.

THIS TBT FORMALIZES THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT OF SINGAPORE TO AMEND THE
EXISTING VISA ARRANGEMENT FOR TEXTILE PRODUCTS, PRODUCED OR
MANUFACTURED IN SINGAPORE AND EXPORTED ON AND AFTER JANUARY
1, 1998. THE AMENDED ARRANGEMENT CONSOLIDATES EXISTING AND
NEW PROVISIONS OF THE EXPORT VISA ARRANGEMENT, INCLUDING
PROVISIONS FOR THE ELECTRONIC VISA INFORMATION SYSTEM
(ELVIS).

INFORMATION:

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS TELEX, CONTACT
CARLA D ONOFRIO AT (202) 927-0424, JUNE PERGOLA AT (202) 927-
0705, OR BOB DORSETT AT (202) 927-7002, TRADE COMPLIANCE.

PHILIP METZGER