import guide: kingdom of saudi arabia

1 Import Guide

IMPORT GUIDE: KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Effective from Jan 2012

2 Import Guide

The customs administration in Saudi Arabia has announced

more stringent application of existing requirements; these

come into effect from January 2012. DHL in Saudi Arabia are

already in touch with regular importers to prepare them for

these changes.

What this means for you the UK Exporter

Applies only to shipments with a value exceeding US$100

1. When sending to a company the Importer’s Commercial

Registration number needs to be quoted on the invoice &

Waybill

2. When sending to an individual their Saudi identification

number or passport number must be quoted on the invoice

and/or Waybill

3. Quote the HS code (6 digits) along with a full product

description on the invoice

4. Check whether your product needs certification from the

Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization

(SASO) or a CRF (Clean Report of Findings) or COC

(Certificate of Conformity). Certificates must be from a

recognized inspection company in the country of origin &

must accompany the invoice

5. Check whether your product needs approval prior to

export from one of the Saudi Arabian ministries; Ministry

of Information (MOI) Saudi Food & Drug Authority

(SFDA), Communications & Information Technology

Commission (CITC).

Includes; Electronics, Chemicals, Cosmetics,

Telecommunications, Vitamins, Food, Books

& Medicines

For shipments under US$100 (All of Saudi Arabia)

Non document shipments, under US$100 and not mentioned

on the list of commodities need only a detailed invoice from

the shipper to clear through customs formalities into Saudi

Arabia.

Contents

Sending to Jeddah or Riyadh 3

Sending to Dhahran 3

Sending Telecommunications equipment 4

Sending Drugs, Medicines or Vitamins 4

Sending Cosmetics or Food 5

Sending to Private individuals 5

What can your importer/consignee do to help 6

Useful websites 6

Prohibited and Restricted Commodities 7

Controlled goods into Saudi Arabia 8

Commodities needing safety certification prior to import (SASO certification)

9


For COO: contact your Local Chamber of Commerce

For COC/CRF/ SASO Certification there are a number of certification bodies including; SGS Group, Bureau Veritas & Interek

For further information please contact your Account Manager

or Customer Services

3Import Guide

Sending to Riyadh & Jeddah goods valued between US$100 & US$2,500

Sending to commercial entities 1. The Importer’s Commercial Registration number needs to

be quoted on the invoice & Waybill



3. Check whether your product needs certification from

the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization

(SASO)

4. Check whether your goods need Ministerial approval

prior to import

Goods valued over US$2,500

• Alloftheaboveplus a Certificate of Origin

Sending to Dhahran goods valued between US$100 & US$13,250

Sending to commercial entities

1. The Importer’s Commercial Registration number needs to




3. Check whether your product needs certification from the


(SASO)

4. Check whether your goods need Ministerial approval

prior to import

Goods valued over US$13,250

• Alloftheaboveplus a Certificate of Origin

Sending to private individuals across Saudi Arabia

1. The personal identification (Iqama) number for personal

imports by a Saudi or foreign national for shipments

valued over $US100 must be quoted on the Waybill

or invoice if known at the time of shipping. DHL will

contact all individuals on arrival if this information is not

available

2. Personal Imports of Medicines, Drugs & Vitamin

supplements to individuals is not allowed


4 Import Guide

Sending Telecommunications equipment to any destination in Saudi Arabia

• Allwirelesstelecommunicationsequipment

• Wirelesscomputers

• Networkingequipment

• AllITequipment

• GPSequipment

• Satellitecommunicationequipment

• CellphonesandSmartPhones

• CertainWi-Firouters

If shipments arrive for clearance but your consignee does not

have the necessary approvals then delays will occur before

clearance.


•TheImporter’sCommercialRegistrationnumberneedsto


•QuotetheHScode(6digits)alongwithafullproduct


•Checkwhetheryourproductneedscertificationfromthe


(SASO)

•ApprovalisneededfromCommunications&Information

Technology Commission (CITC). This approval will be

granted to the importer in Saudi Arabia by CITC

•SendingtoRiyadhorJeddahforshipmentsexceeding

US$2,500 a Certificate of Origin (COO) is also required

•SendingtoDhahranforshipmentsexceedingUS$13,250a

Certificate of Origin (COO) is also required

Sending to individuals / personal imports

•Thepersonalidentification(Iqama)numberforpersonal

imports by a Saudi or foreign national for shipments valued

over $US100 must be quoted on the Waybill or invoice if

known at the time of shipping.

