Export to Venezuela - Fedex

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Venezuela Country Profile

* Country Information
* Trade Group Member
* General Import Clearance Information
* Venezuela Import Prohibitions
* General Import Restrictions
* Venezuela Import Restrictions
* Special Import Provisions
o Personal Effects
o Samples
o Gifts
* Standards
* General Export Clearance Information
* Venezuela Export Prohibitions
* General Export Restrictions
* Venezuela Export Restrictions
* Regulatory Contact Information

Country Information
Capital: Caracas
Population: 26,023,528 (July 2007 est.)
Language: Spanish
Weights and Measures: Metric System
Currency: 1 bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos
Time Zone 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-4).



Trade Group Member

Venezuela is a member of a number of international economic organizations and participates in bilateral trade agreements as follows:

Group of Three (G3)
Venezuela has expanded its relations with Mexico and Colombia through the Group of Three Free Trade Agreement that became effective 01/01/1995. It covers not only commercial issues but also fundamental areas of economic relations, such as services, investment, intellectual copyrights, and public sector procurement, etc.

Andean Pact - Venezuela is a member of the Andean Pact that consists of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Peru. As a member, VE benefits from the groups free trade zone and free trade agreement. The most active trade partners are those that share contiguous borders, as transportation is difficult.

CARICOM - Caribbean Community and Common Market was organized in 1973 to promote unity among the small nations of the Caribbean. The main purpose of the organization is to promote the economic integration of its 14 members which are: Antiqua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Cristobal and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.

Regional Scope Agreements
In 1982, under the decree of the Treaty of Montevideo, the Association of Latin American Integration Association (officially ALADI) was formed by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The goal is to establish a common market for its member nations through progressive tariff reductions until the elimination of tariff barriers therefore encouraging free trade.

Multilateral organizations
World Trade Organization/General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was established January 1995 and currently has 144 member countries. The WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world's trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.

World Customs Organization was established in 1952 as the Customs Co-operation Council, the WCO is an independent, intergovernmental body whose mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs Administrations. With 159 member governments, it is the only intergovernmental worldwide organization competent in Customs matters.

Bilateral Agreements
(Economic Complementation, Free and Preferential Trade, and Partial Scope) Signed by:

Argentina Dominican Republic Nicaragua
Bolivia Ecuador Panama
Brazil El Salvador Paraguay
Chile Guatemala Peru
Colombia Honduras Uruguay
Costa Rica Mexico Venezuela
Environmental Agreements
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Temporary Non-Reciprocal Agreements
CARICOM - Caribbean Community and Common Market - Colombia, Dominican Republic, Venezuela




General Import Clearance Information

Clearance Process
Customs in Venezuela is gradually modernizing its processes and making strides to eliminate delays and facilitate trade between nations. Standard customs clearance processing takes approximately five to eight working days, therefore it is important that shipments arrive properly documented and with all relevant information. By law all goods presented at the port of arrival for customs clearance must be processed completely including payment of all assessed duties, taxes and related fees within five days of arrival. Fines may be levied and applied to any shipment when the customs entry is made later than five days after the arrival of the shipments.



Document Requirements
All shippers are urged to provide all documents tendered for customs purposes in Spanish to avoid delays in processing. The commercial invoice presented must be: typewritten, signed in contrasting ink for original copies, (1 original and 2 copies must travel with the shipment.) Photocopies will not be accepted. The commercial invoice must include the standard requirements for customs and list for each item invoiced:
Detailed description of the commodity (IN SPANISH and shippers native language)

HS Tariff number per commodity
Value per commodity unit shipped
Total value of commodity units shipped
Country of Manufacture
Quantity
Unit of Measure per commodity
Packaging or additional cost incurred for the shipment Exporters should quote CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) prices. Insurance and freight must be listed separately on the invoice. Shipping and insurance cost should also be listed separately.

For presentation of large consolidations or the import manifest and declaration of value must be in quadruplicate. To simplify the import process for a large amount of cargo for one project, a single declaration can be prepared for all items, and each item listed separately with its respective tariff harmonized schedule number.

