Consular Invoice Template
A consular invoice is an export invoice that the destination country's consulate in the exporting country certifies before the goods ship, by stamping, signing or visaing it, usually for a fee. Its purpose is to confirm the declared goods, origin and value to the importing country's customs. Separate consular forms are now uncommon: in the official import guides we checked, countries that still involve a consulate usually ask it to legalize or stamp the exporter's ordinary commercial invoice instead. So before you fill in this template, check the destination country's current import requirements with its embassy or consulate, or the importer's customs broker. If a consular invoice or legalized invoice is required, this editable HTML layout has fields for the exporter, consignee, shipment details, goods with HS codes, weights and values, Incoterms and a blank space for the consulate's certification. Fill it in your browser, then print it for signature.
Preview this editable document
Download the HTML file to edit its fields, then print or save as PDF. Totals are entered manually.
What This Template Includes
- Exporter (seller) name and address
- Consignee (buyer) name and address
- Notify party, if different
- Invoice number and date
- Country of origin of the goods
- Destination country and port or place of delivery
- Vessel, flight or truck and bill of lading or airway bill number
- Marks and numbers on packages
- Number and type of packages
- Description of goods and HS code
- Quantity, net weight and gross weight
- Unit price, total value and currency
- Incoterms rule and named place
- Freight and insurance charges
- Exporter's declaration, signature and date
- Consular certification: stamp, signature, date and fee
How to fill in this Consular Invoice
- Download the template. It opens as an editable HTML file in your browser.
- Replace each bracketed field with your details. Totals are not calculated for you, so check the arithmetic.
- Print it or save it as a PDF from your browser. InvoiceQuickly does not create or store this document type.
Recommended Payment Terms
A consular invoice records the sale's terms; it does not set them. Copy the payment terms from the sales contract or the letter of credit exactly (for example 'Letter of credit at sight' or 'Cash against documents'), because a bank checking documents under a letter of credit compares the wording on every document. Allow time for certification before the shipping date: consulates set their own processing times and fees, and some charge per document.
Tax Information
A consular invoice is a trade document for the importing country's customs, not a sales tax or VAT invoice. Import duties and taxes are assessed by the destination country's customs on the declared value and classification, so the HS code, origin and value must match the commercial invoice, packing list and transport document. Whether the export itself is free of VAT or sales tax in your country, and what proof of export you must keep, depends on national rules: check with your own tax authority. Consular certification fees are charged by the consulate and are a cost of the shipment, not a tax on the goods. InvoiceQuickly is not a trade documentation tool: it has no HS code, weight, Incoterms or certification fields and prints in English only, so use this template or your freight forwarder's documents for consular paperwork.
Industry context (2026)
Consular invoices date from a time when many importing countries relied on their consulates abroad to check export documents before goods left. Today most countries accept the exporter's own commercial invoice, and where a consulate or other official is still involved the step is usually legalization of that invoice. The U.S. International Trade Administration's country commercial guides illustrate the range: Paraguay's guide (published October 2022) says shipment documents, including the commercial receipt, must be certified by the Paraguayan consulate in the country of origin or, for a fee, at Paraguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Iraq's guide (published November 2021) describes legalization of commercial invoices through a chamber of commerce, the state Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State and the Iraqi Commercial Attaché; Kuwait's guide (published April 2026) asks for the commercial invoice to be legalized by a local chamber of commerce or the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce rather than a consulate. Argentina's consulate in New York (page updated October 2025) says invoices may require its 'visto consular', charged at US$200 per document. These requirements change, and these guides are written for U.S. exporters, so always check the destination country's current official rules before shipping.
Worked example
Hypothetical example: an Ohio manufacturer sells 40 centrifugal irrigation pumps to an importer in Asunción, Paraguay, on CIP Asunción terms. The importer's customs broker confirms that the shipment documents must be certified by Paraguay's consulate before shipping. The exporter prepares invoice EXP-2026-118 dated 3 November 2026: exporter and consignee names and addresses; country of origin United States; destination Asunción, Paraguay; marks 'IRR/ASU 1-2'; 2 pallets; 40 centrifugal pumps, HS subheading 8413.70; net weight 720 kg (18 kg each), gross weight 812 kg; unit price US$385.00, goods value US$15,400.00; carriage to Asunción US$1,850.00; insurance US$120.00; total CIP value US$17,370.00, payable by letter of credit at sight. The same figures, HS code and weights appear on the commercial invoice, packing list and air or ocean transport document. The exporter signs the declaration and submits the documents for certification with the consulate's fee, leaving the bottom of the form blank for the consular stamp. Check: 40 x US$385.00 = US$15,400.00, plus US$1,850.00 and US$120.00 = US$17,370.00.
