Importing goods into Qatar as a business

Who this is for

Businesses that already have (or are setting up) a Qatari commercial registration covering a trading or import activity, and that need to bring goods into Qatar for sale, use or re-export. It does not cover personal items brought in by travellers, small postal or courier parcels, or goods moving only within the Qatar Free Zones or the Qatar Financial Centre, which can have their own arrangements. If you have not yet registered a company, see our guide on registering a company in Qatar first.

Before you start

• A valid commercial registration (CR) and commercial licence that cover a trading or import activity.
• Registration with the General Authority of Customs so your company has (or can activate) a customs code linked to its commercial registration.
• A way to submit customs declarations: directly on the Al Nadeeb electronic clearance system (also reachable through the eCustoms portal), or through a licensed clearing agent who submits on your behalf.
• The correct Harmonized System (HS) code for each product you plan to import, which determines the duty rate and any extra requirements.
• A check of whether your goods appear on the customs prohibited goods list, or on the list of goods restricted or controlled by another authority (for example food, live animals, plants or veterinary products), since these need extra approvals or cannot be imported at all.
• Commercial and shipping documents from your supplier: a commercial or pro forma invoice, a packing list, a bill of lading or airway bill, and a certificate of origin.

Steps

1. Have the right commercial registration and customs code

   Your commercial registration needs an activity that covers trading or importing. On top of that, register with the General Authority of Customs so your company can obtain or activate a customs code linked to its commercial registration. This code is what connects your shipments to your company when you or your clearing agent file a declaration.

2. Classify your goods with an HS code

   Every traded product needs a Harmonized System (HS) code. The customs website provides an HS user guide and an electronic tool (HSsify) to help find the right code. The code decides the duty rate that applies and whether the product needs an extra permit from another authority.

3. Check for prohibited or restricted goods

   Before you ship, check the customs website's list of goods that are prohibited outright (examples the site lists include ivory, certain narcotic plants and preparations, asbestos, used tyres and electronic smoking devices). Separately, a list of goods controlled under the tariff (for example many foodstuffs, live animals, plants and veterinary products) shows which other ministry or authority, alongside Customs, must approve that product's entry.

4. Prepare your shipping documents

   Gather the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or airway bill, and certificate of origin for the shipment. Customs says it accepts electronic certificates of origin and electronic invoices when they are issued by a recognised chamber of commerce or competent authority and can be verified online; otherwise, properly certified paper documents are needed.

5. Submit your customs declaration through Al Nadeeb

   Al Nadeeb is the General Authority of Customs' electronic single-window system, connecting importers, exporters, clearing agents, shipping lines and other government authorities. It applies risk management and selectivity to decide which shipments need a physical inspection, with a stated aim of keeping inspections below 5% of shipments.

6. Pay the duty and collect your goods

   Once the declaration is accepted and any required approvals and inspection are complete, you pay the customs duty for your HS code (through Al Nadeeb or your clearing agent) and the goods are released. If an inspection finds a mismatch with your documents, extra duties or a fine can apply.

7. Consider trade-facilitation programmes if they fit your business

   Customs lists several facilities: an Approved Economic Operator programme offering benefits to supply-chain partners that meet its compliance terms; an import-for-re-export initiative letting importers in certain sectors bring in goods for re-export while deferring duty; and the ATA Carnet, run with the Qatar Chamber, for temporary duty-free entry of eligible goods under the Istanbul agreement.

Good to know

• Qatar is part of the GCC Customs Union, under which procedures already completed at a member state's first point of entry are not repeated at internal GCC borders; other GCC customs posts handle only what was not already done.
• Al Nadeeb replaced an older system called Binneima and is designed around risk management, faster clearance and reduced physical inspection, in line with World Customs Organization and World Trade Organization standards.
• Customs' own prohibited goods list and the separate controlled/restricted goods list are published on its website; both can change, so check them for your specific product before you ship, not just once.
• The Standard Guide for Clearing Requirements of Imported Goods is a GCC-wide document (in effect since a December 2014 Supreme Council decision) covering food, medicine, consumer goods and goods needing veterinary or agricultural quarantine; the detailed requirements are in its chapters, not on the summary web page.
• A clearing agent files declarations on Al Nadeeb on your behalf if you do not want to do this directly.
• The Authority’s pages we could read do not describe how to register for a customs code, so confirm that step with the General Authority of Customs or a licensed clearing agent. Duty rates depend on your product: use the tariff schedule and inquiry tool linked below.