Customs Procedures for Afghan Cargo

CUSTOM PROCEDURES & FORMALITIES

At present for Afghanistan there are two types of custom formalities in Pakistan, depending on the nature of consignment/consignee, i.e. Non- Commercial & Commercial

1) If consignee is U.S. Army, U.S. Aid, ISAF, NATO, UN bodies,  Diplomats. (NON COMMERCIAL)

For movement of military and humanitarian relief subsistence cargo for International forces and Diplomatic missions for transit to Afghanistan the following procedure is prescribed: –

1) The Consulate/Embassy of the respective country or their authorized representative shall apply to the collector of customs in whose jurisdiction the transshipment goods arrive, for removal of such goods containing non- commercial Government/Military subsistence cargo for Afghanistan on the prescribed Trans-shipment permit in quadruplicate.

2) The Embassy/Consulate or their authorized representative shall furnish an undertaking to the Collector of Customs concerned duly endorsed by the Embassy/Consulate that the goods will not be consumed in Pakistan.

3) The transshipment goods shall be transferred to the area at Ports/Airports earmarked for the purposes of stacking and storage of such goods.

4) The shipping line or airline which has issued the through bill of lading, shall obtain a serial numbered sticker and seals, and affix the same on each transit package/container. Customs staff shall endorse confirmation to this effect on transshipment permit filed by Consulate/Embassy or their representative in this regard.

5) The Embassy/Consulate or their representative shall apply to the officer of the customs for removal of such package/containers at least 24hrs before removal of such package/container.

6) After verifying the shipping/airline seal vis-à-vis goods/container and the reflective sticker affixed on such goods/containers, the customs staff supervising the transshipment, shall allow loading and transshipment of such goods/containers. The original copy of the permit will be retained by customs at the port of origin. The rest of the copies will be handed over to the Embassy/Consulate or their authorized representative.

7) Such transshipment shall be allowed, without levying any transshipment fee and without payment of duty and taxes.

8) Transportation will be made by Pakistan Railways, NLC, by air, or by any other mode of transport, specifically authorized by the Central Board of Revenue.

9) The customs staff at the port/airport of exit shall verify shipping/airline seal, custom bullet seal, and endorse the same on duplicate and quadruplicate copies of the transshipment permit. They shall retain the quadruplicate copy for their own record and handover the duplicate copy to the transporter for re submission by the representative of the Consulate/Shipping airline agent at the port of origin.

10) The Consulate/Embassy or their representative shall resubmit the duplicate copy at the port/airport of origin within 15days of border by the goods.

11) In case the transshipment goods/container is damaged or the shipping/airline seal or customs bullet sealed affixed on such container is found broken or tampered with, the goods/container will not be allowed to enter Afghanistan, unless the cargo contained therein is examined by the customs staff in the presence of Consulates representative at port of exit, and permission/approval of the Assistant Collector (Torkham or Chamman) as the case may be, is obtained for the entry of such goods/container into Afghanistan. Expenses if any incurred on examination and re-sealing of such goods/containers shall be borne by Consulates or their representative.

12) In case any wrong doing is detected in the cargo in transit in Pakistan, the Consulate/Embassy their representative/Pakistan Railways/NLC shall be liable to pay the levy able taxes in addition to any other proceedings as envisaged in the Customs Act.

13) If the Embassy/Consulate or their representative request the return of empty containers from Afghanistan the request may be acceded to subject to the condition that the procedure may be followed for movement of inland containers as laid down.

1) CUSTOM CLEARENCE DOCUMENTS (NON_COMMERCIAL)

Documents required for custom clearance. If consignee is U.S. Army, U.S. Aid, ISAF, NATO, UN bodies,  Embassy, Consulates, Diplomats.

NOTE: All below documents to be provided prior arrival of vessel at Karachi Port/Port Qasim, in order to save on port/terminal free time and also demurrage/detention charges.

1) Original Invoice & Packing List.

2) Original Bill of Lading/Surrendered BL.

BL must mention GOODS IN TRANSIT TO AFGHANISTAN VIA KARACHI, PAKISTAN.
3) Original Consignee authorization letter in the name of Collector of Custom, authorizing (Company name of agent) for the Custom clearance & transportation.

4) Exemption Certificate, (Persian) from Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kabul (Afghanistan).

NOTE: – If any kind of vehicle is shipped, on the invoice/packing list “Left Hand Drive” to be mentioned, because in Afghanistan only these vehicles are allowed to be driven.

2) If Consignee is of commercial cargo

1) On arrival of the goods the owner or his agent shall at the time of entering them at the custom house.

  1. a) Declare that the goods are intended for such transit.
  2. b) Furnish in quadruplicate an invoice of the goods so declared in the prescribed form specifying therein by which of the two authorized routes the goods are intended to be transported viz. 1) Peshawar-Torkham, 2) Chamman-Spin Boldak.
  3. c) On compliance with the above provision, the documents will be completed on the basis of exemption from duty, sales tax, and import trade control regulation after such exemptions as may be considered necessary.

2) The further procedure of the goods arriving through Karachi will be as follows: –

The goods will be sealed with customs seal and removed from port transit shed under customs supervision to Afghan transit sheds, specially set apart for the purpose of customs physical control. Heavy goods such as machinery, iron or steel etc. will be removed from port transit area under customs supervision and stored in enclosed open spaces, specially provided for the purpose under customs control.

3) The goods will be loaded under customs supervision into railway wagons, exclusively provided for in transit goods, which will be sealed by the railway. In the case of open wagons loading such as cars, trucks, machinery, iron, steel etc. sealing may be dispensed with wire lashing and seal at the ends.

