Each importer against whose imports of cotton or cotton-containing products any assessments are made and collected may obtain a reimbursement on that portion of the assessment that was collected on cotton produced in the United States or cotton other than Upland cotton by following the procedures prescribed in this section.

Application form. An importer shall obtain a reimbursement application form from the Cotton Board. Such form may be obtained by written request to the Cotton Board and the request shall bear the importer's signature or the importer's properly-witnessed mark.

Submission of reimbursement application to Cotton Board. Any importer requesting a reimbursement shall mail the application on the prescribed form to the Cotton Board. The application shall be postmarked within 180 days from the date the assessments were paid on the cotton by such importer. The reimbursement application shall show:

The importer's name, address, phone number and Customs Service identification number;

Weight of the cotton in each HTS category for which the reimbursement is requested;

Subtotal amounts to be reimbursed for each HTS number and grand total to be reimbursed;

Date or inclusive dates on which the assessments were paid;

The name of the port of entry; and

Certification by the importer that the cotton was grown in the U.S. or is other than Upland cotton.

Where more than one importer shared in the assessment payment on cotton, joint or separate reimbursement application forms may be filed. In any such case, the reimbursement application shall show the names, addresses and proportionate shares of assessments paid by all importers. The reimbursement application shall bear the signature of each importer seeking reimbursement.

Proof of payment of the assessment on U.S. produced or other than Upland cotton. A copy of the Customs entry form and the commercial invoice filed with the Customs Service shall accompany the importer's reimbursement application. Within 60 days from the date the properly executed application for reimbursement is received by the Cotton Board, the Cotton Board shall make reimbursement to the importer. For joint applications, the reimbursement shall be made payable to all eligible importers signing the reimbursement application. Documentation submitted with reimbursement applications shall not be returned to the importer.