Preliminary Import Authorization (API)

The Pre-Import Authorization is required to finalize the Import Declaration Form (IDF) – see Example of IDF.

The Preliminary Import Authorization (API) – or Import Permit – is requested by the importer and issued prior to the importation of the products into Côte d’Ivoire by the Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité of the Ministère de l’Agriculture et du Développement Rural. [Order 2007]

The request and the delivery of the API are carried out through the Electronic Portal of the GUCE. The procedure described below is provisional, pending a procedure that will become fully dematerialized through the GUCE Electronic Portal.

The API request is made from the outset, through the GUCE Electronic Portal by the importer (or the authorized forwarder):

The system automatically generates a request for Prior Import Authorization, which should be sent to the Directorate of Plant Protection, Control and Quality of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The documents to be downloaded are the following:

• Pro-forma invoice.
• Nature of the product or any other document necessary for the verification (Certificate of Analysis, Packing List…).

Cost: Free of charge (centralized at the level of GUCE by Decree n°2016.296 and Inter-ministerial Order n°0005 MPMBE/MICOM/MSHP/MINADER on the regulation of Certificates and Authorizations in Foreign Trade).

The verification of the file is conducted by the agents of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the validation of the API is inserted in the GUCE system.

Validation time of the API by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development: 72 hours maximum

CARGO TRACKING SHEET (CTS)

Import by sea

For all imports by sea, the exporter, the foreign forwarder and the importer must be registered in the CTS via the website of the Office Ivoirien des Chargeurs (OIC).

At embarkation 

CTS registration (see General Import and Export Procedure tabs on the website)

Required documents:

• Final Invoice or Valued Inventory for personal effects.
• Bill of Lading (B/L).
• Packing List.
• Customs Export Declaration of the country of shipment.
• Local Insurance Certificate in Ivory Coast.
• The Import Declaration Form (IDF) or its number.
• In addition, for imports from countries outside the European Union, the following are required:
• The Freight Invoice.
• The Certificate of Origin.

CERTIFICATE OF VALUE 

As soon as the goods are shipped and all the transport documents for the goods are available (Final Commercial Invoice, Ocean Bill of Lading or Air Waybill, Packing List, Freight Invoice, copy of the IDF and all other available certificates), the freight forwarder must initiate a request for an Attestation of Value.

All goods with a FOB value greater than or equal to one (1) million CFA francs must obtain a Final Classification and Value Report (FCVR) from the Directorate of Risk Analysis, Intelligence and Value (DARRV) of the Customs, via the electronic platform of the GUCE – Cf. Customs Circular n°2007 of 29 March 2019.

The authorised forwarder downloads and fills in the Notice of Deposit (ND).

He attaches the documents accompanying the goods (see list above) to the deposit notice and uploads the entire file online on the GUCE platform.

The Customs Directorate of Risk Analysis, Intelligence and Value (DARRV) checks the shipping documents and delivers the Final Classification and Value Report by e-mail to the consignee or freight forwarder within 5 working days of the submission of the documents.

The freight forwarder completes Form D41 (Sampling Permit: this is an authorisation given by the importer or freight forwarder to Customs to take a sample of the goods for the purposes of quality control or to visually assess the apparent condition of the goods) and physically deposits it with the transport documents (see list above) at the Customs Risk, Intelligence and Value Analysis Directorate (RIAD) for verification.

After examining the file, the DARRV issues the Attestation of Verification (AV).

Goods with a FOB value of less than one (1) million CFA francs and certain other products are exempt from the FCVR procedure – see the list of goods not subject to FCVR on the website www.douane.ci – see the General Import Procedure tab on the website.

Customs declaration

Upon arrival

The Customs Declaration must be made by a forwarder mandated by the importer and approved by Customs – See List of forwarders approved by Customs.

The forwarder enters the declaration in the Customs computer system – SYDAM (Sydonia World). The documents to be given to the forwarder to make the Customs declaration are the following:

• Bill of Lading for sea shipments, or Air Waybill (AWB) or Consignment Note.
• Original supplier’s invoice.
• Certificate of Insurance.
• Import Form (FDI) – via GUCE website.
• Freight Invoice.
• Final Classification and Value Report (FCVR) if the FOB value is at least equal to One (1) million FCFA or the Attestation of Value (AV) if the FOB value is less than One (1) million FCFA, or if the products are excluded from the FCVR procedure – See List of goods not subject to the FCVR on the websites www.douane.ci and www.webbfontaine.ci
• The Packing List.
• The Customs receipt if the method of payment of duties and taxes is cash.
• The Cargo Tracking Form (BSC) issued by the Ivorian Shippers’ Office.
• The UEMOA or ECOWAS Certificate of Origin if necessary.