The digitalization of customs processes lets importers choose between two ways to clear their goods: the advance (pre-arrival) declaration and the on-arrival declaration —known in Costa Rica as "redestino" (also called traditional clearance). Both are recognized by Costa Rica's Customs Authority (Dirección General de Aduanas), but they imply important differences in planning, costs and risks.
In this guide
Pre-arrival (advance) clearance
It consists of electronically submitting the Single Customs Declaration (DUA) and attaching the supporting documentation before the cargo arrives in the customs territory. In practice, customs enables the advance procedure once the declaration's data entry is ready, which usually happens a couple of days before the cargo arrives.
Benefits
- Immediate or much faster release upon arrival, avoiding time in bonded warehouses.
- Lower storage and demurrage costs at the port or airport.
- Greater logistics predictability, making supply-chain coordination easier.
- Lower risk of control inspections on arrival, as long as the information is correct and complete.
Drawbacks
- Requires absolute certainty about the cargo data (weight, quantity, classification, value). Any discrepancy forces you to cancel or amend the declaration, with extra costs and possible penalties.
- Documentation must be fully in order before shipment; errors not caught in time carry over to the declaration and trigger corrections.
- If something unexpected happens in international logistics (route changes, early arrivals), the advance submission can fall out of sync.
On-arrival clearance (redestino)
In the redestino, the DUA is submitted once the cargo is already at the entry customs office, within the allowed period for temporary storage.
Benefits
- Lets you adjust the information based on physical verification of the goods and the original documents.
- More room to resolve supplier or carrier discrepancies before declaring.
- Useful when the commercial negotiation or cargo conditions aren't fully defined before shipment.
Drawbacks
- Longer clearance time, which almost always means additional storage and demurrage costs.
- Greater exposure to physical inspections, as the cargo stays longer in the primary zone.
- Risk of congestion at entry points, further delaying release.
Which one is best in each case
Having a customs broker advise which route to take on each shipment is a strategic decision that directly impacts the final cost of the product.
Written by: Customer Service Department, VS Logistics S.A.
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