Customs Information
Egypt - Returning Citizen
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED 
- Sea waybill / or Original Bill of Lading and Air Way Bill with proper name of consignee (as written on passport) C/O Egyptian employer/ authority name and address
- Passport (original) - with entry stamp date of maximum 6 months old
- Typed Inventory (Egyptian Customs do not accept handwritten Inventories)
- Detailed inventory, valued, dated, and signed in English
- Letter of guarantee
- Keys for car or any locked baggage, safes
- Authorization letters (SAMPLE in Arabic) to handle the shipment, locally issued in Egypt, and letter forms can be provided to client
- Power of Attorney prior to shipment booked for departure from origin if sea freight - used to obtain ACID number for clearance and to be listed on the BL.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
- All items are subject to taxes, including consumables.
- All audio visual goods (tapes, video, books, DVD, CD ROMS, etc.) will be inspected, viewed, read by Customs and released no sooner than 3 weeks after import.
- Packing list must be clear and legible as it will be translated into Arabic; do not indicate “miscellaneous,” “packed by owner,” or "PBO.”
- Private owners of the goods must pay duties and taxes.
- All shipments, from private to half-diplomatic are subject to Customs inspection.
- Extra charges may be applied for the inspection of special items, including: alcohol, food, phones, paintings, etc.; check with agent for details.
- Inspection fees and taxes are paid by the owner of the goods.
- All private owners of the goods not having a letter of guarantee must pay duties and taxes in cash.
- The letter of guarantee states an amount of money corresponding to the amount of duties and taxes to be paid; these funds are placed into a bank account and released to the owner of the goods when moving out of Egypt; at that time, all items must be exported, otherwise taxes and fines will be paid on each missing item.
- The inventory must state the model, brand, size and content (e.g., Sony 40” television) for all electrical and electronic items.
- Instruction manuals must be attached to printers and fax machines.
- Wood packaging must be treated and stamped as per ISPM15 standards; Wooden crates in air or sea shipments must be fumigated.
- Advanced Cargo Identification Declaration (ACID) number - agent in country will provide
MOTOR VEHICLES
- All motor vehicles for Egyptians are dutiable.
- Vehicle must be new.
- Consignee must be the first owner/buyer of his imported vehicle
- Requirements are: Ownership certificate from Traffic Authority at country of origin (notarized by Egyptian Consulate/Embassy)
- For non-diplomats, taxes will range from 70% to 170 % CIF value (the value is assessed by the Customs officers).
ANIMALS & PETS
Animals and pets can be imported into Egypt by providing:
- Legalized health condition certificate. Legalization must be by Egyptian embassy at origin country.
- Vaccination certificate from a registered veterinarian.
- Original passport of pet.
- Original passport of owner and newly dated entry stamp
- Authorization letter, locally issued in Egypt. - if pet is travelling in with owner, no letter is required.
DUTIABLE ITEMS
- All household shipments for Egyptian citizens are duly duty paid.
- Updated duty & tax rates as of Jan 2009 are:
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Type: value+duty
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Duty % of value:
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Taxes % of:
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Vehicles: - as per CC: Duty + taxes range: 61% to 250 %. See below categories:
a) less than 1000 CC: 61%
b) from 1000 –to- 1599 CC: 67%
c) from 1600 –to- 1999 CC: 200%
d) from 2000 CC & over: 250%
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Electronics
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30 %
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25 %
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Furniture
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30 %
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10 %
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Computers
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Free
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10 %
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Books
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5 %
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Free
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Consumable
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30 %
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10 %
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Clothes (used) Free
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Free
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Free
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New clothes Duty & tax range:
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US$ 10 - 250.00 /each piece
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RESTRICTED ITEMS
- Video tapes, computer disks, cassette tapes, CD's, DVD's, Records, and slides are subject to censorship authority approval and are subject to confiscation in the event that they fall into the category of prohibited items listed below
- Printers, scanners, fax machines, copiers, and satellite receivers require additional approval by the Ministry of Interior. The brand and model number of any such items must be included on the packing inventory. Inclusion of the owner manual for any such item will assist in clearance from the Ministry
- High value works of art, including statues and paintings will be examined by a special committee for evaluation purposes. This evaluation is time consuming and costly and will delay customs clearance process
- Foods & medicine, to be examined by health authorities.
- What might be deemed as commercial such as large quantity of item. If included in shipment higher duties apply and clearing process gets more complicated and costly.
PROHIBITED ITEMS
- Alcoholic beverages of any kind - Contravening this regulation will impose severe penalties and criminal charges on the customer and its employer. This infringement will also have serious consequences for our branch and the freight forwarder.
- All telephones (mobile, wireless, normal home phones)
- Pornographic Materials
- Drugs
- Perishable foods
- Firearms and weapons, ammunition, daggers and swords (even as decorative items)
- Anti-Islamic religious materials
- Gold and silver jewelry & ornaments (tableware permitted)
- Bank notes & coins
- Seeds
- Any kind of drones, airplanes with remote control with / without video cameras (even for kids)
- Motor Cycles of two stroke engine
- Microscope, telescopes & binoculars (even for kids)
- Any kinds of Maps or Globes (even for kids)
- Used medical equipment or machines
- Army clothes
- High quantity of Cosmetics , medicines , shampoo , cream