Bulletin # 4 on rules for Haiti Customs and Immigration
http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a/Bulletin-No4-100317/view
Most cargo to Haiti has to land in Dominican Republic first, so there's Customs & Tax exemption to arrange there also. Different rules for different nations.
Bulletin # 4.1 on rules for Haiti Customs and Immigration ... replaces earlierI do not have all of the bulletins, but by comparing the different editions, you can get a flavor of the complications.
Whole story: 219 k, 3 pages1.
- Get registration (approval) for entering the country (catch 22)
- Demonstrate your financial worthiness to the Haitian government taxing authority (this requirement suspended until April 30 due to quake distraction)
- Get tax exemption for humanitarian goods coming in by approved group. This document must be renewed quarterly.
- Get customs clearance for the goods that have the exemption.
If your organization was approved to import goods into Haiti BEFORE Jan 12 quake, then you should be processing your cargo thru a customs broker.
Everyone else is subject to the catch 22 that the Gov of Haiti Ministry, in charge of approval, was wiped out by the quake & not yet back in operation. In the past we have advised that you partner with some organization that already has approval, and a track record for getting stuff into the country, and you know how to cope if your cargo is not on the capacity priority list. The UN has also invited people asking their help.
Bulletin # 4.1 adds the alternative of seeking the assistance of the Direction de la Protection Civile (DPC) with registration / clearing their goods.
There are always (at least) two components to importing humanitarian goods:Obtaining a Duty and Tax Exemption AND Customs Clearance, for which you may need to go through different gov offices for each.
The main Customs Office has moved to the Customs Building located near the Seaport of Port-au-Prince Port (APN).
In order to import humanitarian goods into Haiti, the minimum required documents for Customs purposes include the following:
- Declaration Form*
- Packing List
- Bill of Lading/Airway Bill
- Freight Certificate
- Declaration of Value or Invoice
- Gift Certificate (if applicable)
- Vehicle Title (if applicable)
- Certificate of Origin (if applicable)
- Phyto-sanitary Certificate (if applicable)
- Relevant ministry certificates (i.e. Ministry of Health certificate for medicines, Ministry of Agriculture certificate for seeds)
These documents must be ORIGINALS, often even stating ‘ORIGINAL’ on the document. They must be computer generated. Handwritten are not acceptable.
I posted to another thread about ADDITIONAL requirements that the UN imposes.For example, if you are sending powdered milk, you have to have clearance from the Nutrition Cluster, because your procedures need to be relevant to the water pollution issues in Haiti. Mix the milk with water in any other nation, and good for the child. Same thing in Haiti, and you kill the child.
Some documents I have downloaded that may be relevant to this discussion ... I could post them elsewhere on this site, such as my thread on Shareable Resources, in Volunteer Database Group (Miscellaneous attachment stuff from Al – the usual, key links, topics before I started thread specific)
This memo from the Ministry for Finance and Economy informs the general public, importers and exporters that Customs (Directorate of Fiscal Inpections) officers will no longer be posted at the Jimani-Malpasse border crossing as of 30 April 2010 to facilitate the transit of humanitarian goods. All organisations are advised that procedures revert to the standard procedures of pre-12 January 2010.
The procedures for importation remain valid.
Info on the Import Regulations document:
----------------------------------------------------------
Following the Haiti earthquake on 12th January, the GoH granted the grace period of three months for importation of humanitarian goods in response to the crisis.This grace period is only applicable to basic humanitarian goods (not to items such as vehicles, generators and other support equipment).
The letter from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, inclusive of an annex listing waived goods, is the above"Import Regulaciones frontera PAP"
There is an on-going effort to try to get GoH to extend the waiver of import fees for humanitarian goods.
Haiti Port Authorities (in French I think)
Every so often the UN Logistics cluster comes out with a package of guidance for people struggling to move relief cargo into and through Haiti, sometimes via Relief Web, often distributed thru the LC mailing list, which can take a while to sign up for ... I had been sharing military & police reports with many people, Ansel asked HOW I get them ... he tried to sign up a week ago, still not getting.
End of March 2010 summary.
As of 28 March, the importation of goods into Haiti now requires the customs declaration form to be generated by computer using software that is used by those brokers registered with the Haitian authorities. Given the situation in Haiti and the increased volumes transiting through the border, the LC is in discussions with the Custom Authorities in Port au Prince perhaps to place a workstation and printer at the border.
Full Situation Report 97 k 4 pages, from which I am highlighting a few items relevant to this thread.
Customs/Importation guidelines:
http://www.logisticscluster.org/ops/hti10a/proceduresfor-importation
DASHBOARD – Overview of Cargo Deliveries ex PAP:
http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a/deliveries-overview/view
LC Bulletin 5:
http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a/Bulletin-No5-100325/view
Updated Facts and Figures:
http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a/facts-and-figures/view
Revised CONOPS is due for publication in the coming week.
http://www.logisticscluster.org/ops/hti10a/haiti-earthquake-response-concept-ofoperations
Transport Dashboard:
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