Vietnam ELVIS Visa Arrangement is Available on OTEXA's Web Site
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has posted to the Office of Textiles and Apparel's (OTEXA's) Web site the text of the Vietnam Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS) and Textile Visa Arrangement (ELVIS Arrangement)which was signed by the U.S. and Vietnam on February 19, 2004.
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CITA has previously stated that the ELVIS Arrangement amends the existing U.S.-Vietnam textile and apparel visa arrangement in order to implement ELVIS for textiles and apparel that are subject to quota limits, and are produced or manufactured in Vietnam and exported on or after March 22, 2004.
February 2004 Federal Register Notice on ELVIS Inadvertently Omits Certain Instructions to CBP
On February 26, 2004, CITA published in the Federal Register a directive to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on ELVIS requirements for Vietnam textiles and apparel subject to quota. This February 26, 2004 directive amended, but did not cancel, a July 30, 2003 directive to CBP regarding visa requirements for textiles and apparel from Vietnam.
When compared to its July 2003 directive, CITA's February 2004 directive contains certain inadvertent omissions. (See ITT's Online Archives or 02/26/04 news, 04022610, for BP summary of CITA's February 26, 2004 Federal Register directive on ELVIS. See ITT's Online Archives or 07/30/03 news, 03073005, for BP summary of CITA's July 2003 directive.)
Instructions on the following topics, which appear in the July 2003 directive, were inadvertently omitted in CITA's February 2004 directive (partial list):
Original visa shall not be stamped on duplicate copies of the commercial invoice;
Original invoice with the original visa stamp with be required to enter the shipment into the U.S. (duplicates of the invoice and/or visa may not be used for this purpose);
How visa quantities are rounded;
Textile visa document must provide the complete name and address of company(s) actually involved in the manufacturing process of the textile product covered by the visa;
If shipments are allowed entry into U.S. commerce with either an incorrect visa or no visa and redelivery cannot be made, the shipment shall be charged to any applicable category limit whether or not a replacement visa or waiver is provided; and
The date of export is the actual date the merchandise leaves Vietnam (for merchandise exported by vessel or carrier, this is the date on which the merchandise leaves the last port in Vietnam).
CITA Contact - Naomi Freeman (202) 482-4212
ELVIS Arrangement (dated 02/19/04) available at http://web.ita.doc.gov/Otexa/OTEXAGRE.NSF/5b1ca13778763be98525647400649053/214d1bfeab6ab7ea85256d6b0048a92b!OpenDocument
CITA's February 2004 directive (FR Pub 02/26/04) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/E4-407.pdf