WHAT TO DO TO IMPORT?

Welcome to ZEIKY, your Foreign Trade Information and Guidance Center. Our mission is to provide guidance on foreign trade
related issues to businesspeople who are about to start the process to import their products.
Monday-Thursday:
Friday:
Below youll find the basic steps of the import process:
OUR BUSINESS HOURS:

9:00 AM a 4:00 PM Uninterrupted Schedule

9:00 AM a 1:00 PM Uninterrupted Schedule

1. IDENTIFICATION OF THE TARIFF SUBHEADING CODE:

In order to identify the tariff subheading code of your product, you have two options: 1) To use custom tariffs, and/or 2) Through the help
provided by the ZEIKY Business Information Center. (It is important to note that the Department of Internal Revenue and Customs of
Colombia, the DIAN from its Spanish acronym of Direccion de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales de Colombia) is the only entity authorized
to determine the tariff classification, as per the Decree 2685/99 Art.236 and Ruling 4240/00 Art. 154 - 157 of the DIAN Tariff Division. Tel.
6-079999 Ext. 2128/2129. Cost: Half a Legal Monthly Minimum Wage, SMLMV, as per the Spanish acronym).

2.REGISTRATION AS AN IMPORTER:
The importer has to register at the Chamber of Commerce. The Government of Colombia issued the Decree 2788 on August 31,
2004, regulating the Unique Tax Registry (RUT from its Spanish acronym). It became the new and sole mechanism to identify, locate
and classify those that are subject to the obligations managed and controlled by the Department of Internal Revenue and Customs of
Colombia (The DIAN). In order to carry out import activities, you will need to specify import activity in box 54 and 55.

3. MARKET RESEARCH:
Conduct market research and economic feasibility studies for the imported goods analyzing, among other aspects: the price of the product
in the international market, international shipping costs, import costs and other expenses that may arise.

4. PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
4.1 Verify the tariff subheading code of the product to be imported in order to learn which fiscal duties (tariffs, and sale tax - VAT) and
other requirements may apply to your product.

4.2 Refer to the Customs Tariff in order to verify if the product to be imported is subject to approvals and pre-registration at entities such
as the ICA (Colombian Agricultural Institute), INVIMA (National Institute of Medication and Food Surveillance), the Ministry of
Mining, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Private Surveillance and
Security Superintendence, the Industry and Commerce Superintendence, INGEOMINAS (Colombian Institute of Geology and
Mining), among others.
If your product is not subject to any prerequisites, it requires no import registration authorization.
4.3 If you trade in goods, you must be a member of the Chamber of Commerce and request the Unique Tax Registry (RUT). Then at the
Department of Internal Revenue and Customs of Colombia - The DIAN request the Fiscal Identification Number (the NIT) located in
Bogot on Calle 75 # 15-43 for individuals o or on Carrera 6 # 15-32 for corporations.

5. FILING WITH THE MINISTRY OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND TOURISM: if the Import Registration is required
This procedure is only conducted electronically at the VUCE (Ventanilla Unica de Comercio Exterior): www.vuce.gov.co

- To import goods over US$1,000:

a) It is necessary to purchase the Digital Certificate or Digital Signature from www.certicamara.com and/or www.gse.com.co, and
then visit www.vuce.gov.co, and use the link: User Registration (Registro de Usuarios), to obtain a username and a password.
b) Log on to www.vuce.gov.co and use the link: Help / Imports (Ayuda / Importaciones) and then download the programs and user
manuals.

c) Then, you must obtain the Import Registration online at www.vuce.gov.co, clicking on the Import link and make the electronic
payment. The price of the Import Registration, for every 1800 characters, is COP$ 30,000 (US$16.58)

- To import goods under US$1,000:

a) Register at the Operational group, Calle 28 # 13 A 15 Local 3, having a Chamber of Commerce membership and a Unique Tax
Registry (RUT).

