Imports
General Import Guidelines
-
The importer must have a valid importer code from Customs Authorities
-
Imported goods must conform to
licensed activities of the importer
-
Imported goods must be accompanied
with an International Waybill, an Original Commercial Invoice, a Certificate
of Origin and a Packing List. Failure to submit required documents
might lead to penalties to be applied by Qatari Customs
-
All imported goods into Qatar must
have the country of origin printed or embossed physically each item; for
example "made in China", "made in Japan", etc. The country of origin must
also be stated in the Commercial Invoice, failure to comply with this
regulation may prohibit entry of the goods
-
HS Codes must be stated clearly on Commercial Invoice. Where HS Codes are not stated on Commercial Invoice, Customs Authorities may apply penalties
You can find the full list of HS Codes under Reference (2) Qatar Customs HS
Codes and Tariffs
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Import Duties and Fees
- The customs valuation is based on CIF (Cost,
Insurance and Freight) which means that the amount used to assess customs
duty is the sum of cost of goods, insurance and shipping cost to Qatar
- For imports shipped under International Express (i.e. courier); with declared value below QAR 400 are treated as duty free
- Goods with declared value of more than a QAR 400 will be treated as normal cargo goods, and will require a formal customs clearance
- All goods imported into Qatar with a total
weight of 100 kgs or more will be subject to formal customs clearance
- Generally the declared CIF
value on
Commercial Invoice is accepted, but Customs Authorities might estimate a
different value based on their inspection
-
Customs duties is 5% levied on CIF is value and in addition to the duties is the legalization charges in following table based on Commercial Invoice value :
|
Invoice Value (Range) |
Legalization Component |
|
$1 |
- $1,360 |
$70 |
|
$1,360 |
- $4,080 |
$97 |
|
$4,080 |
- $13,620 |
$179 |
|
$13,620 |
- $27,245 |
$289 |
|
$27,245 |
- $40, 870 |
$398 |
|
$40,870 |
- $68,115 |
$535 |
|
$68,115 |
- $136,239 |
$644 |
|
$136,239 |
- $272,479 |
$865 |
|
Above $272,479 |
0.4% of Commercial
Invoice Value + $45 |
Goods originating from Arab League Member States
Qatar is a Member State of
the
Arab League,
accordingly goods originating from Arab League Member States will benefit from
customs duties
To benefit from
Arab League customs exemption a Certificate of Origin is required, accompanied with a Commercial Invoice
Goods originating from Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC)
Qatar is a Member State of
the
GCC,
accordingly goods originating from GCC Member States will benefit from
customs duties
To benefit from
GCC customs exemption a Certificate of Origin is required, accompanied with a Commercial Invoice
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Duties Exemption
A number of goods are exempted from customs duties. Below are some of the applied exemptions:
-
Goods addressed to government or semi-government agencies
- Imports for non-dutiable authorities and
organizations
-
Diplomatic goods
-
Raw materials for manufacturing in Qatar destined for companies holding industrial license
- Used personal effects household items
- Medical supplies such as medicines and blood
samples
If goods, prior to its entry into Qatar, has passed through any GCC country where custom duties have been paid, the Original Customs Declaration stamped from GCC customs must accompany the goods to avoid paying custom duties in Qatar
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Imports Required Documents
General Imports
Import Declaration is processed in the event of goods being imported into Qatar
from other countries. The below documents are needed:
- Bill of Entry
- Original Waybill
- Original Commercial
- Original of the Certificate of Origin
approved by Chamber of Commerce at country of origin
- Packing List
- Form of exemption from customs duties in
case exemption requirements are fulfilled
Re-Export
Import Declaration is processed in the event of importing goods into Qatar for purpose of re-exporting. The below documents are needed:
- Bill of Entry
- Original Waybill
- Original Commercial Invoice
- Original or copy of the Certificate of
Origin approved by Chamber of Commerce at country of origin
- Packing List
Temporary Import - Exhibition / Repair and Return
Upon entry of goods into Qatar on temporary basis for the purpose of taking part in an exhibition or repairs / maintenance, a deposit amount equivalent to customs duties has to be made for the benefit of Customs Authorities. The deposit is refunded upon exporting the goods. If the
goods are not being exported the deposit is forfeited. The below documents are needed:
- Bill of Entry
- Original Waybill
- Original Commercial
- Original Certificate of Origin approved by
Chamber of Commerce at country of origin
- Packing List
- Letter from licensed company/exhibition
authorities showing purpose of entry, period, quantity, description and
value of each item showing serial numbers
When completing your Commercial Invoice, we recommend that you abide by Aramex guidelines to ensure timely and efficient clearance Read More
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Exports
When exporting goods from
Qatar some documents and regulations will be applied before the exit of
goods to the destination. Failure to submit required documents may delay goods
when exporting
Exporters need to include the
following documents with their goods:
- Original Commercial Invoice
- For
certain goods, a strategic export
license is required. Example where these licenses are needed include: military, dual-use, chemicals, radioactive material, and agricultural goods
Other documents that
could be required would depend on the specific requirements of the destinations. Aramex maintain a list of needed documents and customs information per country (please
select country name on this
page )
Important Notes
- All exported goods might be
inspected by Customs Authorities
Aramex will not transport
goods that are prohibited by the laws or regulations of Qatar. For more information
click here page 24
For more information on exporting from the Qatar
click here in Arabic
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Transiting Goods
Transiting Goods through Qatar can only remain for 30 days from the
date of arrival into the country
To process Transiting Goods, the following documents are needed:
- Bill of Entry
- Original Waybill
- Original Commercial Invoice
- Original of the Certificate of Origin
approved by Chamber of Commerce at country of origin
- Packing List
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Prohibited / Restricted Goods
Aramex will not transport goods that are prohibited by the laws or regulations
of Qatar
In accordance to Aramex Shipping Policy, the following items are not acceptable
for transport by Aramex:
- Monetary Items including currency, fake
money, and coins
- Publications that are offensive to
religions, morals, human rights or aims to cause corruption and disorder
- Narcotics and drugs including heroin, opium,
drugs raw material (powder, liquid), cannabis leaves, etc.
- Gambling related games or items
- Counterfeit goods covering all brands of
clothes, machinery, shoes, electronics, watches etc.
- Fireworks*
- Ivory and ivory products*
- Furs*
- Jewelry, precious metals , stones, articles
or antiques of exceptional high value*
- Bullion*
- Chemical waste and nuclear waste
- Hazardous as defined in IATA Regulations*
- Ammunitions*
- Human remains, including ashes*
- Animals, plants, food items and perishable*
- All kind of
alcohol beverages, or items
containing alcohol as an ingredient
- Products labeled made in Israel
- Pornographic related material
*
Certain goods which are listed above as
prohibited may be accepted by Aramex on a contractual basis, if exporters /
importers are able to comply with all applicable regulations
Some goods require approval from the designated authority prior to importing
into Qatar. Some examples are shown below:
CDs, DVDs, and video tapes require approval
from
Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage
Marbles and tiles require approval from
Ministry of Municipality & Urban Planning
Chemical items and printing ink require
approval from
Ministry of Environment
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Aramex Clearance
Service
Aramex offers a wide
range of customs clearance services (ranging from Delivery Order collection up
to delivery of goods). In addition, Aramex offers storage in Aramex warehouses
when needed
In order to clear imported goods; importers must login to
www.ecustoms.gov.qa
and select their clearing agent. To nominate Aramex as a clearing agent please contact our Aramex Customer Service
team
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References
-
Qatar customs
-
Qatar Customs HS Codes and Tariffs
-
Customs Terminologies
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