Short answer: A shipment typically travels with a commercial invoice, a transport document (bill of lading for sea, airway bill for air), and, where needed, a certificate of origin and an insurance certificate. The HS code classifies the goods for customs tariffs and statistics worldwide.

Not legal, customs or tax advice. General information only; check duties, documents and contract terms with your customs broker or adviser.

Common shipment documents

Document	Purpose	Who issues or prepares it	Source
Commercial invoice	Bill for goods sold; customs uses it to help set duties	Exporter or seller (source 1)	[1]
Packing list	Details contents and packaging so cargo can be checked	Exporter side; the sources do not name a preparer (source 2)	[1, 2]
Bill of lading (sea)	Contract and receipt between owner of goods and carrier; buyer usually needs an original as proof of ownership	The carrier (source 2)	[1, 2]
Airway bill (air)	Accompanies air shipments and allows tracking; non-negotiable	Tied to the international air carrier (source 1)	[1]
Certificate of origin	States the country where goods were made	Prepared by the manufacturer and certified by a chamber of commerce or government body (sources 1, 2)	[1, 2]
Insurance certificate	Certifies cargo insurance has been purchased for the goods	Issuer not named in the source (source 2)	[2]
Customs declaration in the buyer's country	Entry filing to clear goods on import	Not described in the fetched sources; check the destination customs authority	[]
HS code (not a document)	Standard product classification used for customs tariffs and statistics	Classification system maintained by the WCO (source 3)	[3]

Common documents for a shipment from India to an overseas buyer

Order in which the paperwork builds up

Order and proforma. Proforma invoice and purchase order set price and terms. [1]
Classify the goods. Both sides use an HS code for the product. [3]
Transport document. Carrier issues a bill of lading or airway bill. [1, 2]
Origin and insurance if needed. Certificate of origin and insurance certificate where required. [1, 2]
Import in your country. Your broker files the entry using these documents; requirements vary by country. [1]

Checklist for the document set

[ ] Ask the seller for a commercial invoice and packing list that match each other [1]
[ ] Confirm whether you need an original bill of lading to take delivery [1]
[ ] Check bill of lading or airway bill details against the invoice (general practice)
[ ] Confirm if your country requires a certificate of origin [1]
[ ] Agree who arranges cargo insurance and obtain the certificate if you are insured by the seller [2]
[ ] Agree the HS code with the seller before shipping (general practice)
[ ] Check the HS code at six digits matches the one on your import entry (general practice)
[ ] Confirm with your customs broker which entry documents your country requires (general practice)

Cautions

Import entry rules in the buyer's country were not covered by the fetched sources; check the local customs authority.
Required documents depend on the goods, destination and trade agreements.
General information, not legal advice.

Related pages on this site

Page on this site	What it holds
Exporting frames and boards from India: documents, packing and payment	Export documents and terms
GST and HSN codes for B2B orders of frames, wall art and home decor in India	GST and HSN codes for decor orders
Shipping, Tax and Barcode Terms for B2B Buyers	Shipping, tax and barcode terms

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Sources: [1] Common Export Documents (U.S. International Trade Administration (trade.gov), fetched 2026-11-12); [2] Ten Common Export Documents You Should Know About (Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), fetched 2026-11-12); [3] What is the Harmonized System (HS)? (World Customs Organization, fetched 2026-11-12). As of 2026-11-12. General information, not legal, customs or tax advice. Wording is paraphrased from the pages linked; your written quote and contract govern.