Effective March 1, 2024, the United States has implemented a self-certification policy for the importation of polished diamonds weighing one carat or more, mandating that importers provide documentation affirming that their diamonds are not of Russian origin. U.S. Customs and Border Protection stipulate that only one document per entry will be necessary for compliance. The self-certification document must be submitted in PDF format on official company letterhead and must contain one of two prescribed statements:
For nonindustrial diamonds weighing at least one carat: “I certify that the nonindustrial diamonds in this shipment were not mined, extracted, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Russian Federation, notwithstanding whether such diamonds have been substantially transformed into other products outside of the Russian Federation.”
For diamond jewelry and unsorted diamonds weighing at least one carat: “I certify that the diamond jewelry and unsorted diamonds in this shipment are not of Russian Federation origin or were not exported from the Russian Federation.
The U.S. Embassy in Botswana had previously announced a six-month “sunrise period,” effective March 1, 2024, to facilitate industry adaptation to the new G7 sanctions. While the current policy applies exclusively to polished diamonds of one carat or more, it is anticipated to extend to diamonds weighing at least half a carat by September 2024.
Notably, the United States has yet to finalize its procedures for processing diamond imports after the conclusion of the sunrise period. However, indications from the U.S. embassy in Botswana suggest that importers may ultimately be required to furnish “documentary supply chain evidence” at the border.
Sara Yood, deputy general counsel for the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, emphasized the importance of utilizing the sunrise period to acquaint oneself with available traceability programs, noting that self-declarations will suffice during this interim period until August 31.
