AMS Filing

AMS Filing is the electronic submission of cargo manifest data to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through the Automated Manifest System before shipments arrive at U.S. entry points. This advance filing allows CBP to conduct security risk assessments and facilitate faster cargo clearance upon arrival. For air cargo, AMS data must be filed 4 hours before the aircraft's arrival in the United States, while ocean freight requires filing 24 hours before departure from the foreign port. Inaccurate or late filings can result in severe penalties up to $10,000 per violation.

An American Airlines flight departing Frankfurt carries consolidated cargo requiring house air waybill (HAWB) data to be transmitted to CBP 4 hours before arrival at Miami International Airport. A FedEx Express shipment with AWB number 023-12345672 must have its manifest data filed through AMS before the aircraft departs from Shanghai Pudong International Airport, where 023 is FedEx's AWB prefix that identifies them as the issuing carrier.

• Automated Manifest System
• advance manifest filing
• AMS cargo
• CBP manifest
• advance air cargo declaration

What is the exact deadline for AMS filing for air cargo shipments?

AMS Air manifests must be electronically filed with CBP 4 hours before the arrival of the inbound aircraft. For aircraft departing from nearby foreign areas including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, CBP must receive the cargo information no later than the time of aircraft departure.

Who is responsible for filing AMS for air cargo shipments?

The incoming air carrier is always required to provide master air waybill information through AMS when there is commercial cargo aboard. Airlines, warehouses, deconsolidators, customs brokers with ABI entry filer status, and service centers can participate in AMS Air filing. Any deconsolidator or entry filer with Customs bond type 1, 2, or 3 can send AMS eManifests to CBP.