1. IMPORTING

2. BASIC TERMS
• Imports: goods and services flowing into
a country
• Importing: the purchase of goods and
services by a firm based in one country
from sellers that reside in a different
country
– results in payments to the sellers
– affords less control over the production
function

3. REASONS TO IMPORT
• Raw material shortage.
• Equipment and machinery shortages.
• Cost reduction
• Quality
• Price

4. IMPORT STEPS
1. Market study
2. Product identification
3. Import registration
4. Approvals
5. Transport contracting
6. Nationalization
7. Import payment

5. CUSTOM CODE
63 - Los demás artículos textiles
Chapter confeccionados; juegos, prendería
y trapos.
63.02 - ropa de cama, mesa,
Custom Code tocador o cocina.
63.02.10 - Ropa de cama, de
Subcustom Code punto.
63.02.10.10.00 - De fibras
Tariff Position sintéticas o artificiales.

6. THE IMPORT PROCESS
MARKET STUDY
CUSTOMS AGENT
Product - Market
YES
APPROVALS
IMPORT (Respective IMPORT > 1000 TRANSPORT
REGISTRATION
entities) USD
($30.000)
NO
IMPORTER
PAYMENT OF THE IMPORT
NATIONALIZATION OF THE
(letter of credit, bank transfer, cheque, MERCHANDISE AND
cobranza, letra de cambio) PAYMENT OF TAX DUTIES (*)
(*)
If the import value is above USD 5000, a Declaración Andina
de Valor must be shown to the customs administration.

7. SPECIFIC PROCEDURE
Moving goods to final destination
Release
Transportation Mean Arrival
Notifying to National Custom (Levante)
Territory
Criterio de Selectividad:
Cargo Entry Manifest Presentation •Automatic Release
•Physical Inspection
•Documental Inspection
Downloading Of
Merchandise
Custom Duties Payment
Moving to Certified
Warehouse DIM Presentation and
acceptance

8. IMPORTING PROCESS IN COLOMBIA
TRANSPORTER OR CARGO AGENT DECLARER NATIONAL CUSTOM
Start Direct unloading
Criterion of
selectivity
Notification of arrival
Present declaration of
Inspection
Yes
Moved to authorized
Arrival of the deposit
Yes
merchandise to the
NCT Satisfactory
Automatic
release
Justify inconsistencies
Yes
Accepted
Release
Yes
Unloading of the Yes
Corrected
merchandise Notify custom authority
Payment of tributes
Seize and
confiscation
Inconsistencies
END
Yes

9. IMPORT REGIMES
Free:
No special requirements by the custom administration,
just registry and permissions.

10. IMPORT REGIMES
Previous license:
Chemicals for narcotics, weapons, ammunition,
explosives, damaged goods, used goods, refurbished
goods, tax exempted goods, official entities imports
(Ecopetrol)

11. IMPORT REGIMES
Forbidden:
Chemical, nuclear and biological weapons. Nuclear or
toxic waste, Aldrin, Heptaclor, Dieldrine, Confeclor and
Lindano. Military toys and military equipment (indumil)

12. IMPORT MODES

13. 1. AVERAGE IMPORT
Merchandise coming from abroad.
National Custom Territory
Indefinite Staying
Payment of Duties
Free Disposal of Merchandise
Deadline to declare
15 days in an anticipated mode
2 months regularly

14. 2. FRANCHISE IMPORT
Import that because of a treaty, agreement or law
enjoys the benefits of a total or partial exemption
of taxes.
Restricted availability of the merchandise.
– Partial or Total Custom Duties exemption (PAEZ &
QUIMBAYA LAW 0% - 0% Tariff+VAT 255/92 &
2148/91 – Tariff+0%VAT Est Tributario Art 424)

15. 3. REIMPORTING FOR PASSIVE
COMPLETION
Need to export merchandise temporarily for
manufacturing, repairing or transforming, once it
gets back to Colombia it has to pay taxes over the
added value acquired abroad.
New tariff subsection.
Free availability.
Docs: DEX Copy, Com Invoice (A Value), Mandate,
Certificate Of Origin (If applicable).

16. 4. REIMPORTING IN THE SAME
CONDITIONS
No Custom Duties since there is no
completion – Free availability
DEX Copy, Transp Document, Def Exp
(Certification of benefits Pay Back),
Mandate.

17. 5. WARRANTY ACCOMPLISHMENT
IMPORT.
No Custom Duties: Fixing-Replacement
It is under Free Availability
Documents: DEX Temp E for Pas Com,
Current Warranty (Original), Transport Doc
& Mandate.

18. 6. TEMPORARY IMPORT FOR
REEXPORTING IN THE SAME CONDITION
Short Term: No Custom Duties, 6 Months + 3, Restricted
Availability.
Long Term: Custom Duties payment by Semester Quotes, 5
Years max, Restricted Availability.
Leasing: renting machinery with or without purchasing
option. More than six months.
Tourist's vehicles: up to 6 months *2 depending on the visa.
Mode outcomes: Reexporting, Average Import, Destruction,
Abandoned or Confiscation.

19. 7. TEMPORARY IMPORT FOR ACTIVE
COMPLETION
A. Capital Goods: Fixing or Completion.
No Custom Duties. 6 months + 6. Restricted
Availability. DIAN Industrial Facilities.
Outcome: Reexporting
B. Import- Export Special Systems. (plan Vallejo)
C. For Industrial Processing (ALTEX & UAP’s)
Restricted Availability. Bi-monthly reports

20. 8. IMPORT FOR TRANSFORMING OR
ASSEMBLING
Industries Recognized by Mincomercio and
Authorized by DIAN. No Custom Duties at
first. 2 months for completion.
DIAN authorizes and enables the
warehouses.

21. 9. POSTAL TRAFFIC
No more than U$2000. Free Availability
No more than 50 Kg, 1,50Mts. No more than 6 units
of the same product.
Imports reception & delivery by National Postal
Admon, private courriers and CA authorized by Min
Communications.
Declared with the Express Manifest.
Tariffs: 98.03.00.00.00.= 10%T & 16%VAT

22. 9. POSTAL TRAFFIC

23. 10. URGENT DELIVERIES
Catastrophes. No Errands
Merchandise in chapters 84 & 90
Harmonized Tariff Schedule ( Machinery,
Equipment, Planes, Vehicles and others)
must be reexported or be submitted to the
import mode after they are done.

24. 11. TRAVELLERS
(5 calendar days) (U$1.500) as Baggage
No Import register or license
Cash U$10.000
Up to three units of:
(2.500 USD)
Appliances
Sport articles
Professional equipment

25. 12. NON COMMERCIAL VALUED
SAMPLES
10 units for less than U$ 50
Up to U$1000 with a label stating that they are
samples without any commercial value.

26. COMPENSATION PROCESS
• Way of Payment
• Exchange Declaration # 1
• + 6 months/Report/External Debt
• Merchandise + U$10.000/Exchange Dec #
3

27. IMPORT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

28. IMPORT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
• Commercial Invoice
• Import Register or License
• Import Declaration
• Andean Value Declaration
• Packing List
• Transport Document
• Certificate of Origin
• Approvals & Certificates
– Preserved for 5 years