•Electronicitemsforpersonalusecannotexceed4ofthe

same item. Over this and the shipment will be classed as a

commercial shipment and will require CITC and / or SASO

approval prior to importation


Sending Medicines, prescription Drugs, Vitamins or Vitamin supplements to any Saudi Arabia destination

The Saudi Arabian Customs Regulations require that the

following products and commodities require SFDA approval

prior to entry clearance into Saudi Arabia;

• Medicationsandpharmaceuticals(prescriptionandnon

prescription)

• Laboratorychemicalsandsolutions

• Reagentsanddiagnostics

• Dietarysupplementsincludingvitamins

• Cosmeticsandperfumes








(SASO)

•ApprovalisneededfromSaudiFood&DrugAgency.This

approval will be granted to the importer in Saudi Arabia.



•SendingtoDhahranforshipmentsexceedingUS$13,250a



Individuals cannot import items that need SFDA approval

5Import Guide


Sending Cosmetics or Food to any Saudi Arabia destination

The Saudi Arabian Customs Regulations state that the

following products and commodities require SFDA approval

prior to entry clearance into Saudi Arabia;

• Medicationsandpharmaceuticals(prescriptionandnon

prescription)

• Laboratorychemicalsandsolutions

• Reagentsanddiagnostics

• Dietarysupplementsincludingvitamins

• Cosmeticsandperfumes








(SASO)

•ApprovalisneededfromSaudiFood&DrugAgency.This

approval will be granted to the importer in Saudi Arabia.



•SendingtoDhahranforshipmentsexceedingUS$13,,250a



Individuals cannot import items that need SFDA approval

Sending to private individuals •WhensendingtoanindividualtheirSaudiidentification

number (Iquama) or passport number must be quoted on

the invoice and/or Waybill



•Whensendingcommercialquantitiescheckwhetheryour

product needs certification from the Saudi Standards,

Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO)

•WhensendingtoRiyadhorJeddahforshipments

exceeding US$2,500 a Certificate of Origin (COO) is also

required

•WhensendingtoDhahranforshipmentsexceeding

US$13,,250 a Certificate of Origin (COO) is also required

•Whensendingelectronicitemsforpersonaluse,you

cannot exceed 4 of the same item. Over this and the

shipment will be classed as a commercial shipment

and will require CITC and / or SASO approval prior to

importation

•NoitemsneedingSFDAapprovalcanbeimportedbya

private individual

NOTE: Shipments of Medicines, Prescription Drugs,

Vitamins or Vitamin Supplements, Cosmetics and Food

cannot be imported by individuals. Only a commercial

entity can import with SFDA approval.

Cosmetics in low quantities that are clearly for individual

& personal use are permitted.

For further information please contact your Account Manager

or Customer Services

For COO: contact your Local Chamber of Commerce

For CRF / COO / SASO there are a number of certification bodies including; SGS Group Bureau Veritas & Interek

6 Import Guide

How your consignee or importer can help 1. The consignee/importer’s Company Registration is

provided to DHL in Saudi Arabia

2. Provide DHL in Saudi Arabia with customs clearance

authorization enabling DHL to clear on their behalf.

This is required for all goods over USD$100 and

applies whether shipping to commercial entities or

individuals

3.GainSaudiFood&DrugAgency(SFDA)approvalbefore

export from the UK for Food, Medicine, Drugs, Cosmetics

& Vitamin supplements


Useful Websites

For the Government of Saudi Arabia

SASO – Saudi Arabian Standards Organization

http://www.saso.org.sa/English/Pages/Default.aspx

SFDA - Saudi Food & Drug Authority

http://www.sfda.gov.sa/En/Home

MOCI - Ministry of Commerce & Industry

http://mci.gov.sa/english/default.aspx

CITC - Communications & Information Technology Commission

http://www.citc.gov.sa/English/Pages/default.aspx

For SASO – Certification Bodies

If you need to have goods certified prior to export then

please check which of these service providers have an

agreement with SASO for your country of origin.

