Please be advised that Qatar Customs are not accepting electronically stamped Certificates of origin and therefore both the Certificate of Origin and the Commercial Invoice should be stamped using an official Rubber Ink Stamp only.
The only exception to this rule for the moment is that this requirement is not applicable for shipments consigned to private individuals (personal shipments only) and the U.S. Military in Qatar.
Failure to clear these shipments within 3 days (due to missing import documentation) would result in storage fees being billed to the importer by the local Aviation authority and Qatar Customs-please see Brokerage Services & Charges for more information.
UPS Origins are requested to inform shippers to split shipments weighing 98 kg and more into separate shipments with separate invoices of 90 kg and lower, if obtaining these documents is not possible for the shipper.
The Certificate of Origin should also be scanned into the Document Imaging System at the origin site.
Ministry of Interior approval - The approval is required for Communication devices,cameras etc. UPS Brokerage can assist with the submission of requests to the relevant authority for this approval. Additional costs apply.
Ministry of Meteorology-approval for any new product. Every product imported for the first time into Qatar needs an approval from the Ministry of Meteorology.
Customs Duty Waiver approvals - Companies/Institutions who are exempt from duty payments have to provide a waiver letter addressed to Customs for each shipment exceeding the deminimis threshold.
Ministry of Education approvals - The approval is required for learning materials and books.
Ministry of Censorship - The approval is required for books,DVDs and CDs.
Ministry of Health approval - The approval is required for cosmetics,medicine and similar products.
Environment Protection Committee(EPC) approval - The approval is required for Chemical products in liquid and powder form.
Required documents for temporary import shipments
It is not required for all, however shipments can be held by local authority in United Arab Emirates after screening due to lack of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) or NON DG (Dangerous Goods) declaration letter from the shipper resulting to misconnections and impacting end-to-end service.
It would be advisable for all shipments originating, transiting and terminating for UAE to have MSDS or NON DG declaration from shipper enclosed in the shipment and copies to be uploaded in IDIS.
Import Shipments into Qatar held by Customs requiring special Government approvals will require to be customs cleared within 72 hours after arrival(Fridays & Saturdays excluded). Exceeding the 72 hour threshold, storage fees of 2.50 QAR per kg per day for each shipment will be charged.
UPS will notify the consignee regarding the required approval on the same day of arrival & the consignee will need to return the approval to UPS to ensure the customs clearance and delivery. The storage charges will be invoiced to the consignee in addition to any other freight or customs charges.
The typical special approvals required are listed below and under Miscellaneous.
The QCCSW implementation date is subject to change depending on the readiness of other government authorities and regulatory institutions readiness and involvement.
All companies registered in the country or territory receiving Import Express Courier and Freight shipments are required to register with Qatar Customs for this QCCSW system at the earliest possible time in order to be prepared for the actual implementation date.
Below are the documents required for registration with QCCSW.
These documents should be submitted by an authorized officer of the company in person at the Qatar Customs Head office or electronically via the smart card system on the Qatar Customs E-Government Website: www.ecustoms.gov.qa
Other Requirements - Personal Shipments consigned to individuals in Qatar:
From the time Single Window Entry has been introduced, only the agency that prepared the manifest, is authorized by Qatar customs authorities to arrange the clearance of goods. Referring to this a Brokerage Hand over is restricted and the importer needs to obtain a special permission which is subject to customs approval.
Abu Samra, Al Dhakhira, Al Khor, Al Ruwais, Al Udeid, Al Udeid AB, Dukan, Dukhan, Shahania, Ummbab, Al Sheehaniya, Al Thakhira, Madinat Al Shamal and Umm Slal.
All other areas have door-to-door service.
The calculation of duty is done on the assessable value (Cost, Insurance and freight) of a dutiable shipment and duty is levied as per the applicable customs tariff.
Express Courier mode Shipments with a total gross weight of more than 98 Kgs will be subject to formal customs clearance as per normal air freight mode customs clearance procedures.
A clearance time of 48-72 hours would be applicable if the consignee authorizes UPS to clear the shipment on their behalf.
The consignee will incur additional clearance charges to pay the shipment delivery order fees and any official charges (to Qatar Aviation Services/Qatar Customs Authority) against the actual receipt, as well as customs clearance fees to the clearance broker of choice.
The formal clearance will require to be completed within 5 days of the shipment arrival date or the authority (Qatar Aviation Services) will charge a storage fee which will be levied per kg based on the weight of the shipment.
