GQ

For US customs, the country of origin is generally where a product is grown, produced, or manufactured—not the country it was shipped from, exported through, or purchased from. For goods made in more than one country, origin may depend on the last substantial transformation: the processing that creates a new product or changes its name, character, or use. The exact test can vary by product and trade rule.

Origin matters because tariff measures, trade remedies, quotas, labeling rules, and other import requirements may be assigned by the goods’ origin. When tracking measures for GQ, use the country-of-origin field—not merely the export country—and check whether the measure applies to the product’s tariff classification, origin, and any stated conditions. Common pitfalls include treating transshipment as a change of origin, relying on the seller’s location, overlooking minor processing, and assuming all components share the finished product’s origin.

What to check

• Identify where each finished item was produced and map every significant processing step and component source.
• Determine the applicable origin rule for the product and tariff classification; ask a customs broker or seek a formal customs ruling when the transformation is uncertain.
• Keep commercial invoices, production records, bills of materials, supplier origin statements, and manufacturing documents that support the origin conclusion.
• Check the official measure details for the correct origin scope, tariff classification, exclusions, quotas, and documentation requirements.
• Review origin whenever the supplier, manufacturing process, components, routing, or product design changes.