Starting April 2025, U.S. companies importing diamonds will be required to disclose more detailed information about the country of origin for their shipments. This new mandate from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is set to impact businesses in the diamond trade and has raised several questions regarding its implementation.
According to National Jeweler, under the updated rules, importers will need to specify the exact country where their diamonds were mined. This replaces the previous requirement where importers only needed to certify that their diamonds were not sourced from Russia. The change is part of a broader effort led by the United States and other G-7 nations to prevent Russian diamonds from entering their markets.
The rules have been evolving over time. Beginning March 1, 2024, importers of loose polished natural diamonds weighing 1 carat or more must certify that their diamonds did not come from Russia. This requirement expanded on September 1, 2024, to cover finished jewelry and diamonds weighing 0.5 carats and above. Importers must provide a statement on their official company letterhead, certifying that the diamonds were not mined, extracted, produced, or manufactured in Russia, regardless of whether they were processed outside the country.
In April 2025, a new “country of mining” field will be added to the Automated Customs Environment (ACE) manifest. Importers will need to complete this field for each shipment. Although supporting documentation is not yet mandatory, the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) has suggested that acceptable proof could include documents like purchase orders, mining certificates, or certificates of origin. These documents may be similar to those issued under the Kimberley Process or by verification centers in Antwerp or Botswana.
Importers should also be aware that if diamonds are sourced from multiple countries, each country must be listed separately on the ACE manifest, with its own supporting documentation for verification.
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