All shipments weighing more than 98 kgs would require the following mandatory documents accompanying the shipment:
Restrictions may apply for freight collect shipments from the origin country or territory. Contact UPS or the UPS service partner in the origin country or territory prior to shipping.
When a commercial invoice is required, then the consignee's contact name and phone number must be on the invoice as well. Phone contact will be attempted or an arrival notification will be mailed to the consignee to contact the UPS office and provide a physical address for delivery.
Important Note: Shipments addressed to a P.O. Box are excluded from the UPS International guarantee regardless of the payer. A delay in delivery may occur due to the need for the consignee's physical address in order to complete delivery.
Shipments to Messaid and Raslaffan areas may need an additional day for delivery. The consignee phone number(s) is required.
Service to/from Dukhan has been implemented-the consignee must pickup /drop off shipment at UPS Office in Doha if required urgently.
Please note thatr an Attested Original Invoice and Certificate of Origin is required for all shipment more than 98kgs in weight for clearance at destination.
IDIS should be scanned with the Invoice and Certificate of Origin to avoid delays.
There are special stipulations on the following commodities when shipping to Qatar. If you plan to ship one of the commodities listed below, be sure to adhere to the following stipulations in order to avoid delays and holds at customs.
The private importer must provide his Qatar ID for clearance purposes.
Mandatory Fields on Invoice for Qatar Customs E-Customs Clearance System:
Importers Qatar ID Card / Visa (11 Digit) Number (if importer is a private individual)
Private individuals must provide their Qatar ID Number to Gulf Warehousing Company prior to arrival of the shipment in Qatar OR the Qatar ID/Visa Number should be included by the shipper on the Commercial Invoice.
UPS Worldship invoices cannot be accepted for shipments with a weight of more than 99 kgs - please see also section Invoice (For Air freight mode) and any handwritten invoices will not be accepted by Qatar Customs.
If the shipment is meant for a private individual and the contents are for personal use, then please provide the name of the consignee and do not mention any company name or company address on the airwaybill or invoice or Customs may regard this as a business shipment and assess charges accordingly.
For all shipments weighing more than 98 kgs and accompanied by an original Invoice and Certificate of Origin, not legalized by the Qatar Embassy (only) these documents will have to be legalized by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs upon entry into Qatar. A Legalization Fee will be charged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on the invoice value (CIF-value)-please see Brokerage Services & Charges for more information.
If the original Certificate of origin and Invoice attested by the Chamber of Commerce are missing for shipments with a total weight of more than 98kgs but the customer authorizes a clearance of the shipment with the respective photocopies, 1% of the CIF value or 500 QAR (whichever is higher per document) will be billed to the customer.
The invoice and the packing list must show the company letterhead and must be stamped by the Chamber of Commerce at the Country or Territory /City of Origin. The Stamp from the Chamber of Commerce must be a Rubber Ink Stamp as Qatar Customs are not accepting Electronic Stamps. The original invoice must be provided to customs, copies are not accepted by customs. Each commodity must be listed with a separate invoice line showing the description, country or territory of origin, unit price, number of units and total line value.
In addition, a Certificate of Origin, originally stamped and signed by a Chamber of Commerce must be provided. The Stamp from the Chamber of Commerce must be a Rubber Ink Stamp as Qatar Customs are not accepting Electronic Stamps.Only non document shipments consigned to U.S.Military bases in Qatar (U.S. Airforce, U.S. Army ) do not require a Certificate of Origin.
If the commercial invoice and Certificate of Origin accompanying the shipment are not in original form these documents will have to be legalized by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs upon entry into Qatar. A Legalization Fee will be charged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on the invoice value (CIF-value). Please see Brokerage Services & Charges for more information.
The invoice should be itemized showing accurate values for each line item with the country or territory of origin of the goods clearly mentioned.
To avoid customs inspection delays it is recommended that companies must use invoices with their letterhead which also has the company rubber stamp on the invoice.
Non-document shipments consigned to individuals (personal shipments) and the U.S. Military bases in Qatar (U.S. Airforce, U.S. Army) still require an original invoice per the requirements above.
The consignee's telephone number, mobile number and email address(if possible), should always be on the invoice.
Invoices showing "zero value - no commercial value" are not accepted by customs. The shipper must list the actual market value of the goods.
It is strongly recommended not to prepare any 'proforma invoices' for imports into Qatar.
For shipments with a weight of 98 kg or more, or multiple shipments to the same consignee with a total weight of 98 kg or more, please see the invoice requirements for 'Air Freight Mode'.
The destination country or territory considers the following items document shipments.