The following documents are required for all import shipments regardless of value:

* Commercial Invoice

* Air waybill or bill of lading - the declared value for customs must match the value listed on the commercial invoice.

* Packing List

* Certificate of Origin (commodity based but may be required by importer for all goods)

The following documents may be required depending on the commodity being imported:

* Special Certificates

o Import Licenses , Permits

o Phytosanitary declarations , Certificates

o Quality standards

o Health registration, etc.

Consignee
All shipments must be made on a direct consignment basis. Customs regulations stipulate that the consignee is the owner of the shipment and is responsible for all customs payments and permits

Labeling and Marking Requirements
All products as mandated by law must be properly labeled as per specific commodity requirements in order to enter the commerce of Venezuela. Stickers can be used for marking of some imported products. The stickers must comply with all commodity specific requirements and must identify the local impoter. Operating instructions or owners manuals must be in Spainsh. Common commodities affected are:

* Food (for human or animal consumption)

* Medicines

* Cosmetics

* Medical devices

Packaging of some commodities must also meet stated agency requirements.

Food
Products packaging labels must list all ingredients, identify quantity or units of product included per package in the metric system or in units, as well as the product registration number of the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Production and Commerce in the case of animal feeds. Requirements vary by commodity and origin.

Medications
Products packaging labels must list all ingredients, identify quantity or units of product included per package in the metric system or in units, recommended dosage, warnings as well as the product registration number of the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Production and Commerce in the case of veterinary medicines. Requirements vary by commodity and origin.



Customs Valuation
Based on the WTO/GATT, the Customs value of goods tendered for entry into the commerce of VENEZUELA shall be determined as follows:

The Customs value of imported goods shall be the transaction value, that is the price actually paid or payable for the goods when sold or exported to the country of importation.

If the Customs value of the imported goods cannot be determined under the transaction value method, then the Customs value shall be the transaction value of similar goods.

If the Customs value of the imported goods cannot be determined under similar goods, then the Customs value shall be based on a deductive method.

If the Customs value of the imported goods cannot be determined by the deductive method, then the value will be based on a computed method.

If the Customs value cannot be determined by any of the above methods, then the Customs value shall be determined by using reasonable means consistent with the principles and the provisions mentioned under point 1 to 5 above on the basis of available data in the Customs territory subject to certain limitations.

Customs values shipments based on CIF value, using the commercial invoice as basis. Because invoices are normally made in dollar currency but duties and fees are assessed in local currency, the total cost of duties might vary according to exchange fluctuations.



Import Duties
The import duties are calculated using the WTO/ GATT HS Tariff classification system on the CIF (COST, INSURANCE and FREIGHT) value of the shipment and are assessed, due and payable at time of arrival into the commerce of Venezuela.

Value added tax (VAT)
Venezuela applies a flat 14 percent Value Added Tax on the total customs value of all import shipments based on the following formula: Import Duty + CIF value + Customs Fee + Customs Stamp Fee.

An exception to normal VAT is in place for goods consigned to Margarita Island which is subject to an 8% VAT rate.



Antidumping
N/A

Excise Duties
N/A

Additional Duties
N/A

Import Taxes
N/A

Customs Fees
Customs charges a nominal fee for processing of all shipments and in some cases an additional stamp fee is added to offset the cost of processing these imports. Both the Customs Fee and Customs Stamp Fee are calculated on CIF value.



Exchange Controls
There is an Exchange Control in effect regulated by the Comision de Administracion de Divisas (CADIVI) where nearly all imports and export activities are affected. Additional documentation is require for all non docs exports (Carta de Intencion de Exportacion) and Solicitud de Divisas Preferenciales for imports were consignee chooses to use preferred exchange rate at the official rate. This is optional up to this date.

Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT's)
Technical barriers or non-tariff barriers to trade as they are sometimes
known, can cause many problems for exporters looking for new markets for
their products. These barriers can be in the form of regulations, standards,
testing and certification procedures. The World Trade Organization (WTO)
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade tries to ensure that these barriers
do not create unnecessary obstacles. To obtain further information on
Technical Barriers to Trade as well as Notifications on technical
regulations and conformity assessment procedures, go to the WTO website at
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tbt_e/tbt_e.htm.


Consular Fees
There is a charge of $70 USD by the Venezuela Consulate for all paperwork and/or document legalization. The amount must be paid by money order.



General Import Clearance Information
In some instances import permits from a designated ministry or agency is necessary. In order to obtain an import permit, the importer may need an original set of documents relating to the transaction from the exporter. In these instances, original documents should be sent to the importer in advance of the shipment to facilitate the timely processing of the permit. Not obtaining the import permit in advance of the shipment can prove to be costly with customs penalties and storage fees, all of which the importer must guarantee prior to release being granted by customs.

Tariff Structure
As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Venezuela has adopted the harmonized tariff schedule.

Tariff and Import Taxes
There are six types of duties and taxes:

* Import duties (standard Ad valorem duty based on tariff classification)

* Value Added Tax (VAT)

* Custom's Fee

* Custom's Stamp Fee

* Variable duties (applied only to food products with an international price variation)

* Excise taxes (applied to imports of alcoholic beverages and tobacco)

o All imports are assessed a one percent customs handling charge.

Ancom Decision 370 introduced a common external tariff for all member countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela). This common external tariff has four brackets - 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% that apply to over 6500 products. Exceptions include the automotive sector and certain agricultural products that are subject to duties in excess of 35%.

Inspection
All imports are subject to inspection by the Customs Authorities (SENIAT), the National Guard (Guardia Nacional), and the Anti-Drug Organization (Comado Antidroga). There are no fees for inspection.

Value added tax (VAT)
Venezuela applies a flat 14 percent Value Added Tax on the total customs value of all import shipments based on the following formula: Import Duty + CIF value + Customs Fee + Customs Stamp Fee.

An exception to normal VAT is in place for goods consigned to Margarita Island which is subject to an 8% VAT rate.






Venezuela Import Prohibitions

*
Dangerous Goods as defined by IATA (International Air Transportation Association) regulations
*
Used autos, used clothing and used tires.
*
Pork from most countries
*
Eggs of animals
*
Ice, blue
*
Inflammable chemical products, fungicides, fertilizers, etc.
*
Medicines (Tylenol)
*
Playing Cards
*
Pornographic Materials
*
Viagra





General Import Restrictions

The following items are not acceptable for carriage to any international destinations unless otherwise indicated. (Additional restrictions may apply depending on destination. Various regulatory clearances in addition to customs clearance may be required for certain commodities, thereby extending the transit time.)

* APO/FPO addresses.

* C.O.D. shipments.

* Human corpses, human organs or body parts, human and animal embryos, or cremated or disinterred human remains.

* Explosives (Class 1.4 explosives are acceptable for carriage to Canada, Germany, Japan, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom. Note: United Arab Emirates only allows Class 1.4 explosives to be shipped hold- for- pick-up to the FedEx Express facility in Dubai.)

* Firearms, weaponry, and their parts (acceptable between the U.S. and Puerto Rico).

* Perishable foodstuffs and foods and beverages requiring refrigeration or other environmental control.

* Live animals (including insects) except via our Live Animal Desk (1.800.405.9052).

* Plants and plant material, including cut flowers (cut flowers are acceptable from the U.S. to selected points in Canada and from Colombia, Ecuador and the Netherlands to the U.S.).

* Lottery tickets and gambling devices where prohibited by local, state, provincial or national law.

* Money (coins, cash, currency, paper money and negotiable instruments equivalent to cash such as endorsed stocks, bonds and cash letters).

* Collectible coins and stamps.

* Pornographic and/or obscene material.

* Hazardous waste, including, but not limited to, used hypodermic needles or syringes or other medical waste.

* Shipments that may cause damage to, or delay of, equipment, personnel or other shipments.

