A Complete Guide to Obtain KAFTA Certificate of Origin to Export from Australia to Korea

The free trade agreements (FTAs) between Australia and many other countries help exporters to claim preferential tariffs on different items exported from Australia. In order to achieve these benefits, exporters need to obtain valid certificate of origin (COO) from one of the many Chambers of Commerce located across Australia. For example, AANZFTA certificate of origin is required to obtain FTA-related benefits while exporting from Australia to New Zealand and various ASEAN countries. Similarly, TAFTA Certificate of origin is required if you wish to qualify for benefits associated with FTA between Australia and Thailand.

Here, the procedure of obtaining a certificate of origin is explained in reference to the FTA between Australia and Korea. The procedure would be more or less same to get COs for other countries as well.

Purposes to Obtain a certificate of origin

Before starting the main discussion, it is necessary to highlight the importance to get a certificate of origin. You would need a KAFTA certificate of origin to:

• Certify that the goods you are exporting from Australia to Korea are KAFTA (Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement)-compliant and qualify for preferential tariffs.

• Obtain customs clearance smoothly at the intended port of destination in Korea.

• Abide by the specifications included in the letter of credit, an export document that establishes trust between exporter and importer regarding payment on successful export-import.

• Act as an important piece of evidence about the origination of goods to carry out negotiations in the sales contract.

Whom to Contact?

You must contact the chamber of commerce authorized to stamp COs in your state or region. Some of the chambers of commerce include:

• Victorian Chamber of Commerce

• Chamber of Commerce & Industry Queensland

• NSW Business Chamber

• Chamber of Commerce & Industry Western Australia and so on

How to Contact?

Usually, there are three ways to approach a chamber of commerce to get a CO stamped:

• In Person: You can obtain the complete address and find out the driving directions online to reach the chamber. Make sure you reach within the business hours that are usually from 9 am to 5 pm.

• By Post: Contact the right chamber of commerce by post, sending all required documents and forms. You also need to provide them with a self-addressed stamped envelope to receive the stamped CO back. It will cost you postal expenses and may take time.

• Online: Using an export documentation software, you can dispatch all your documents electronically. The process is fast as the chamber of commerce may successfully send you the stamped CO in time as short as 2 hours.

What Documents Are Required?

• A typed KAFTA certificate of origin template, as chambers of commerce don’t accept handwritten COs. It must contain export declaration by the exporter.

• Documents as evidence about the origin of items to be exported. These include letters of credit, bill of lading, commercial invoices and so on.

• An additional set of copies of all documents must be included that would be kept by the chamber for its records.

You must note that you must register with the concerned chamber of commerce before starting the procedure. Once registered, you can start submitting CO for stamping.