Self-Printing Certificates of Origin: A Customs Guide

 

 

To Ningbo Customs,

Our company is set to make its first export of a batch of electric bicycles to Australia. Can the Certificate of Origin under the China-Australia FTA be self-printed, and how can we set up the self-printing service?

Reader: Ms. Liu from Zhejiang

 

Dear Ms. Liu,

Thank you for your inquiry. The introduction of self-printing for Certificates of Origin is a key initiative by Customs authority to optimize the business environment, facilitate cross-border trade, and enhance the business experience for enterprises. A self-printed Certificate of Origin that bears the digital signatures and seals of both the enterprise and Customs carries the same legal force as one issued by a competent issuing authority. The Certificate of Origin under the China-Australia FTA can indeed be self-printed. The specific procedures and key points to note are as follows:

■ Procedures for Self-Printing

Step 1: System Login.Access the China International Trade Single Window website (https://www.singlewindow.cn). Then, go to “All Applications - Port Authority Declarations - Certificate of Origin - Self-Printing of Certificate of Origin”.

Step 2: One-Time Initial Setup. When using this service for the first time, log in with your Corporate Digital ID Card for the China Electronic Port system. Then, upload digital copies of the applicant’s official seal and the declarant’s signature, and authorize their use. Please ensure that the digital seal is bilingual (Chinese and English). In addition, it is important to note that the system currently supports red and blue seals only. For the signature, it must be written in black ink, measure no more than 3.5 cm by 3 cm, and be fully legible.

Step 3: Install Required Software. Download and install the latest version of the client software component for the China Electronic Port system.

Step 4: Print the Certificate. Select the desired Certificate of Origin within the system and print it using the duplex (double-sided) option on A4-sized paper.

Step 5: Confirm and Submit. After printing, a “Print Verification” dialog box will appear. Click “Yes” to confirm success and automatically file the certificate with Customs authority, or click “No” if the print fails, which will take you to the issue resolution screen to reprint.

■Self-Printable Certificates of Origin

The following 24 certificates of Origin are currently self-printable, namely:

Certificate of Origin underthe China-Australia FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-New Zealand FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Pakistan FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Chile FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Switzerland FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Iceland FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Georgia FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Singapore FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Korea FTA, Certificate of Origin under the Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, Non Preferential Certificate of Origin, Certificate of Authenticity for Tobacco, Certificate of Re-Export, Certificate of Processing, Certificate of Origin under the China-Mauritius FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Nicaragua FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Ecuador FTA, Certificate of Origin under the China-Serbia FTA, Certificate of Origin under China-Honduras Early Harvest Arrangement, and Certificate of Origin under the China-Maldives FTA.

The list also encompasses: Certificate of Origin under the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (Exporting toKorea and India), Certificates of Origin under the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (Exporting to Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam), RCEP Certificate of Origin and the RCEP Back-to-Back Certificate of Origin (Exporting to Thailand, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam).

■Key Points to Note for Self-Printing

1. Only certificates meeting all the following criteria will be available for selection and printing: the digital seal and signature have been duly authorized and approved; the certificate type is eligible for self-printing; the exporter or applicant must be the applying enterprise.

2. For certificates requiring amendment or re-issuance, self-printing is permitted only after the necessary documents have been submitted and approval has been obtained through the relevant application process.

(By Jiang Xin, Deputy Section Chief of the Export Section at Beilun Customs, a subsidiary of Ningbo Customs, and Lin Miao, First-class Supervisor of the Tariff Department at Ningbo Customs)

January 18, 2026, People's Daily Online (Overseas Edition)

(Tariff Department, Beilun Customs)

 

 

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