The base document pack
For most goods exports it looks like this:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Foreign trade contract | the basis of the operation; the bank takes settlement terms from it |
| Invoice | amount and subject of supply |
| Packing list | what physically ships, in what quantity and weight |
| Transport documents | CMR, bill of lading or air waybill depending on mode |
| Customs declaration | filed by the broker, records the fact of export |
| Certificate of origin | affects duties in the buyer's country; not always required, often asked for |
Separately: goods subject to state export control need a permit from the relevant authority. Check this before signing, not after — obtaining a permit can take longer than the delivery schedule allows.
The list is a baseline. The actual set depends on the customs code, the buyer's country and the shipping mode, so it gets assembled per contract rather than taken off a shelf.
The date everything counts from
This is what separates a first export operation from a tenth.
The settlement clock starts not at signature and not at invoicing, but at the fact of export recorded in the customs declaration. For imports it mirrors: from the day of advance payment or debit.
From there the settlement deadline runs — 180 calendar days as the general rule, with exceptions by customs code. Overrunning means a penalty of 0.3% per day.
So payment terms in the contract must be stated unambiguously and reconciled against that deadline with slack. Wording such as "payment within 180 days" leaves none at all — no room for a transport delay or a banking pause.
What the bank asks, and when
The bank performs currency supervision: it is obliged to track whether proceeds arrive on time.
Three points of contact in practice:
At the contract stage. The bank may ask for the contract to register it. Questions usually concern payment terms, bank details, and whether the subject matches your registered activities.
After shipment. Reconciling the declaration against the contract. A discrepancy in amount or description prompts a request for explanation.
Approaching the deadline. If money has not arrived, the bank reminds you. That is not a formality: the penalty begins accruing, and the bank has no power to stop it.
The most common cause of returned paperwork is inconsistency between contract, invoice and declaration. All three must describe the same thing in the same words and figures.
Do you need a company abroad
Usually not.
A foreign entity gets set up for a specific reason: a buyer requiring a counterparty in their jurisdiction, access to financing, a tax regime suiting a particular model. Without one of those you acquire another legal entity with its own accounting, filings and bank — and an extra layer of currency control rather than relief from it.
Our position: run the first export directly from the Ukrainian entity. If a concrete reason for a foreign structure emerges after three to five contracts, the business will have articulated it itself rather than a consultant. The objection applies when the buyer flatly refuses to contract with a Ukrainian entity — then it is not a discussion, it is a calculation.
Order of operations
- The customs code for every line item, written out separately.
- A check on whether the goods fall under export control.
- The settlement deadline for your specific code and operation date.
- Payment terms in the contract, reconciled against that deadline with slack.
- Contract agreed with the bank before signature, not after.
- A calendar: export date, deadline date, a reminder 30 days before it.
- A named owner of that calendar inside the company. If there is none, the owner owns it and has not been told yet.
Verified 17 September 2026. Deadlines and code lists change by regulation during the year.