Customs bonds are the normal instruments used to provide the financial guarantees to US Customs for payment of various duties and fees. Anyone who imports goods into the United States or engage in import related operations is required to post a surety bond or cash equal to the bond amount dictated by U.S. Customs. This posting protects the Customs revenue and ensures compliance with the regulations of the United States pertaining to importing and related activities. Cash may be posted in the form of U.S. currency, U.S. Treasury notes or Treasury bonds and will be held by Customs until Customs determines the security is no longer required. This could be for several years. In most cases, the best alternative is the posting of a U.S. Customs Bond Form 301. The 301 Bond Form is a multi-purpose document used for a range of activities from importing or operating a bonded warehouse to serving as a bonded truckmen or operating an international shipping fleet or airline. The 301 Bond Form can be used to cover importing activities on a single transaction or continuous basis. When the bond is completed for single transactions, it covers only one transaction. When the bond is executed as a continuous bond, it will normally cover all transactions by the principal while the bond is valid.