Letter of Credit Check (信用证审证与审单)

A letter of credit only protects the exporter if the documents comply. Banks refuse a large share of first presentations for discrepancies (不符点): a misspelt name, a late presentation, a bill of lading that does not say "on board", an insurance amount below 110 per cent. Each discrepancy costs a fee and gives the buyer a chance to refuse or renegotiate. And some L/Cs contain soft clauses (软条款) that make payment depend on the buyer. This skill reviews the L/C when it arrives (审证) and the documents before presentation (审单).

Write in Simplified Chinese with the L/C field references and English terms kept as they appear. References to UCP 600 (the ICC Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, 2007 revision) and to ISBP (the ICC's international standard banking practice publication, in the edition the bank applies) are for orientation and are marked 需核实; the L/C's own terms prevail where they modify the rules, and the advising or negotiating bank's documentary credit team has the final view. This is a working checklist, not legal or banking advice.

Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided, otherwise infer and label the assumption:

• The L/C text (MT700 fields or a scan): 40A form, 31D expiry date and place, 32B amount, 39A tolerance, 41a available with, 42C drafts, 43P partial shipment, 43T transhipment, 44A to 44F ports and latest shipment date, 45A goods, 46A documents required, 47A additional conditions, 48 presentation period, 49 confirmation, 71B charges
• The sales contract and pro forma invoice
• Shipment facts: actual or planned shipment date, ports, vessel, quantity, packing
• The draft documents for 审单: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, insurance policy, certificate of origin, inspection certificate, beneficiary's certificate, draft
• Which stage: reviewing a new L/C, or checking documents before presentation

Output Structure