Electronic Export Information (EEI) Filing Requirements

Electronic Export Information (EEI) is the electronic declaration of merchandise leaving the U.S. for export to a foreign country. An EEI is required to ship all items that are ITAR-controlled and some items controlled by the EAR. An EEI is filed through the Census Bureau’s Automated Export System (ACE AESDirect)). The EEI includes information about the sender and receiver of the goods, and about the goods being exported, including an export control classification number (ECCN or USML Category).

NOTE: Hand-carrying items on your travels are considered shipments under export control regulations as the items is leaving the U.S.

General Shipping Requirements:

An EEI myst be filed for shipments from the U.S. to foreign destinations if any of the following applies:

China, Russia and Venezuela:


Effective September 27, 2020, the United States Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) expanded the EEI filing rules for shipments originating in the United States, with a destination of the People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong), Russia or Venezuela.  (See Regulatory Alert: U.S. Export Control Changes for China, Russia and Venezuela(link is external)) from FedEx.)

An EEI filing is required for shipments to China, Russia, and Venezuela for:

  • All shipments of a single item or merchandise valued at more than $2,500
  • Shipments intended for military end-use, regardless of value
  • All shipments of items listed on the Commerce Control List, regardless of value

 What does this mean for you?

If you are shipping (this includes hand-carrying while travelling) from the U.S. to a foreign country , you must determine if any of the criteria above apply to your shipment.

If you are travelling to China, Russia or Venezuela, you must determine the following export classification information for the EEI filing for each of the commodities you plan to export:

  1. The Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) for the item(s), and
  2. The applicable Export License requirement (e.g., license number, or type of license exception, or an NLR (no license required) indication).

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