Customs & compliance
South Sudan customs clearance: a walkthrough of one consignment
The reference page lists the steps. This one follows a single consignment through them, including the places it could have gone wrong.
For the reference version, covering who administers what and under which law, see South Sudan customs clearance. This article follows the sequence as it happens, with the decision points called out.
Before anything ships
Importer status. The consignee must be registered with the National Revenue Authority and hold a TIN. If this is not in place, stop here. Nothing downstream works.
Licensing. Whether the goods need an import licence under the Imports and Exports Act.
Conformity. Whether the goods fall within the pre-export verification of conformity programme. If they do, certification happens in the country of export, before shipment.
This is the step most often skipped, and the one that cannot be recovered later.
Classification. Agree the HS codes, so the duty position is known and any permit requirements are identified. See classification
While the goods are in transit
Assemble the document set. Commercial invoice, packing list, transport document, certificate of origin, permits, and the Certificate of Conformity where applicable. Full checklist
Check them against each other. Same consignee, same description, same quantities, same values on every document. This ten minute check prevents most clearance delays.
Send them ahead. Electronically, to the clearing agent, before the goods arrive.
At the border
Declaration. The entry is lodged on the customs declaration form, known as C17 in South Sudanese practice , through the Authority's customs system.
Classification check. Customs tests the declared code against the description and, if examined, against the goods themselves.
Valuation. The customs value is established under the Customs Service Act. Decision point: if the declared value is queried, be ready with payment evidence. Arguing without documents costs days.
Assessment. Duty, VAT and any excise are assessed at the rates in force on the date of entry, as set in the Financial Act for the year.
Standards and sector checks. The Certificate of Conformity is presented where required. Goods falling under food or pharmaceutical control face additional requirements.
Examination, if selected. Decision point: the quality of your packing list determines whether this takes an hour or a day.
Payment and release.
After release
Delivery to the consignee's premises, and offloading within the free time if the cargo is in a container.
Empty return, where applicable. See detention and demurrage
Keep the file. Entry, assessment, receipts and release documents. You will want them if anything is queried later.
The five decision points, summarised
- Is the importer registered? Settle before shipment.
- Is a Certificate of Conformity required? Settle before shipment.
- Is the classification agreed? Settle before shipment.
- Will the declared value stand up? Settle before shipment.
- Does the packing list match the cargo? Settle before sealing.
Every one of them is a decision taken before shipment. None of them is a border problem, even though all of them surface at the border.
Common clearance delays and how to avoid them
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