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Before you start arranging your export documentation there are steps we advise you follow to speed up the process and ensure you get the right paperwork for you, your customer and customs!

Before we can process your documents, we need your company to complete a Formal Undertaking. This is a simple document to which a company agrees to abide by the Standard Rules for the issue of documentation.  

This needs to be completed and signed off by the Proprietor, Company Secretary, Partner or Director, together with copies of the signatures of those people in your organisation who are authorised to complete and sign documentation, please ensure the sample signatures do not go beyond the lines of the box.
This will be kept on file and will be used to validate your documents.

Please be aware that the company name given on this page must be the company that appears on your documentation. For companies with 'trading names' or multiple sub branches please list these in the company name section.

Once completed please scan and email back to us, we do not require the hard copy - int-trade@essexchambers.co.uk
On receipt of your Formal Undertaking we will open you an online account in our eCert platform and you will receive your login details via email. With Ecert you can easily create and upload documentation for stamped approval by one of our dedicated team. This includes UK Certificates of Origin, Arab-British Certificates of Origin & UK EUR1 Movement Certificates. 

Please be aware that there are specific requirements for various countries of destination regarding ‘electronic’ or ‘digital’ stamps and signatures. Please check these with our team.

There are two options in the way the e-z Cert system can submit your applications;
STANDARD: this  enables us to print your documents when processed and apply a wet/original stamp and signature
EXPRESS:  this enables you to process your document/s online where a digital/electronic stamp and signatures is applied and returned to your e-z Cert account for printing. Please be aware that you need to hold blank original sets in order to use this service. 

For specific information on how to complete your documents, please refer to the the guides.

Before applying for any export documentation check what the requirements are for the country you are exporting to and discuss with your overseas customer and/or shipping agent what documents they require.

Each country has different custom requirements and if your customer is looking to 'onward sell' the goods you are providing, they may require documentation not usually required for a standard export.

Contact us to check on country customs requirements.

Common Terms used for raising export documentation -

  • Certify, Attest, Chamber Stamp - All refer to the official, registered Chambers of Commerce stamp and authorised signatory.
  • Legalise - Legalisation takes place at the Embassy or consulate for the country the document is intended for. Most Embassies & Consulates require the documents Chamber attested or notarised by a registered Notary Public before legalsation is made. See our Notary page. For any countries that are part of the Hague Convention, Legalisation only comes in the form of the UK Foreign Office Apostille, see below. 
  • Foreign Office Stamp, UK Legalisation, Hague Apostille - All refer to the process performed by our Government Foreign Office. Go to our Legalisation of Documents page for more information.

Once you have received instruction from your customer and/or shipper and you know the country requirements you can start processing your export documentation.

Costs and charges vary and depend on the services you require and if you are an Essex Chambers of Commerce Member.

For standard UK documentation (Certify Only) - UK Certificate of Origin, UK EUR1, Invoices, Health Certificates etc. the costs are per document stamp as listed on our Price List, with members receiving a 50% discount. 

For Arab State documentation (Certify and Certify & Legalise) - AB Certificate of Origin, Invoices, Health Certificates etc. the costs and requirements vary and some are dependent on the invoice value of the shipment. Email us for a quote and remember to include the type of documents, the Arab State you are raising the documents for and the invoice value of the shipment with your quote requests.

For Legalisation - the costs and requirements vary. Email us for a quote and remember to specify which type of documents you require processing.

There are sundry costs and charges for our services which include postage, online rejections/resubmissions, preparation fees and while-you-wait fees.

View our current Price List