Overview of Customs Procedures

Table of Contents

1. Overview of Customs Procedures

2. Customs Regimes

3. List of Customs Procedure Codes

4. List of Entry Ports and Codes

5. Description of Specimen Documents

6. Citations

Overview of Customs Procedures

Imports into Venezuela are governed by the provisions of the Organic Customs

Laws of May 25, 1999. The authority responsible for enforcement of the Customs

Laws is the National Customs and Tax Administration Service (SENIAT).

Incoming shipments are held in a bonded site designated by SENIAT until the

shipment clears customs. Import entries are lodged with SENIAT via the customs

electronic system known as SIDUNEA++. The system has been automated in all

the main and most of the secondary customs offices and it is estimated that by the

end of 2005 automatization will cover the entire national customs system. With

automation, the Single Customs Declataion is not stamped.

The electronic entry form is the Single Customs Declaration. The entry is

validated by the SIDUNEA ++ system, which activates an automated risk analysis

that assigns immediate release upon duty payment, document review, or full

examination. Validation of entries under document review or full examination is

blocked until the corresponding procedure has been completed by customs

officers. Once completed, the SIDUNEA ++ system validates the entry and

permits the printing of forms needed to make payment of duty, taxes, and customs

fee to an authorized national bank. Once the payments are made, the

Determination of Duty Payment form is issued and stamped by SENIAT. The

customs clearance procedure is completed with the issuance of the Exit Permit

generated by the SIDUNEA ++ system. The customs officer at the customs

holding site verifies the total units declared on the entry against the actual items

being held. The customs officer then issues the Exit Permit with his stamp and

signature.

Agricultural and food products are subject to the same procedure. The

Autonomous Agro Health Service (SASA) is responsible for conducting an

inspection and issuing a certificate permitting entry of the imported goods. Given

the risk level of food items, document review and inspection by SASA is be part

of the import procedure. The Exit Permit is issued only after government

agencies have authorized entry.

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