Original copy of the invoice duly checked and completed by the customs will be handed over to the owner or his agent, at the same time the duplicate and triplicate copies of the invoice will be dispatched by custom house to the Afghan customs at Spin Boldak.

4) On receipt of the invoice from the Pakistan customs, the Afghan customs at Spin Boldak will retain the duplicate and return the triplicate copy to the custom house of dispatch in Pakistan with appropriate endorsement certifying the arrival of goods.

5) The procedure in respect to goods dispatched by Peshawar-Torkham route from Karachi will be the same as detailed up to including paragraph 3 in respect of Spin Boldak. The procedure thereafter will be that the custom house will dispatch the duplicate and triplicate copies of the invoice to custom officer at Peshawar. On receipt of the invoice from Karachi customs, the custom officer at Peshawar shall retain the duplicate and forward the triplicate to the custom officer at Torkham. On arrival at Peshawar such goods will be carried to transit shed or area under customs control, or transferred directly to a road transport under customs supervision. Road transports, in which the goods are carried forward to Afghanistan will where possible, will be sealed with customs seal.

6) Goods which require re-packing after arrival at Peshawar will be allowed re-packing facilities at the transit shed or area under customs control.

The customs officer at Peshawar will check the goods with the original copy of the invoice and compare with later duplicate copy received from the port of entry. If the seals are intact and the goods correspond with the description in the invoice, the custom officer shall allow the goods to be re-packed and re-sealed under his supervision, shall endorse on each copy of the invoice details of any change in the number or description of the packages, involved by such re-packing, shall where possible seal the road transport on which the goods are loaded for final transport to Afghanistan, return the original copy of the invoice so endorsed to the owner or his agent and forward the duplicate copy to customs officer at Torkham. On arrival at Torkham the goods must be presented to the custom officer along with the duplicate copy of the invoice for inspection and final clearance. The customs officer shall note the re-packing particulars if any, on the reverse of the triplicate copy and return the duplicate to the customs officer at Peshawar.

2)   CUSTOM CLEARENCE DOCUMENTS (COMMERCIAL)

2) Documents required for custom clearance. If consignee is of commercial cargo.

 1) Original Invoice & Packing List.

2) Original Bill of Lading/Surrendered BL.

BL must mention GOODS IN TRANSIT TO AFGHANISTAN VIA KARACHI, PAKISTAN.
3) Original Consignee authorization letter in the name of Collector of Custom, authorizing (Company name of agent) for the custom

Clearance & transportation.

4) Jawaz Nama (Import Permit issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Afghanistan).

NOTE: – If any kind of vehicle is shipped than on the invoice/packing list “Left Hand Drive” to be mentioned, because in Afghanistan only these vehicles are allowed to be driven

EXPENSES FOR TRANSIT OF GOODS, TO AFGHANISTAN.

 Following Charges are applicable by Ocean Shipment.

1- Custom Clearance at Karachi/ Torkham/ Kabul or Chamman/Spin Boldak.

2- Port Wharf-age & RND Charges.

3- Shipping Line Delivery Order Charges.

4- Terminal Handling Charges (THC).

5- Shipping Line Insurance Charges.

6-Transportation of loaded Containers/Goods from Karachi to Kabul/Bagram/Kandahar or other Afghan destinations.

7- Return transport of empty shipping line container to Karachi.

7- NLC NOC Charges.

8- Custom Sealing/ Lashing Charges.

9- Documentation Charges.

10- Container Detention Charges. (If Applicable)

11- Port Demurrage Charges.       (If Applicable)

12- Container Security Deposit to Shipping Line. (Refund when empty container returned to Shipping Line).

 

TRANSIT TIME FACTOR

Karachi to Kabul: –

  1. a) Custom clearance Karachi Port = 3 working days (Minimum), subject to shipping documents in order at or before arrival of vessel.
  2. b) Transportation from Karachi to Torkham border=4 days, subject to normal conditions.
  3. c) Shifting cargo on another truck/trailer, if required, and custom formalities/check at Torkham/border =2 working days (Maximum), subject to working time (9am to 4pm).
  4. d) Transportation from Torkham to Kabul customs area =2days, subject to normal conditions.
  5. e) Custom formalities/check at Kabul custom = 1 working day, for non-commercial cargo, subject to working time and working day.
  6. f) Transportation from Kabul customs and delivery to consignee premises = 1day.
  7. g) Empty return from Kabul to Karachi 6 days.
  8. h) Transport time Karachi-Kabul-Karachi =16 days (approx.).

Note: – The consignees should un-load at their expense and sign/receive the goods with in 24hrs; otherwise truck/trailer detention charges on per day basis will be applicable, and also the late return of container will be subjected to detention charges.

Karachi to Kandahar: –
  1. a) Custom clearance Karachi Port = 3 days (Minimum), subject to shipping documents in order at or before arrival of vessel.
  2. b) Transportation from Karachi to Chamman border=4 days, subject to normal conditions.
  3. c) Shifting cargo on another truck/trailer, if required, and custom formalities/check at Chamman/border =2days (Maximum), subject to working time (8am to 6pm) and working day.
  4. d) Transportation from Chamman to Spin Boldak customs area =2days, subject to normal conditions.
  5. e) Custom formalities/check at Spin Boldak custom = 1day, for non-commercial cargo, subject to working time and working day.
  6. f) Transportation from Spin Boldak customs and delivery to consignee premises = 1day.
  7. g) Empty return from Kandahar to Karachi 5 days.
  8. h) Transport time Karachi-Kandahar-Karachi = 15 days (approx.)
Note: – The consignees should un-load at their expense and sign/receive the goods with in 24hrs; otherwise truck/trailer detention charges on per day basis will be applicable, and also the late return of container will be subjected to detention charges.

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