Air customs clearance seems complicated and takes a lot of procedures and time, but the correct preparation and appropriate documents will make customs procedures smooth and fast and the goods flow in the shortest possible time. In this article, we share with you everything you should know about the complexities of air customs clearance, to avoid any delay or disruption in the air freight process for your goods.
What is air customs clearance?
Air customs clearance or airport customs clearance is the process of submitting documents to the customs office of the airport to obtain permission to import or export a commodity.
By imposing it, the government aims to ensure that the required customs tariff is paid and that all regulations related to the import or export of the commodity are met. The air customs clearance process varies according to the country of import or export and according to the type of the shipped commodity, and in most cases the release of the commodity requires the preparation of documents, such as the commercial invoice, the air waybill, etc., in addition to calculating the customs tariff for the shipment.
The customs office at the airport, a scope determined by the Minister of Finance at the airport, manages the customs clearance process from the procedures for examining the shipment, whether personally, electronically or security, in addition to verifying the validity of all required documents, and finally estimating and collecting fees, based on the provisions of the unified customs system and security, health, agricultural and environmental control regulations.
The customs clearance process begins when the goods are inspected by the customs officer, to ensure that the shipped goods conform to the documents and that they meet all applicable regulations, that they are safe and meet all industry standards, and that they are safely released from the customs office at the airport.
Why is customs clearance important for goods?
Completed customs clearance acquires its importance from several reasons:
- Fast receipt: Fast customs clearance reduces goods delays, ensuring that the shipment arrives from the supplier on time without idle.
- Compliance with the law: Compliance with customs regulations is inevitable and indispensable in order to avoid penalties, the collection of fines and, at worst, the confiscation of the shipment itself.
- Lower cost: Complete customs clearance ensures that storage and handling costs are minimized as it ensures the rapid release of goods.
- Improved reputation: Whether you are an importer or a supplier, the continued smooth and timely flow of goods, ensures that customers receive them without delay, thus enhancing their satisfaction and improving your business reputation.
How to calculate air customs clearance fees?
Due to the different value of air customs clearance fees according to the type and quantity of goods, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has designed a tool to calculate customs declaration fees so that the importer or exporter can know the fees due from him. This tool can be used by following these steps:
- Visit the website of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.
- Click in the top bar on “E-Services”.
- Choose from the drop-down menu “Zakat, Tax and Customs Services”.
- Click on “Customs Services” and then “Importers & Exporters Traders”, services for traders will appear, choose from them “Review customs declaration fees”.
- Fill in the existing fields, complete all the data, then view the fees.
How long does it take for air customs clearance?
Most shipments exit customs within a few days, and the time it takes to clear customs depends on several factors, foremost of which are the following:
- Type of goods: Some goods, such as medicines and foodstuffs, take longer to undergo a stricter inspection and scrutiny regime.
- Airport of entry: Some airports are less busy than other airports, and some are more spacious and prepared than others, so it is expected that the goods will be released in less time than the less crowded, spacious and equipped airport.
- Shipping time: There are times of the year that are busier in air freight than others, for example the Eid al-Fitr period and the Hajj season are considered shipping seasons, so expect your shipment to arrive longer during this time.
Documents required to complete air customs clearance
The unified customs system operated by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority in the Kingdom requires that a customs declaration accompanied by a set of documents must be submitted to the customs office before clearing any goods, including the following:
First: Documents required from the supplier
- Certificate of origin issued by the Chamber of Commerce of the country of export as a document indicating the place of production of the goods.
- The commercial invoice containing the data of the exporter and importer, a description of the goods, their quantity and price, in addition to the invoice number and date.
- The bill of lading issued by the shipping company in which the name of the shipping airport and the arrival airport are indicated.
- Packing list describing the quantity, weight and details of the shipment.
- Health certificates for food shipments such as dairy products, meat and fish, and agricultural certificates for agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables and grains.
Second: Documents required from the importer
- A commercial or industrial register according to the company’s activity, which includes information about the importing company and proves that it is licensed.
- An import card proving the importer’s registration in the importers register, so that he obtains the right to import from outside the country, and at the same time the competent authority can monitor his imports.
- A tax card issued by the Tax Authority proving the importer’s suitability to practice commercial activity.
- Authorization to a customs clearance company under which it can take the necessary procedures and provide the required documents for the customs clearance process on behalf of the importer.
Finally, in light of the expansion of commercial activity from import and export, it has become difficult for the state to manage directly from them, so air customs clearance services have emerged, which play the role of an intermediary that helps companies meet import and export conditions and in preparing special documents, which saves a long time until they leave the airport and avoids seizure. Contact us to get a fast and efficient customs clearance service.
