The export process is encumbered by the amount of documentation the exporter faces around every turn. These documents can be broken down into four groups;
Documents required by the importer (and for customs clearing in the target market)
Documents required to export the goods from South Africa
Documents required required for payment
Documents required to transport the goods (i.e. the transport documents).
In many instances, the documents may be the same (for example, the commercial invoice may be required in more than one instance as may the bill of lading/airway bill). In this section, we deal with the documents required by the importer and for clearing the goods through customs in the target market.