Common mistakes to avoid
Assuming a consular invoice is needed
Many guides online still describe consular invoices as routine. Confirm the current requirement with the destination's embassy, consulate or the importer's customs broker before paying for certification you do not need.
Figures that differ between documents
If the consular invoice, commercial invoice and packing list show different weights, values or HS codes, customs can hold the goods or reassess duty. Prepare all documents from one set of data.
Vague descriptions
'Spare parts' or 'machinery' is not enough for customs classification. Describe what the goods are, what they are made of and what they are used for, with the HS code.
Leaving certification too late
Consular offices have their own appointment, processing and payment rules. Build certification time into the shipping schedule, especially when a letter of credit has a fixed presentation deadline.
Confusing legalization with an apostille
An apostille does not replace a consular stamp where the destination requires one, and a consular visa does not replace an apostille. Check which one the destination asks for.
Invoicing Tips
- 1Confirm with the importer or their customs broker whether the destination wants a consular invoice, a legalized commercial invoice, a chamber of commerce stamp or nothing at all before you book a consulate appointment.
- 2Make the description, HS code, quantity, weights and value identical across the consular invoice, commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading. Mismatches are the usual reason customs holds a shipment.
- 3Write the description in plain commercial terms (what the goods are, material, use), not only part numbers.
- 4Ask the consulate whether it needs the documents in its own language, how many originals it stamps and how it takes payment.
- 5Leave a clear blank area at the bottom for the consular stamp and signature. Do not pre-print anything that looks like an official seal.
- 6Keep copies of the certified documents and the consulate's fee receipt with your export records.
Related Resources
- All invoice and trade document templates
- Commercial invoice: glossary definition
- International invoicing guide
- Proforma invoice guide: the pre-shipment quote often used to open a letter of credit
- Freight invoice
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a consular invoice?
An export invoice certified by the importing country's consulate in the exporting country before shipment. It confirms the goods, origin and value for the importing country's customs, and the consulate usually charges a fee to stamp or sign it.
Are consular invoices still required?
Rarely in their old form. Most countries accept the exporter's commercial invoice. Some still involve a consulate: a U.S. Commerce Department guide says Paraguay requires shipment documents such as the commercial receipt and certificate of origin to be certified by its consulate or its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Argentina's consulate in New York says commercial invoices may require its visa. Requirements change, so check the destination country's current rules.
What is the difference between a consular invoice and a commercial invoice?
The commercial invoice is the seller's own invoice to the buyer and is needed for almost every international shipment. A consular invoice carries the same sale details but is certified by the destination country's consulate. Where consular involvement is still required, it is often the commercial invoice itself that gets legalized.
What's the difference between a commercial invoice and a customs invoice?
A customs invoice is a form prescribed by the importing country's customs, prepared by the exporter, and used instead of or alongside the commercial invoice. Canada's Form CI1 Canada Customs Invoice is an example. Unlike a consular invoice, a customs invoice is not certified by a consulate.
Who prepares a consular invoice?
The exporter or its freight forwarder prepares it, using the destination consulate's form if it has one. The consulate only reviews, certifies and charges for it.
Is consular legalization the same as an apostille?
No. Under the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, a single apostille certificate issued by a competent authority where a public document originates replaces legalisation between countries that are party to the Convention. Consular certification is done by the destination country's own consulate. Argentina's consulate in New York, for example, says its visa on commercial documents only confirms the document was submitted and does not replace an apostille.
How do I make an invoice for export?
Start with a commercial invoice that names the seller, buyer, invoice number and date, country of origin, a clear description with HS codes, quantities, weights, unit and total values, currency and the Incoterms rule. Then check the destination's import requirements to see whether a customs invoice, certificate of origin, legalization or consular certification is also needed.
Can InvoiceQuickly create a consular invoice?
No. InvoiceQuickly creates sales invoices for services and simple goods sales. It has no export document fields such as HS codes, weights, Incoterms or a consular certification block, and its PDF is English only. Use the editable template on this page or your freight forwarder's documents.