Editor’s Note
This article outlines new U.S. Customs guidance for diamond imports, aligning with G7 sanctions on Russian-mined diamonds effective March 1, 2024. Importers should review the latest requirements to ensure compliance.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently issued new guidance on importing diamonds into the United States under the current Russian diamond ban. This guidance, released in late February 2024, coincides with the G7’s new restrictions on diamonds mined but not cut in Russia taking effect on March 1, 2024.
As of March 1, 2024, importers bringing polished diamonds of 1 carat or more into the U.S. must provide a “self-certification” document. This PDF, on official company letterhead, must contain specific language certifying the diamonds are not of Russian origin.
For non-industrial diamonds (1 carat+), the statement must read:
For diamond jewelry and unsorted diamonds, it should read:
This document can be uploaded to CBP’s Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Document Image System, with only one document required per entry.
The March 1 measure aims to counteract CBP’s “substantial transformation” rule. Previously, this rule allowed a rough diamond mined in Russia but polished in India to be classified as an Indian product, enabling Russian diamonds to enter the U.S. even after a 2022 import ban. The new guidance states Russian diamonds cannot be imported if they were “mined, extracted, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Russian Federation,” regardless of subsequent transformation in another country.
According to the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC), G7 import rules will tighten further. Starting September 1, 2024, the size threshold will drop to 0.5 carats, and rules will expand to include finished jewelry, lab-grown diamonds, and watches. The period until August 31 is considered a “sunrise period” for industry adjustment and testing of a new traceability mechanism.
Industry groups have responded to the new requirements. The JVC has launched a new “Sanctions” page with relevant documents and FAQs.
David Bonaparte, President and CEO of Jewelers of America, commented:
He advised U.S. retailers to ask suppliers for copies of CBP declarations as a best practice. The CBP self-certification is considered less stringent than other proposed protocols, such as the “G7 Diamond Protocol” or the “EU Proposal,” which required diamonds to pass through a certified “polished node.”