All document shipments over the weight of 5 kilos need to be accompanied with a commercial invoice.
If criteria are listed, the shipment must meet the criteria to be considered a document shipment.
Event tickets coming from a printing company and send to the organizer of the event or ticket sales offices can not be sent as documents.
Greeting cards and invitations that are not personalized require an invoice.
Non-documents are shipments from a publisher or printing company.
In addition to the prohibited commodities listed here, it is prohibited to ship the following commodities to Qatar.
Shipments to DOH containing LiBa or EQ will be returned to shipper.
Saturday Delivery Available: Yes
Not available in all areas. Always check the international time in transit system for details of service availability within a country or territory.
Schools, Banks, Airlines, Government Organizations and Departments, oil and gas companies are closed on Saturdays.
Always check Calculate Time and Cost for details of service availability and guarantee information within a country or territory. All Service Levels may not be available to or from every address within a country or territory.
Important: Shipments of 100 kg and more can not be cleared as Express Courier Mode and require additional export documents. Please see "Clearance Information" for details.)
All shipments consigned to the US Military in Qatar should read US Army or US Military on the HAWB and export manifest. This is inclusive of AAFES and Al Udeid AB shipments.
Shipment picked up from the customer along with the documents below:
Additional charges will be applicable-please see Brokerage Services and Charges. To be added under Brokerage Services & Charges.
Temporary Import mode shipments into Qatar cannot be shipped without prior permission from the Qatar Customs Directorate. This permission must be obtained by the consignee and provided to the UPS ASC prior to the arrival of the shipment in Qatar.
The normal duration for temporary import is minimum six months and can be extended up to 3 years depending on the project requirement. Exhibition or event cargo is generally only accepted for maximum one month.
Temporary imports are subject to a 'cashiers check deposit' of the duty amount (and legalization charge if not carried out prior to export) which is refundable upon proof of re-export within approved timeframe. In case of an exhibition or event cargo the exhibitor must arrange to provide a local bond or cash deposit to customs through his own bank's local partner or through his local sales agent's office and own local bank.
All goods imported under this clause must have a permanent and clear identification mark for easy identification at time of import and export. Same details must be mentioned in the shipping documents (i.e. invoice and packing list). If there is any discrepancy between the goods inspected by customs at import and the goods inspected by customs for export the refund will not be made. Descriptions as per one bundle of cables are not permitted. Each part must be clearly identifiable by serial number or part number if possible.
The permission for temporary import can not be taken for granted even if the customer fulfills all requirements. At the very end it is up to the Director of Customs to decide the timeframe. Failing to extend the validity of the temporary import in case the shipment will be staying more then valid period QAR 1000.00 will be the applicable penalty per every week. If the penalty exceeded the invoice value, 20% of the invoice value will be charged as additional fine at the time of export or permanently clearing the shipment for import.
The documents needed for temporary importation are listed in section Additional Import Documentation.
The UPS ASC in Qatar does not outlay money or finance customer bonds to customs.
For a smooth re-exportation UPS requires to be informed in advance. All necessary documents pertaining to the import should be submitted at least 1 week prior to export. The serial numbers have to be clearly visible for inspection. Packing should be done accordingly to have an easy access for customs inspection. A change in serial numbers, incorrect documentation or not visible serial numbers as mentioned in the Import manifest will result in sending the shipment as a normal export and customs shall not refund the deposit amount placed at the time of Import.
In case the importer decides to re-export the shipment by appointing a carrier other than UPS-GAC the importer will be liable for any mistake or customs fines charged for incompletion of the re-export. .Its advised by Qatar Customs to deal with one carrier and broker for temporary import and re-export to avoid errors and fines.
Additional charges will be applicable-please see Brokerage Services and Charges.
Note: If the period of a temporary import needs to be extended upon customer request, a separate online request has to be filed with customs and the charges for granting this permission are 500 QAR.
Receiver must provide a valid copy of ID (National or Passport) which matches the shipment waybill & invoice in order for UPS to clear as a private shipment.
Customs may still assess Duties and Legalization at their discretion.
For all commercial shipments, 5% of the CIF value will apply as duty depending on the harmonized code of the goods. Customs declaration fee amounting to 150.00 QAR is applicable for all Bill of Entry or BAYAN's filed in customs.
Receiver must be registered in the Qatar Customs system and have a valid Import License Code number in which the importer name matches the shipment waybill & invoice in order for UPS to clear the shipment.
Convert metric quantity for weight, length, and area.
Loading...