This covered Third Party Documents and was published on 29 July 2026, link below.
https://library.iccwbo.org/tfb/tfb-briefings.htm
It should be noted that all ICC Technical Advisory Briefings are for educational guidance only.
This Technical Advisory Briefing considers the meaning and treatment of third party documents under UCP 600 and ISBP 821, addressing a subject that continues to generate misunderstanding in documentary credit practice. It explains that although the expression "third party documents" is widely used, it is not defined in UCP 600. As a general principle, documents may be issued by parties other than the beneficiary unless the credit or UCP 600 specifies a particular issuer. The principal exception is the commercial invoice, which must be issued by the beneficiary unless the credit expressly provides otherwise or the circumstances, such as a transferred credit, permit a different issuer.
The briefing analyses the guidance contained in ISBP 821, explaining that phrases such as "third party documents acceptable" and "third party documents not acceptable" have no operative meaning and should not be used, as they merely restate or contradict the default position already established under UCP 600. It distinguishes these expressions from clauses such as "third party as shipper not acceptable", which relate specifically to the identity of the shipper on a transport document rather than to third party documents generally. The paper further clarifies that transport and insurance documents are examined according to the specific issuer and signature requirements contained in UCP 600, not by reference to the concept of third party issuance.
Finally, it reiterates that banks examine documents on their face and are not required to determine authenticity or investigate allegations of fraud, which remain matters of applicable law rather than documentary examination. The briefing concludes that careful drafting of documentary credits, combined with consistent application of UCP 600 and ISBP 821, is essential to minimise discrepancies and promote uniform international practice.