AMS Filing Rules & Common Issues | GoFreight Help Center
Q1: What is 1Y and 3Z?
For an AMS filing, it is important to receive the 1Y and 3Z status responses from CBP. These responses indicate that the NVOCC's AMS filing has been successfully processed and that the required carrier and security filing information is properly associated in the CBP system.
For a successful AMS filing, you should generally see the following responses:
- 1Y = MVOC-NVOC Bill of Lading Match
This indicates that the NVOCC AMS filing has been successfully matched with the carrier's AMS filing. - 3Z = Security Filing on File
This indicates that the corresponding ISF (Importer Security Filing) has been successfully accepted and is on file with CBP.
Q2: As an NVOCC AMS filer, what information should be consistent with the carrier’s filing?
Matching the NVOCC AMS Filing with the Carrier’s Filing
To help ensure that the NVOCC AMS filing can be properly linked to the carrier's manifest, please verify the following information against the carrier's filing:
- Key information: The House Bill of Lading (HBL) Number should be correct, and the HBL should be properly associated with the carrier's Master Bill of Lading (MBL).
- Other information to verify: Port of Discharge (POD) and Container Number should also be checked against the carrier's filing to ensure consistency.
Discrepancies in the bill of lading information, particularly the B/L number or B/L type, may prevent the ISF from being matched to the corresponding AMS manifest record. CBP notes that an ISF may be accepted but subsequently receive a “Bill Not on File” response when the B/L referenced in the ISF does not match the bill of lading transmitted to AMS.
Q3: What is the AMS filing deadline for transshipment shipments?
For transshipment shipments, the AMS filing must be submitted at least 24 hours before the cargo is loaded onto the final vessel sailing to the United States.
Q4: Which Vessel/Voyage should be entered for transshipment shipments?
Enter the Vessel/Voyage of the final vessel carrying the cargo to the United States.
If the final vessel is not known when the initial AMS filing is submitted, enter the feeder vessel/voyage first. Once the final vessel is confirmed, follow the Change Vessel Flow to update the Vessel/Voyage information.
Q5: Do I need to enter a Notify Party for transiting shipments?
For transiting shipments, please ensure that the AMS filing includes the required consignee or notify party information. If there is no valid U.S. consignee information available, a U.S.-based responsible party may need to be provided as the Notify Party, depending on the shipment details and CBP requirements.
This can help avoid the AMS filing being placed on hold due to missing or incomplete party information.
Q6: If the vessel changes after the original vessel has sailed, is the AMS filing considered late?
Not necessarily. If the original AMS filing was successfully submitted and accepted by CBP within the required filing timeframe before the cargo was laden, a subsequent vessel change does not automatically make the original AMS filing late. However, the AMS filing may need to be amended with the updated vessel/voyage information, and the amendment should be submitted as soon as the change is known.
Q7: Why has the AMS filing received AC (Accepted) but still not received 1Y?
AC (Accepted) means that CBP has successfully received and accepted the AMS filing. However, receiving an AC response does not necessarily mean that the NVOCC AMS filing has already been matched with the carrier's AMS filing.
1Y indicates that the NVOCC AMS filing has been successfully matched with the corresponding carrier (MVOC) AMS filing in the CBP system.
The most common reason for not receiving 1Y is that the carrier has not yet submitted or completed processing of its AMS filing. However, 1Y may also be delayed if there is a discrepancy between the NVOCC and carrier filings, such as the Master B/L number, B/L type, or other key information.
If you have received AC but not 1Y, please:
- First confirm with the carrier whether their AMS filing has already been submitted and accepted.
- If the carrier confirms that the filing has been submitted successfully, please verify that the relevant B/L information matches between the two filings.
Q8: Why has the AMS filing received AC (Accepted) but still not received 3Z?
AC (Accepted) means that CBP has successfully received and accepted the AMS filing. However, receiving an AC response does not necessarily mean that the corresponding ISF has already been accepted and is on file with CBP.
3Z (Security Filing on File) indicates that the corresponding ISF (Importer Security Filing) has been successfully accepted and is on file with CBP.
The most common reason for not receiving 3Z is that the corresponding ISF has not yet been submitted or accepted by CBP.
If you have received AC but not 3Z, please:
- Confirm with your overseas agent or the party responsible for ISF filing whether the ISF has already been submitted.
- If the ISF has been submitted, confirm that it has been successfully accepted by CBP and that there are no rejection or mismatch issues.
Q9: What does the CBP response code: “W2” mean?
W2 indicates that the deletion and resubmission of the HBL was successfully accepted by CBP.
No action is required from the NVOCC forwarder or eFreight. Wait for the MBL filing to advance to 1Y (Match).
If the CBP Rev Query shows a blank status, it indicates that the carrier may not have filed the AMS manifest yet.
Q10: AMS Reject Response: “299 INVALID B/L IN B04/N9”
If your NVOCC AMS Bill receives the rejection message “299 INVALID B/L IN B04/N9,” it generally indicates that the corresponding carrier (MVOC) has submitted the AMS manifest using an incorrect Bill Type, such as Regular Bill.
When the carrier submits the Master B/L as a Regular Bill, CBP may treat the shipment as one that does not involve a separate NVOCC/House B/L filing. As a result, the NVOCC AMS Bill may be rejected because the corresponding Master B/L is not set up in a way that allows the NVOCC filing to be properly associated with it.
To resolve the issue:
- Please contact the carrier and ask them to verify the Bill Type used for the corresponding Master B/L.
- If applicable, ask the carrier to amend the Bill Type to MVOCC or MVOCC (FROB), depending on the shipment type and the carrier's filing requirements.
- Once the carrier's amendment has been successfully accepted by CBP, resubmit your AMS.
Q11: What does the error message: W1-152 CONV NAME INVALID mean?
If you receive the following response message:
MR - W1 -A - Rejected. 152 CONV NAME INVALID; 102 NO BILLS PROCESSD FOR PORT;
This error is normally related to the vessel information, most commonly an incorrect IMO No. in the filing.
Please check and update the IMO# field with the correct IMO number. If the correct IMO number is unavailable, you can click the “IMO-X” button. In the AMS portal, clicking this button will automatically set the IMO# to 0 for the filing.
After updating the vessel information, please make sure to click “Save” and then submit/resend the filing.
Q12: What should I do if I cannot find the exact Package Unit in the system?
If the exact package type is not available in the system (e.g., IBC TOTES), you may select PKG (Package) as a substitute. Please make sure to specify the actual package type/unit in the Goods Description field.