Electronic forwarding instruction: how to prepare it with ATF and aiepd.ru
Since 1 September 2026, a forwarding instruction in Russia must be issued electronically — as an XML file in the Federal Tax Service (FNS) format, signed with an electronic signature. ATF prepares instructions on behalf of its clients or gives them access to a personal account in a dedicated environment. With aiepd.ru you can fill in the instruction yourself — or ask us and receive a ready-to-upload XML file.
What a forwarding instruction is and why it matters
A forwarding instruction (poruchenie ekspeditoru) is the forwarding document in which the client sets the task for the forwarder: what cargo to move, from where to where, who the shipper and consignee are, by which mode of transport and by when. It is the first document of a shipment: its data feeds the bill of lading, transport documents and customs preparation. A mistake in the instruction almost always travels further down the chain — in the consignee name, weight, number of packages or country of origin.
Federal Law No. 140-FZ of 7 June 2025 amended the Russian law on freight forwarding: forwarding documents are now created electronically, and their formats are approved by the Federal Tax Service. Since 1 September 2026, the electronic forwarding instruction is issued in the format approved by FNS Order No. ED-1-26/277@ of 28 April 2026, signed with an electronic signature and submitted to GIS EPD — the state information system for electronic transport documents — through an accredited e-document operator.
How ATF handles forwarding instructions
We do not shift the new requirements onto our clients. Every ATF client has two basic options: we prepare the forwarding instruction ourselves from your documents, or we give you access to a personal account in a dedicated environment where you see and create your instructions. For those who prefer to prepare documents on their own, we have connected the aiepd.ru service.
What aiepd.ru is
aiepd.ru is a service for creating and validating the XML of an electronic forwarding instruction in FNS format version 5.01 (the ON_POREXPKLT file — the client's part). An assistant transfers data from the client's documents into the instruction, and before export the file is checked against the schema and passes formal-logical validation. A finished or incoming XML can be checked without registration.
It is important to understand the limits of the service: aiepd.ru is not a GIS EPD or e-document system operator and does not transmit data to state systems. It does not request or store electronic signatures — you download the finished XML, sign it and send it through your own e-document operator.
Three options to choose from
| Option | Who fills it in | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATF prepares it | An ATF manager, from your documents | A ready XML file to upload and sign | One-off or irregular shipments, first shipments |
| Yourself in aiepd.ru | Your staff, with the service's assistant | XML checked against the FNS schema before sending | Companies with an in-house foreign trade team and regular volume |
| Personal account | You, in ATF's dedicated environment | Instructions and statuses in one place | Regular clients with many shipments |
How it works, step by step
- 01Send the source data
Contract or invoice, packing list, party details, route and cargo readiness information. If we prepare the instruction, simply send the documents to your manager.
- 02Fill in the instruction or receive the XML
In aiepd.ru the instruction is filled in section by section: instruction, parties, routes and cargo, signatory, validation. If ATF prepares it, you receive a ready XML file.
- 03Check the file
The XML is checked against the version 5.01 schema and for logical errors before it reaches the operator. This saves time on corrections and resubmission.
- 04Upload and sign with your operator
The file is uploaded to your e-document operator's system and signed: by the company head with a qualified electronic signature (UKEP), by an employee with UKEP plus a machine-readable power of attorney (MChD) or with an unqualified enhanced signature via the Goskey app.
- 05ATF accepts the instruction
The instruction reaches us, we complete our part of the document and launch the shipment — booking, documents, customs.
Each of our clients can prepare forwarding instructions on their own or ask us — and we will send an XML file ready for upload. New rules should not slow down your supply chain.
— ATF team
Questions & answers
Yes. Since 1 September 2026 forwarding documents are issued electronically. Paper is allowed only in the cases listed in Ministry of Transport Order No. 115 — for example, when the client under the forwarding contract is a foreign entity.
The client signs it — it is your instruction. We prepare the file, you upload it to your operator and sign it with UKEP (or UKEP with an MChD, or an enhanced unqualified signature via Goskey if an employee signs).
XML validation on the website is available without registration. For the terms of working with instructions in the service, ask your ATF manager — we will explain how to get started.
No. The service prepares and validates the XML but is not an e-document system operator. Sending and signing go through your own e-document operator.
For a foreign company not registered with the Russian tax authority, you provide its name, country code (OKSM) and tax or registration number in its home country — for a Chinese company this is usually the Unified Social Credit Code.
Yes. Many clients start with ATF preparing the instructions and, once volumes become regular, move to aiepd.ru or the personal account. The XML format stays the same.