* Shipments that require us to obtain any special license or permit for transportation, importation or exportation.

* Shipments whose carriage, importation or exportation is prohibited by any law, statute or regulation.

* Shipments with a declared value for customs in excess of that permitted for a specific destination.

* Dangerous goods except as permitted under the Dangerous Goods section of these terms and conditions.

* Processed or unprocessed dead animals, including insects and pets. Taxidermy-finished hunting trophies or completely processed (dried) specimens of whole animals or parts of animals are acceptable for shipment into the U.S.

* Packages that are wet, leaking or emit an odor of any kind.

* Wildlife products that require U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service export clearance by FedEx prior to exportation from the U.S.

* Shipments* being processed under:

Duty drawback claims unless advance arrangements are made.

Temporary Import Bonds - acceptable under the FedEx International Broker Select option, for initial import only.

U.S. State Department licenses.

Carnets.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration export permit.

Shipments destined to or being withdrawn from a Foreign Trade Zone.

Letters of Credit (however, shipments covered by a Letter of Credit calling for a "Courier Receipt" as defined by Article 25 of UCP 600 may move via FedEx International Priority).

Certificate of Registration shipments (CF4455).

Shipments moving into or out of Foreign Trade Zones or bonded warehouses.

*You may be able to ship these items via FedEx International Premium, FedEx International Express Freight (IXF), FedEx International Airport-to-Airport (ATA) or FedEx International Controlled Export. For information on FedEx International Premium, IXF and ITA, call FedEx Express Freight Services at 1.800.332.0807. For information on FedEx International Controlled Export, call International Customer Service at 1.800.247.4747or your local FedEx customer service representative.






Venezuela Restrictions

Alcohol

FedEx requires both the importer and exporter to be licensed enities in order to receive liquor/alcohol shipments. The "tax band" must be affixed across the bottle closure before the shipment can leave the customs premises. Gift shipments of alcohol are also included in this prohibition. A Certificate from the Department of Health is required of consignee, a Sanitary permit from the origin country and destination country is also required.

Antiques/Cultural Goods

Antiques and Cultural Goods must be at least 100 years old and have a certificate of origin to be accepted as such in order to be imported/exported duty free. You must also secure a special registry before the Customs main office (SENIAT).

Arms and Explosives

Arms and explosives require an import permit from the Ministry of Interior.

Automobiles

New automobiles are dutiable and must be imported the same year the automobile was manufactured. The auto odometer must not read more than 100 miles. Owners of new automobiles must be returning Venezuela citizens or hold a visa to reside in Venezuela. The importer must be at least 18 years of age.

Used automobiles are prohibited unless the following criterion has been met:

*
Only Venezuelans or returning residents import used automobiles. TR3 or TR5 Visa bearers are not considered residents and cannot import vehicles
*
Importer must have stayed abroad for at least 1-year prior to import
*
Automobile must have been owned and used by the importer for a minimum of 11 months in the country of origin
*
Automobile must be personal property of the owner and registered in his name by the authorities in the country of origin.
*
One automobile per importer and valued under $20,000 USD. Used automobiles must be produced or assembled in Venezuela.



Automobile Parts

Used automobile parts and components are acceptable for import. There are no special licenses or permits required but rebuilt parts must adhere to quality standards imposed by the VENEZUELA Standards Institute.

Food/Food Products

Food and food products require registration through the Ministry of Health.

Cheese/Products, Corn, Flour, Margarine, Milk/Products, and Sugar require an import license from the Ministry of Health.

Medicines

Medicines must be authorized by the Minister of Health, Agriculture and Boviculture of Venezuela. Import of medicine for personal use is allowed provided the recipient has a prescription. A copy of the prescription must accompany the shipment.

