A T1 movement is an electronic record in NCTS. What reaches the broker at destination is often a PDF of the Transit Accompanying Document (TAD), attached to an email with the invoice and the AWB. Reading that PDF into structured fields lets the broker match the transit to the right shipment and present it at the right office.
TL;DR. From the TAD, extract the MRN, the declaration type (T1, T2), the offices of departure and destination, the holder of the procedure, consignor and consignee, the transport document reference, packages, gross mass, goods descriptions and commodity codes. Check the transport reference against the AWB, the consignee against the invoice, and the office of destination against where the goods will be presented. Doana extracts T1 and TAD documents in custom extraction pipelines built for a client's own files. It does not open, present or discharge NCTS movements.
Which fields matter?
| Field | Why the broker needs it |
|---|---|
| MRN | The movement reference; printed with a barcode on the TAD |
| Declaration type | T1 for non-Union goods, T2 for Union goods (T1 vs T2) |
| Office of departure and office of destination | Where the movement started and where it must end |
| Holder of the transit procedure | Who is responsible for ending it |
| Consignor and consignee | Against invoice parties |
| Transport document reference | Usually the AWB or HAWB number |
| Packages and gross mass | Against the AWB and packing list |
| Goods description and commodity code per item | Against the invoice lines |
| Time limit | Date by which the goods must be presented |
What a T1 is and what NCTS issues: T1 transit document meaning.
What should be checked against the other documents?
- Transport reference against the AWB. A TAD that cites a different AWB or HAWB belongs to another shipment, or the house bill was re-issued.
- Office of destination against the plan. Goods presented at the wrong office leave the movement open, and an enquiry can follow.
- Consignee against the invoice buyer. Differences are common with forwarders; they need to be explained.
- Packages and mass against the AWB.
- Descriptions. "Aircraft parts" on a TAD next to specific invoice lines is a description-quality problem, not a transit one.
Where does OCR go wrong on a TAD?
- MRN characters. Eighteen alphanumeric characters, where
0andOor1andIswap. Read the barcode when the text is unclear. - Office codes. Customs office reference numbers are 8 characters starting with a country code. A single wrong character points to another office.
- Multi-item movements. Item lists continue on extra pages. Missing a page drops items.
- Scans of printouts. Common with forwarded TADs. Ask for the PDF as issued.
How does Doana extract T1 documents?
In a custom extraction pipeline, built on the client's own TADs and the documents that travel with them (AWB, invoices, packing lists, release certificates). The fields and the CSV layout follow the customs software the client uses. It starts from the contact form. Doana does not open, present or discharge a transit movement; the holder and the broker do that in NCTS.
Next
Collect a month of TADs and note which fields your team retypes. For the invoice and AWB side, see Air waybill OCR for customs clearance.
Sources
- https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs/customs-procedures-import-and-export/customs-transit_en
- https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/online-services/online-services-and-databases-customs/new-computerised-transit-system-ncts_en
- https://doana.ca/en/glossary/t1-transit-document
- https://doana.ca/en/contact