Kenya

For US customs, the country of origin is generally where a product was manufactured, produced, or grown—not the country it was shipped from. If goods were made in Kenya and then routed through another country, they may still have Kenya as their origin. The origin shown in tariff data is used to determine which trade measures, additional duties, exclusions, quotas, or other requirements may apply.

Origin can become complicated when a product uses materials or processing from several countries. Customs may apply a “substantial transformation” analysis, asking whether processing created a new article with a different name, character, or use. Simple actions such as repacking, labeling, sorting, or minor assembly often do not change origin. Do not confuse origin with the shipping country, export country, or the country where the seller is located.

What to check

• Map the product’s full manufacturing chain, including where each major component and the final assembly occurred.
• Check the applicable US tariff classification and origin rules; classification and origin are separate decisions but work together to identify measures.
• Look for processing that may constitute substantial transformation, and obtain a customs broker or trade counsel review when the result is uncertain.
• Keep purchase records, bills of materials, production records, supplier origin statements, and documents showing the manufacturing steps in Kenya and any other countries.
• Verify that the commercial invoice, customs entry, marking, and electronic data use the same supported country-of-origin statement; do not rely only on the ship-from address.