Free Trade Zone Importing Regulations
Import Requirements:
1.
Products/goods must be registered in Costa Rica at the Health
Department of Costa Rica (Ministerio de Salud) and/or the Agricultural
and Animal Control Department (Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganaderia).
2. Import permits (if required)
Arrival of Goods:
Imported
goods may not be entered legally until the shipment has arrived within
the limits of the port of entry and delivery of the merchandise has
been authorized by Costa Rican Customs. You will be required to hire a
Customs broker to interface between Costa Rican Customs and you.
Customs entry papers may usually be presented before the merchandise
arrives.
A Customs broker is an individual or company, regulated
by the laws of Costa Rica, that assists - for a fee - importers and
exporters in passing their merchandise through Customs and providing
the proper paper work and payments.
Most Customs brokers will require the following documents in order to assist you:
- Bill of Lading
- A Commercial Invoice
- Photocopy of your Costa Rican Identification Card, passport, or tax identification number
Costa
Rican Customs does not notify you or your Custom broker of the arrival
of your shipment. Your carrier must notify you of the arrival of your
shipment at the first point of arrival. Then, you must make your own
arrangements so that your customs broker is immediately informed and he
or she files to clear your shipment from Customs.
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Entry of Goods:
To make or file a customs entry, your Customs broker requires:
- A bill of lading as evidence of the consignee's right to make entry
- A commercial invoice, obtained from the seller, which shows the value and description of the merchandise
- Packing lists, if appropriate, and other documents necessary to determine whether the merchandise may be admitted
When
the entry is filed, Customs determines the tariff classification, and
requests your customs broker to show all the required import permits
(if necessary) and to pay any estimated customs duty.
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Customs Examination of Goods:
Customs
examination of goods may take place on the docks, at container
stations, cargo terminals or at Customs warehouses. Customs Examination
is required to determine proper classification, appraisal and customs
duties due for the goods.
Customs, at its own discretion or at random, will decide what type of examination your products will require.
There can be three types of examinations:
- A
physical examination where a Customs Inspector and your customs broker
- you may also attend - will start physically examining your products
to ensure that is properly labeled indicating the name of the country
of origin and the ultimate purchaser in Costa Rica; that the products
are correctly invoiced; that the shipment does not contain prohibited
articles; that the quantity of goods invoiced matches with the quantity
of goods that were shipped.
- A document examination where a Customs inspector looks at your documents and ensures that they are all in order.
- A
liquidation examination where the Customs inspector appraises the
merchandise and determines Customs duties you have to pay and ensures
that they are paid.
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Customs Liquidation of Goods:
When
all the information has been acquired, including the Customs
examination report and import permits submitted by your Customs broker,
a final determination of duty is made and your Customs broker will be
required to pay such duty on your behalf.
Once the Customs duty
is paid, Customs will release your products and your Customs broker
will inform you that you can pick up your shipment at a specific
Customs Office. Read More... Exporting Regulations
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