Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica are three of the closest and busiest markets for Florida ocean carriers and NVOCCs. Each has its own customs authority, its own list of documents and its own permits for regulated goods. This overview puts the official lists side by side, starting with the U.S. export filing that applies to all three.
Every container to the Greater Antilles is checked twice: once by the U.S. government when it leaves, and once by the destination customs authority when it arrives. The carrier or NVOCC issues the bill of lading both sides read, so your data quality affects both clearances even when the consignee’s broker does the import paperwork.
Requirements change, and the official guides themselves warn that their lists are not exhaustive. Use what follows as an overview of commonly required documents, and confirm the current list with the consignee, its customs broker or the destination customs authority before each new type of shipment.
Under the Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade Regulations, Electronic Export Information is required when the value of any Schedule B line is over $2,500 or when a license is required. For vessel cargo, the EEI must be filed 24 hours before the cargo is loaded at the U.S. port, and the ITN, the proof of filing, goes to the carrier, who annotates it on its outbound manifest. Lower-value shipments are often exempt, but the exemption still has to be cited. Our PortMiami-to-Caribbean documentation guide explains this step in more detail.
The International Trade Administration’s Haiti guide says documentation is reviewed at the arrival port by the customs bureau, the Administration Générale des Douanes (AGD), which confirms classification and value. Its list of documents for customs clearance includes:
The same guide says Haiti requires a license to import firearms, pharmaceutical products, petroleum products, plant products and animal products, and that pharmaceutical importers need a permit from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It also notes that, depending on the product, Haitian law may require the manifest to carry additional information, so ask the consignee early. Duties and taxes are collected by the National Credit Bank (BNC), a state-owned enterprise, and the guide notes that a physical inspection may take place. Service to Haitian ports can also change at short notice; confirm the current port and schedule with the vessel operator.
In the Dominican Republic, imports are declared to the Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) on the Declaración Única Aduanera (DUA), an electronic form filed through SIGA, the DGA’s online platform. According to the DGA, the documents needed for the declaration are the original commercial invoice and the shipping document, the bill of lading for ocean cargo.
U.S.-origin goods can qualify for preferential treatment under CAFTA-DR. The ITA guide says the Dominican importer presents a certification to the DGA that includes the certifier’s name, the Harmonized System classification and description of the good, origin information and the date. The guide also says most products need no import license, with exceptions including pharmaceuticals, agricultural products and agro-chemicals; agricultural shipments need a permit from the Ministry of Agriculture for each shipment, and food products need a valid sanitary registration.
Labels matter too. Consumer-ready food imports need a Spanish label, which the ITA guide says can be attached at origin or applied as a sticker at destination before the product reaches stores. If your shipper is sending retail food to Santo Domingo, ask who is responsible for the Spanish label before the cargo is packed, because relabeling at destination adds handling time.
The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) lists these documents for commercial imports: shipping documents such as a bill of lading or airway bill; an authentic invoice from the supplier; import permits or licences where applicable; a Tax Compliance Certificate, Taxpayer Registration Number and a copy of the GCT certificate; and an original certificate of origin when preferential duty is claimed under a trade agreement.
Commercial goods are cleared on the Electronic Single Administrative Document in ASYCUDA. The JCA states that goods with a CIF value equivalent to US$5,000 or more must be cleared by a licensed customs broker. The ITA’s Jamaica guide adds that the Trade Board, the Veterinary Services Division and the Plant Quarantine Division grant licenses and permits, and that the list of items needing permits is not exhaustive, so the importer must confirm.
When a broker is required, the JCA says all documents must be presented to the broker, who completes the clearance. For the carrier, that means the broker is the person who needs your bill of lading early and correct.
| Haiti | Dominican Republic | Jamaica | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs authority | Administration Générale des Douanes (AGD) | Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA) | Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) |
| Declaration | Customs declaration | DUA, filed in SIGA | eSAD in ASYCUDA |
| Core documents | B/L, commercial invoice, certificate of origin, freight cost certificate, list of products, tax clearance | Original commercial invoice and B/L | B/L, supplier invoice, TCC, TRN, GCT certificate |
| Preferential origin | Certificate of origin on the list | CAFTA-DR certification by the importer | Original certificate of origin when claiming a trade agreement |
| Regulated goods | Licenses for firearms, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, plant and animal products | Permits for pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, agro-chemicals; sanitary registration for food | Permits from the Trade Board, Veterinary Services, Plant Quarantine |
All of this is easier when the bill of lading, the manifest and the invoice come from the same record. GDZ-ISIS builds them from one booking, and its EDI interfaces include formats such as ASYCUDA and ANSI X12. Contact GDZ to see it on your own Caribbean lanes.
The ITA guide lists a customs declaration, bill of lading, commercial invoice, certificate of origin, freight cost certificate, list of products and tax clearance, plus permits and certificates when the goods require them. Haiti’s customs bureau, the AGD, reviews them at the arrival port.
The DGA says the declaration (DUA), filed through its SIGA platform, needs the original commercial invoice and the bill of lading for ocean cargo. Regulated goods also need permits or sanitary registration, and CAFTA-DR claims need the importer’s certification.
For commercial goods with a CIF value equivalent to US$5,000 or more, the Jamaica Customs Agency says clearance must be done by a licensed customs broker. Goods are declared electronically in ASYCUDA.
If any Schedule B line is worth more than $2,500, or a license is required, EEI must be filed in AES. For vessel cargo it is due 24 hours before loading, and the ITN goes to the carrier.
In all three countries the official guides place permits with the importer, obtained from the relevant ministry before arrival. A missing permit still stops the container, so confirm it before you book.