Guinea-Bissau Customs Information
Duties and Tax Exemption
Emergency Response:
No streamlined process for crisis times has been formalized
Agreements / Conventions Description |
Ratified by Country? (Yes / No) |
WCO (World Customs Organization) member |
Yes since 19 August 2010 |
Annex J-5 Revised Kyoto Convention |
No |
OCHA Model Agreement |
No |
Tampere Convention (on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations) |
No |
Regional Agreements (on emergency/disaster response, but also customs unions, regional integration) |
Member of ECOWAS |
Exemption Regular Regime (Non-Emergency Response):
Organizational Requirements to obtain Duty Free Status |
United Nations Agencies |
Registration with Ministério Afares Estrangeiros |
Non Governmental Organizations |
Registration with Ministério Afares Estrangeiros |
Exemption Certificate Application Procedure:
Duties and Taxes Exemption Application Procedure |
Generalities (include a list of necessary documentation) |
|
Process to be followed (step by step or flowchart) |
Humanitarian organizations are tax exempted when importing humanitarian goods. The organization must send an official request - Nota Verbal - for exemption, signed ad stamped, to:
Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros, Cooperação Internacional e Comunidades Direção Geral do Protocolo de Estado, Bissau
c/c: Finance Ministry Depending on the nature of the goods, other competent ministries must also be copied. (eg: Drugs: Health Ministry) Clearing and Forwarding Agent
The Finance Ministry will evaluate the documents and authorize Customs Authorities to proceed with custom clearance process. |
The exemption legislation promulgated by the “Ministério dos negócios estrangeiros” is inserted in the Boletim Oficial. – In ANNEX
The below articles concern the importation of goods and equipment:
- Lei 2/95 do “Regime geral de isenções publicado no 24 Maio 1995
- Artigo 28 - Capitulo V “Mercadorias enviadas a organizações de natureza caritativa ou humanitária”
- Artigo 45 Secção IV “Organizações não-governamentais” e Secção V “Missões diplomáticas e consulares e organismos internacionais
Exemption Certificate Document Requirements
Duties and Taxes Exemption Certificate Document Requirements (by commodity) |
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Food |
NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education) |
Medicines |
Vehicle & Spare Parts |
Staff & Office Supplies |
Telecoms Equipment |
Invoice |
Yes Original
|
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents |
AWB/BL/ACQUI Original 1 copy |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates |
Original 1 copy |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Packing Lists |
Yes |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Other Documents |
|
|
Approval from Ministry of Health |
|
|
|
Additional Notes |
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Customs Clearance
General Information
Customs Information |
|
Embargoes |
None |
Prohibited Items |
Drugs, Weapon, Protected Species, Plastic bags |
General Restrictions |
|
Customs Clearance Document Requirements
Customs Clearance Document Requirements (by commodity) |
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|
Food |
NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education) |
Medicines |
Vehicles & Spare Parts |
Staff & Office Supplies |
Telecoms Equipment |
D&T Exemption Certificate |
Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Invoice |
Yes 1 copy |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents |
Yes 1 copy original |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates |
Yes 1 copy |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Packing Lists |
Yes 1 copy |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Phytosanitary Certificate |
Quality certificate |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Other Documents |
|
|
Approval from Ministry of Health |
|
|
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Additional Notes |
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Electronic and communication equipment There are no restriction to electronic and communication importation, including VSAT, HF and VHF equipment. UN agencies and NGO are tax exempted for importation and obtaining frequency licence.
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Transit Regime
Commodities destined foranother country can be escorted to the indicated border. All customs clearance related documents must report – IN TRANSIT – caption.
Price of the escort service is 50.000 FCFA/truck
Main Customs Offices:
Bissau is the National Customs office.
Bafatá and Gabu offices for the East Region, supervising entry points from Senegal and Guinea.
Sao Domingos Custom office is the main office for North Region supervising entry point from Senegal
Contacts
For contact information regarding government custom authorities, please follow the link below: 4.1 Guinea-Bissau Government Contact List