Please Note:

* Prescription Drugs should be no more than 3 months' supply
* Non-Prescription Drugs should be limited to 5 pieces of each item
* Tylenol and Viagra are prohibited for import



Medical Devices

Medical equipment, apparatus, systems, etc., whether imported or locally manufactured, must be registered with the Ministry of Health's Office of Registration and Control for Medical and Paramedical Equipment and Supplies (OICEMP). Currently, the Venezuelan Ministry of Health is establishing an audit and control infrastructure with the Venezuelan Customs to inspect the equipment's origin and specifications before it can actually be sold in the local market. Only those goods that have approval and bear approval seal/marking can be sold/imported.

The registration of medical devices requires the following information:

*
Certificate to Foreign Government
*
Letter of Authorization
*
Final Product Drawings
*
List of Components/Materials
*
Manufacturing Location
*
Manufacturing Method
*
Labels/Directions for Use
*
Packaging Materials
*
Quality Control Test Methods/Records
*
Stability Studies/Certificate
*
Clinical Publications
*
Product Brochure (Catalog Page)



Some products can only be imported by government agencies; cigarette paper (tax authorities calculate cigarette tax on the volume of cigarette paper imported by the manufacturers), bank notes, weapons of war and certain explosives. The government can delegate authority to import on its behalf, and can place orders for such products with the local sales agents of the foreign manufacturers

Weapons for private use, such as shotguns, sporting rifles, air rifles, non-military pistols and commercial explosives can only be imported with authorization of the National Office of Arms and Explosives of the Interior Ministry and of a company owned by the Ministry of Defense named CAVIM (the latter can be delegated to established stores and users of commercial explosives).

The import of waste is prohibited into Venezuela, however there are exceptions such as those for industrial raw material (wastepaper, scrap metal, textile waste). Please contact the Ministry of Health for additional information.







Special Import Provisions



Personal Effects


Personal effects having a FOB value not exceeding $100 USD will be exempted from duties and taxes. For a shipment to be considered under this providence, airbill description must include the legend "personal effects".



Samples
The customs law and its regulations allow the import of merchandise on a temporary basis for exhibitions, cultural purposes, demonstrations, scientific purposes or specific contracts. The importer must request permission for temporary entry, providing an exact description of the merchandise, its number or volume, its value and its expected date of re-export. Temporary entry forms may be requested from the Gerente de Aduanas del SENIAT.

Shipments containing samples, items of no commercial value or values not exceeding US $100.00 are delivered duty free, however a bond covering the full value of the duty payable in case the products stay in the country must be obtained which will be returned once the products have left the country. Normally, temporary entry permits are granted for a maximum stay of up to six months. For a shipment to be considered under this providence, the air bill description must include the legend "sample-no commercial value".

The two percent customs handling charge must be paid and is not reimbursable. In some cases a reimbursable collateral is requested for temporary imports.

Temporary entry of samples by visiting businessmen is allowed, but the determination of what is a sample is left to the customs agent at the port of entry. Samples arriving unaccompanied as freight are never considered as such, unless declared as having no commercial value and prepared in such a form that they cannot be sold commercially.

Customs official may request special permits depending of the type of samples being imported. Some samples may require sanitary or sencamer permits no matter how small the quantities and weight. It is recommended that the consignee obtains all permits according to the HS code before attempting to import samples into Venezuela.



Gifts
Duties and taxes will be assessed on all gifts having an FOB value exceeding $100 USD. The gift must be unsolicited and be consigned from one individual to another.






Standards

Importers must comply with quality-control standards established by the Venezuelan Commission on Industrial Norms (which is under the Ministry of Production and Commerce). The Venezuela standards agency (COVENIN) has established over 300 obligatory standards that apply to both domestic and imported products. In all cases involving products falling under such standards, Customs authorities require a Venezuela Certificate of Compliance. The certificate can be obtained with a letter of certification confirming compliance issued by a recognized standards institute in the country of origin. Those products must comply with these mandatory standards before clearing customs and being marketed in Venezuela. Some common goods are auto parts, medical devices, appliances, and electronics.






General Export Clearance Information

Clearance Process
All goods presented for export from Venezuela must be processed with Customs and require full documentation to be presented. The shipments must be tendered with:

Commercial invoice (3 signed originals recommended)
Air waybill
Packing List
Any additional required export certifications.

