TIN # 68166282

San Juan Region

PURPOSE: 

To inform stakeholders about the deployment of PAY.GOV to make U.S. Customs and Border Protection formal and Informal duty payments. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced a significant advancement in trade modernization for the U.S. Virgin Islands by implementing the use of Pay.gov for all payments of duties, taxes, and fees on imported merchandise. This initiative aims to fully automate the commercial process for cargo arriving from the continental United States, Puerto Rico, and foreign locations, while drastically reducing the acceptance of paper-based payments. Pay.gov provides a faster, more secure, and user-friendly platform for importers, residents, and travelers to manage payments, offering features such as saving payment information, tracking transactions, and managing recurring payments. For formal entries, payments can be made via ACH debit from a U.S. bank account, with real-time synchronization to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), thereby reducing errors and expediting cargo release. Informal entries can be paid using a credit or debit card. This move is part of CBP's broader strategy to enhance efficiency and security in cargo processing.

Additionally, CBP mandates the electronic submission of cargo manifests through ACE and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems to provide critical advance cargo notice. Carriers are required to use specific port codes for transmitting this information. These changes are authorized by the Trade Act of 2002 and federal regulations governing customs operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

For more information, please visit: https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/cbp-launches-paygov-us-virgin-islands-imports

Address questions arising from this notice to Assistant Area Port Director Trade Marcia Murrell (340) 774-6075 or electronically at marcia.murrell@cbp.dhs.gov.