SGS Group

http://www.sgs.com/import_certification_me.htm?serviceId=10096307&lobId=5550

Intertek

http://www.intertek.com/government/product-conformity/exports/saudi-arabia/

Bureau Veritas

http://www.bureauveritas.com/wps/wcm/connect/bv_com/group

4. Check whether a SASO certification is needed

5.GainapprovalfromtheCommunications&

Information Technology Commission (CITC)

Electronics & Telecommunications equipment

6. High value clearances will require original authorization

for each import declaration. Destination Jeddah & Riyadh

US$2,500 & Dhahran US$13,250.

7Import Guide


Prohibited & Restricted Commodities

The following goods are not allowed to be imported into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under any circumstances and will be

destroyed upon arrival at the Saudi border.

Prohibited & Restricted Commodities

Alcoholic beverages

Alcohol distilling equipment

All animal blood products

All kinds of Liquor, or items containing liquor as an ingredient

All narcotics without exception regardless of form.(Including poppy seeds)

Annoying car horns or horns that play tunes

Antiques & Works of Art (Standard DHL restriction)

Asbestos

Blank invoices for companies established abroad

Christmas Trees

Counterfeit products that bear the brand of a manufacturer or brand name of a commercial product, or a commercial title,

(Over & Above DHL Restrictions)

Crosses, Crucifixes or stars of David

Dangerous goods, hazardous or chemical combination materials (Over & above DHL restrictions)

Dogs except with permission from the Saudi Arabian embassy in origin country (live Animals Banned for Carriage with DHL Express)

Explosives except by licensed importers (Over & above DHL restrictions)

Firearms & parts thereof (Over & above DHL restrictions)

Frogs meat

Furs & Ivory (Standard DHL Restriction)

GamblingdevicesorSlotmachines

Gemstones(StandardDHLRestriction)

Jewellery (Standard DHL restriction)

Label and packing material (can be imported only if consignee has a license agreement with the shipper or with permission from the

customs authority)

Laser pens or pointers

Masks

Massage equipment indecently packaged

Musical greeting cards

Night vision binoculars or similar items

Nutmeg, seeds & powder thereof

Phonographic/Audio Visual media products, subject to authorization by the Ministry of Information

Pigs (Swine) and pork products

Pornography

Postal envelopes

Soil samples

Spawnofsilk-worms,anykindsofsoil,leaf,stem,strawandnaturalmanureusedforagriculture,

Tobacco advertising materials

Used tires or retread tires

8 Import Guide

Controlled Goods into Saudi Arabia

This section covers a range of commodities that require specific authority to import into the Kingdom from various

government ministries or require certificates of conformance from the shipper

Description

Books Ministry Of Information (MOI)

Cards containing electronic information – e.g. Satellite TV cards, ID cards, Maps

Ministry Of Information (MOI)

Chemicals Ministry Of Commerce And Industry (MOCI)

Compact discs – music or data files Ministry Of Information (MOI)

Computer games Ministry Of Information (MOI)

Cosmetics and perfumes Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA)

Dietary supplements including vitamins Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA)

DVD’s Ministry Of Information (MOI)

GPS equipment Communications And Information Technology Commission (CITC)

Ink Products Ministry Of Commerce And Industry (MOCI)

Laboratory chemicals and solutions Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA)

Magazines Ministry Of Information (MOI)

Medications and pharmaceuticals (prescription and non prescription)

Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA)

Photographic media Ministry Of Information (MOI)

Reagents and diagnostics Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA)

Satellite communication equipment Communications And Information Technology Commission (CITC)

Toner Ministry Of Commerce And Industry (MOCI)

Wireless computer and networking equipment Communications And Information Technology Commission (CITC)

Wireless telecommunications equipment Communications And Information Technology Commission (CITC)


9Import Guide

Items that require SASO certification (Pre export CRF)

Group 1 -Toys

Group 2 - Electronics and Electrical Products


10 Import Guide

Group 2 - Electronics and Electrical Products (continued)


11Import Guide

Group 2 - Electronics and Electrical Products (continued)


12 Import Guide

Group 3 - Automotive Products (continued)

Group 4 - Chemical Products


13Import Guide

Group 5 - Others


import guide: kingdom of saudi arabia

Documents