The commercial invoice must include the standard requirements for customs and list for each item invoiced:

* Detailed description of the commodity (IN SPANISH and destination language)

* HS Tariff number per commodity

* Value per commodity unit shipped

* Total value of commodity units shipped

* Country of Manufacture

* Quantity

* Unit of Measure per commodity

* Packaging or additional cost incurred for the shipment

Exporters should quote CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) prices. Insurance and freight must be listed separately on the invoice. Shipping and insurance cost should also be listed separately.


Document Requirements
Certificate of Origin
This is a document that demonstrates the merchandise originated in a certain country. It is presented and has its effects in the importing country, and is not a requirement for export. It is intended to comply with the rules of origin prescribed in the different integration agreements and arrangements to qualify for preferences if there are differential tariff rates favoring the exporting country.

Export License
An export license is required for radioactive organic and inorganic compounds, diamonds and minerals. Application is made through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry's Direct Service to Exporters Center.

Export Permit
An export permit is required to export products such as gold, hydrocarbon derivatives, coffee, and cocoa. However, in order to receive a permit, the following must be completed:

Gold - To export gold and its alloys, in bar, jewel, or any other form, the exporter must apply to the Central Bank of Venezuela (BVC) for an export authorization. The export authorizations granted by the BCV are not transferable and must be presented in the original customs station for embarkation, accompanied by the required documents.

To obtain authorization, it is necessary to be listed in the BCV's Gold Exporters Register. To be listed in the Register, the company must request and complete an application form provided by the Gold Transactions Department, accompanied by the required documents.

Hydrocarbon Derivatives - Export permit can be obtained from the Ministry of Energy and Mining

Coffee and Cocoa - A health (sanitary) certificate must be obtained from the Ministry of Health prior to receiving an Export permit that can be obtained from the Ministry of Production and Commerce.

Health Certifications/Registration
The health registration verifies that the merchandise meets the health standards applicable for control over foods, beverages, medicines and cosmetics, as required by the destination country. It is issued through the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance.

The registration must be filed at the customs station of departure and destination of the merchandise in order to complete the export.

Icthiosanitary Certificate
To export fish or aquiculture products, the applicant must apply for an Icthiosanitary Export Certificate, whose purpose is to make sure the product complies with the health requirements imposed in the country of destination. The company must be registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Stockraising's Fishing and Aquiculture Resources Autonomous Service (SARPA) to obtain an Icthiosanitary Export Certificate.

Phytosanitary Certificate
Document is required for products and byproducts of vegetable origin. It is presented at the customs stations of embarkation and arrival in the importing country, and is intended to verify that the product to be exported complies with the health standards required by the country of destination. It is requested at the Vegetable Health Office at each of the country's ports and airports. The application is filed with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Sanitary Certificate
This evidences the good condition of the merchandise to be exported and is obligatory for products that have any degree of elaboration or manufacturing. The Health Registration verifies that the merchandise meets the health standards applicable for control over foods, beverages, medicines, and cosmetics as required by the country of destination. It is issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance through the different Directorates empowered to control commercial transactions involving equipment, materials, and products relating to the health field.

Zoosanitary Certificate
This is a requirement for exports of live animals and products/byproducts of animal origin. It must be presented at the customs stations of the port of embarkation and destination to confirm that the products meet the health protection requirements stipulated by the importing country. The certificate is obtained from the Director of Animal Health with the Ministry of Agriculture.


General Export Clearance Information
Customs Classification
When the applicant does not know the title or customs code for the product to be exported, they should make an inquiry with the Integrated Tax Administration Service (SENIAT), requesting that agency's specialized personnel to examine the products characteristics to determine its customs classification.

The exporter must present the completed form accompanied by three representative samples of the product. If samples are unavailable, you may submit catalogs or photos of the products. Samples will be returned to the applicant following the classification if the exporter has requested so in writing. SENIAT will charge a fee for the classification service, however you can request an exemption from the Ministry of Finance.

