How to Obtain a Certificate of Origin

GET YOUR IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL TRADE DOCUMENTS

International trade is essential in fueling innovation and competition. To help companies compete on a global scale, the Southwest Michigan First Chamber offers support with Certificate of Origin declarations. These documents are widely used in international trade transactions and attest that both the exporter and product(s) listed have met certain criteria.

Issuance of Certificates of Origin (CO) is one of the key roles of chambers of commerce around the world. In order to facilitate this for our region’s exporters, we offer a couple of different ways to have your export documents certified.

  1. In-person in our office between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Friday.
  2. Same-day online certification is available between 12 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Items submitted outside of these hours will be certified the following business day.

Please note: All exporters who request COs must have a letter of indemnity signed by an authorized member of your team on file with the Southwest Michigan First Chamber. Click here to view, print and wet sign this document. This document can be returned to us by email or in person and will remain on file for each calendar year where COs are issued.

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Returning Users: Login Here for Online Document Certification

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New Users: Start the Process Here

  1. Register for online certification here.
  2. If you have not submitted your letter of indemnity, click here to view, print, and wet sign this document.
  3. Return both of these documents to us by email or in person. Once received, you will be issued online certification login credentials. Please allow 1-2 business days for processing.

Benefits of Online Certification

  1. Save time and money with reduced costs for your team.
  2. Request and have certificates of origin issued right from your office.
  3. Easier compliance, audit readiness, and document storage.
  4. Easy-to-use process.
  5. Attentive client support.

Costs and Additional Guidance

  1. All Certificates of Origin issued are $25.00 for members and $75.00 for non-members. These are per document costs, not per page or per packet/country. You can pay online here. Under Order Information, select the appropriate member or non-member fee. For multiple Certificates of Origin, select Other Payment and enter the correct fee; for example, a Chamber member needing six (6) Certificates of Origin, would enter $150.00 in Other Payment (i.e., 6 x $25.00 = $150.00).
  2. Payment via debit/credit card is due before certification unless other arrangements have been made.
  3. It is the responsibility of the exporting company to identify documents requiring certification. Please refer to your destination for their specific requirements. The Southwest Michigan First Chamber is not liable for rejected or improper documentation.
  4. Please process your documents online if your Certificate of Origin requires a raised seal. Once you receive your stamped document, bring your printout to our offices between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday, or 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Friday to receive the raised seal.
  5. Raised seals, as needed, are included in the costs listed.
  6. Please note when completing COs that the country of origin refers to the country of manufacture, not the country of export.
  7. Certifications will not be made on the following dates because our office will be closed: October 14, November 11, 28-29, December 24-25 and 31, 2024, and January 1, 2025.
  8. For other questions, please contact us directly at 269.553.9588.

Of Special Note

While rare, all companies that are supplied certifications, whether in-person or electronically, may be subject to in-person, on-premises verification of processes and systems from time to time to satisfy our legal responsibility as a third-party verifier of client declarations and for the basis of our certifications. These are held in strict confidence and do not require exposure of any sensitive information. Any requests in this regard will be made in advance in writing. Your cooperation is appreciated.