b) Sign the Terms and Conditions at the Operational group. Via e-mail, you will be assigned a username and a password.
c) Prepare the Import Registration with the system of the VUCE at www.vuce.gov.co
d) Pay for the electronic Import Registration.
Note: Any Importer that employs a CUSTOMS AGENCY or a Special Attorney to obtain the Import Registration must provide them with
an authenticated power of attorney as well as complete the VUCE Terms and Conditions form. The agency or attorney can then file at the
VUCE to be authorized by the system to register the products being imported.

www.mincomercio.gov.co

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Any companies or individuals who have a digital signature and who are interested in maintaining a database of the information that has
been registered, may purchase the VUCE application at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, which will facilitate data transfers. It
has a cost of three Legal Monthly Minimum Wages.

6. CURRENCY EXCHANGE PROCEDURES FOR IMPORTS:

The Foreign Exchange Regime establishes the obligation of channeling payments through authorized exchange market intermediaries
(commercial banks, financial corporations, etc.). The importer must send the funds to cover the imports abroad, after obtaining the
FOREIGN EXCHANGE STATEMENT No. 1 (DECLARACIN DE CAMBIO No.1) form

7. OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Review the International Commercial Terms (INCOTERMS), and if you are required to pay for international shipping, hire the freight
company with which youll negotiate the costs for shipping the goods to the most suitable Colombian port, and to which you may indicate
the Customs Warehouse where you wish to store the goods until they are nationalized.

8. NATIONALIZATION PROCESS:
8.1 Once the goods are at the Customs Warehouse in Colombia, we recommend that you request authorization to perform a preinspection before submitting the Import Statement and other documents, when and if any questions arise regarding the description,
serial numbers, specification or amounts.

8.2 If the goods being imported are US$5,000 or above, it is necessary to file the ANDEAN STATEMENT OF CUSTOMS VALUE. This is
a supporting document for the Import Statement, which determines the Customs value (which is the basis for the payment of custom
fees) of the goods being imported, and it specifies the expenses incurred in during the operation.

8.3 The payment of custom fees (Tariffs and VAT), is made through the IMPORT STATEMENT. Said fees are paid to financial
st

intermediaries, at the customs where the Siglo XXI (21 Century) Computer System operates, the forms are filed electronically.

8.4 Under the Customs Statute (Decree 2685/99), the following will be authorized to act directly before the DIAN:
Any Corporation importing goods that do not exceed, per unit, the FOB value of one thousand dollars (US$1,000), may act
personally and directly through its legal representative or attorney.

Any individuals importing goods that do not exceed, per unit, the FOB value of one thousand dollars (US$1,000), may act
personally and directly.

Travelers who are dispatching their own baggage.

NOTE: For imports above on thousand dollars (US$1,000), it is necessary to hire the services of a CUSTOMS AGENCY to handle the
process.

8.5 To collect or pick up the goods, after paying customs fees, you must go to the Bonded Customs Warehouse where the goods are kept,
presenting the following documents, which will be reviewed by a customs official and such documents shall be kept for a minimum
period of five years:

I.
I.
I.
I.

Commercial Invoice
Import Registration or License, if required.
Import Statement
Andean Customs Value Statement, if required

I.
I.
I.
I.

Shipping List
Certificate of Origin (depending on the product and the Origin)
Bill of Lading (Air Guide Waybill)
Other certificates or approvals, if required.

8.6 The computer system of the customs office determines if the goods may be collected automatically or if a physical inspection of the
goods is required. In the former, the goods may be collected once authorized by the Warehouse or the Customs Official, in the latter,
the inspector of the DIAN will verify that the statements match the goods, for which a collection authorization if requested.
IMPORTING SAMPLES WITHOUT COMMERCIAL VALUE:
Any goods declared as samples without commercial value will be considered as such, and they must be covered in a proforma or
commercial invoice.
No registration or license is required to import said goods, except when their conditions or nature make it necessary to obtain approvals or
meet requirements that involve licenses or import registrations. In any case, these goods will be subject to Custom Fees as per the
provisions of the corresponding tariff subheading code.

www.mincomercio.gov.co

www.proexport.com.co