Taxes on Exports
There is a Customs tax of 1% of the declared value applied to all exports.

Inspection
All exports are subject to inspection by the Customs Authorities (SENIAT) and/or Cadivi inspection, the National Guard, and the Anti-Drug Organization. There are no fees for inspection.

Imports where the consignee has chosen the Cadivi befenit to obtain official exchange rates on purchases are held at customs for Cadivi Inspection.




Venezuela Export Prohibitions

FedEx Export Prohibitions


* Dangerous Goods as defined by IATA (International Air Transportation Association) regulations

Country Export Prohibitions and Restrictions


* The re-export of capital goods is normally not allowed unless the owner has made prior arrangements (BEFORE importing) to the effect that the equipment is to be used in Venezuela only for a specific project and is not to stay in country.






General Export Restrictions

The following items are not acceptable for carriage to any international destinations unless otherwise indicated. (Additional restrictions may apply depending on destination. Various regulatory clearances in addition to customs clearance may be required for certain commodities, thereby extending the transit time.)

* APO/FPO addresses.

* C.O.D. shipments.

* Human corpses, human organs or body parts, human and animal embryos, or cremated or disinterred human remains.

* Explosives (Class 1.4 explosives are acceptable for carriage to Canada, Germany, Japan, Sweden, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom. Note: United Arab Emirates only allows Class 1.4 explosives to be shipped hold- for- pick-up to the FedEx Express facility in Dubai.)

* Firearms, weaponry, and their parts (acceptable between the U.S. and Puerto Rico).

* Perishable foodstuffs and foods and beverages requiring refrigeration or other environmental control.

* Live animals (including insects) except via our Live Animal Desk (1.800.405.9052).

* Plants and plant material, including cut flowers (cut flowers are acceptable from the U.S. to selected points in Canada and from Colombia, Ecuador and the Netherlands to the U.S.).

* Lottery tickets and gambling devices where prohibited by local, state, provincial or national law.

* Money (coins, cash, currency, paper money and negotiable instruments equivalent to cash such as endorsed stocks, bonds and cash letters).

* Collectible coins and stamps.

* Pornographic and/or obscene material.

* Hazardous waste, including, but not limited to, used hypodermic needles or syringes or other medical waste.

* Shipments that may cause damage to, or delay of, equipment, personnel or other shipments.

* Shipments that require us to obtain any special license or permit for transportation, importation or exportation.

* Shipments whose carriage, importation or exportation is prohibited by any law, statute or regulation.

* Shipments with a declared value for customs in excess of that permitted for a specific destination.

* Dangerous goods except as permitted under the Dangerous Goods section of these terms and conditions.

* Processed or unprocessed dead animals, including insects and pets. Taxidermy-finished hunting trophies or completely processed (dried) specimens of whole animals or parts of animals are acceptable for shipment into the U.S.

* Packages that are wet, leaking or emit an odor of any kind.

* Wildlife products that require U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service export clearance by FedEx prior to exportation from the U.S.

* Shipments* being processed under:

Duty drawback claims unless advance arrangements are made.

Temporary Import Bonds - acceptable under the FedEx International Broker Select option, for initial import only.

U.S. State Department licenses.

Carnets.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration export permit.

Shipments destined to or being withdrawn from a Foreign Trade Zone.

Letters of Credit (however, shipments covered by a Letter of Credit calling for a "Courier Receipt" as defined by Article 25 of UCP 600 may move via FedEx International Priority).

Certificate of Registration shipments (CF4455).

Shipments moving into or out of Foreign Trade Zones or bonded warehouses.

*You may be able to ship these items via FedEx International Premium, FedEx International Express Freight (IXF), FedEx International Airport-to-Airport (ATA) or FedEx International Controlled Export. For information on FedEx International Premium, IXF and ITA, call FedEx Express Freight Services at 1.800.332.0807. For information on FedEx International Controlled Export, call International Customer Service at 1.800.247.4747 or your local FedEx customer service representative.






