At the National Conference for Customs Brokers this week, information has been disseminated rapidly as additional details have emerged regarding the IEEPA refund process. Below is a summary of the key information available to date:
- Uploads will commence at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 20, 2026.
- During Phase 1, only entries that are either unliquidated or have been liquidated within the past 80 days will be eligible.
- The following entry types are excluded from Phase 1 and will be addressed in a subsequent phase, with timing to be determined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection:
- Reconciliation entries (Type 9) and entries flagged for reconciliation
- Warehouse entries (Type 21)
- CVD/ADD entries (Type 3) pending liquidation
- Drawback entries (Type 47) and entry summaries associated with duty drawback
- Entry Type 8 (USMCA Duty Deferral)
- Entries currently under active protest
- U.S. Customs has advised that entries successfully uploaded, validated, and assigned a CAPE claim number are expected to be refunded within approximately 60 to 90 days following acceptance.
- A new “CAPE” tab will be available within your ACE Portal Importer Account. To upload entries:
- Navigate to the “Files Upload” section
- Select the CAPE Upload Template
- Download the file named ACEP_CapeEntryNumberUploadTemplate
- Do not modify the file name, as changes will result in upload failure
- After downloading the template, review and filter your entries to ensure only those eligible for Phase 1 are included. Entries designated for future phases must be excluded from this initial upload.
- Once all eligible entries have been entered, save the file in .csv format using the original template name.
- Additional procedural instructions were distributed via email on April 13, 2026, and are attached again here for your reference: CAPE Refund Instructions.
CV International remains committed to supporting our clients as you complete the IEEPA refund process. We will also be hosting a webinar next week to provide further guidance after we have had the opportunity to review the system and share additional insights.
John Boomhover, LCB
Director of Compliance & Customs Services
CV International, Inc.