Venezuela Restrictions

Export Permits - Specific export permits are for commodities subject to export controls. The Venezuelan Customs Department is the government office for dual use exports (commercial items that may have military applications). Other departments and agencies have regulatory jurisdiction and issue licenses for controlled substances and precursor chemicals, for endangered fish and wildlife species, for defense services and articles, for arms and munitions, for nuclear material, equipment and technology, for fuels, for drugs and medical devices. Before exporting these items, special licenses must be obtained from customs office to insure that the items are not part of the national heritage of Denmark. License requirements are dependent upon an item's technical characteristics, the destination, the end-use, end-user and other activities of the end-user. Specific questions pertaining to commodity licensing requirements should be directed to the lead agency. Agency information, telephone number and basic commodities that might




Regulatory Contact Information

Branch or Agency Name


Areas of Responsibility
Ministerio de Infraestructura
Avenida Lecuna, Torre Este, piso 51
Parque Central
Caracas, VE.
Tel: 58-212-509.1111/1004
Fax: 58-212-509-1718

* Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, Transportation and Urban Development.

Comision Nacional de Telecomunicaciones
Calle Veracruz con Calle Cali
Edificio MTC, Las Mercedes
Caracas, VE
Tel: 58-212-993-6122/0460/1408/3519
Fax: 58-212-993-0019

* National Telecommunications Commission (CONATEL)

Ministerio de la Produccion y el Comercio
Avenida Lecuna, Torre Este, piso 14
Caracas, VE
Tel: 58-212-571-6383
Fax: 58-212-574-6383

* Ministry of Production and Commerce which includes the Department of Agriculture, Industry, Commerce and Tourism. The agency answers questions regarding trade and import/export regulations, issues license and permits.

Ministerio de Finanzas
Avenida Urdaneta, Edificio Ramia
Piso 11, Esquina de Carmelitas
Caracas, VE
Tel: 58-212-802-1000/2000
Fax: 58-212-802-2031

* Ministry of Finance - Customs

Ministerio de la Defensa
Fuerte Tiuna, Conejo, El Valle
Caracas, VE
Tel: 58-212-607-3000/622-1248
Fax: 58-212-662-4078

* Ministry of Defense

Ministerio de Energia y Minas
Avenida Lecuna, Torre Oeste, piso 14
Parque Central, Caracas, VE
Tel: 58-212-507-6401/2501/575-2597
Fax: 58-212-575-4386/3842

* Ministry of Energy and Mines regulates investment in the mining and petroleum sectors.

Ministerio del Ambiente y de los Recursos Naturales
Edificio Centro Simon Bolivar
Torre Sur, piso 25 Caracas, VE
Tel: 58-212-408-111/1002/1008
Fax: 58-212-408-1009

* Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources is responsible for developing the quality of life, environment, and resources. It ensures that environmental standards are maintained and takes legal action against polluters.

Fondonorma (COVENIN)
Servicio de Seguimineto y Control
Servicio Autonomo
Dereccion de Normalizacion y Certificacion de Calidad
Avenida Andres Bello
Edifcio Torre Fondo Comun, piso 11
Caracas, VE
Tel: 58-212-575-4111
Fax: 58-212-574-1312/576-3701

* VE Standards Agency

Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species


* CITES

World Trade Organization
Rue de Lausanne 154, CH-1211
Geneva 21, Switzerland

* WTO World Trade Organization/General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was established January 1995 and currently has 144 member countries. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world's trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.

Asociacion Latinoamericano de Integration-(ALADI)

* Latin American Integration Association (ALADI)

Ministry of Health and Development
Edificio Centro Simon Bolivar
Edficio Sur, piso 8, Caracas, VE
Tel: 58-2-481-6580
Fax: 58-2-861-1493

* Responsible for quality controls and consumer protection.

Servicio Autonomo de Sanidad Agropecuaria (SASA)
Torre Oeste, Piso 12
Parque Central, Caracas, VE
Tel: 58-2-509-0595

* Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services