When applying for the import of goods (including regulatory conditions including 7: automatic import license), the importer must obtain the automatic import license from the Ministry of Commerce or an institution entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce. In the declaration of imported goods, the importer must go through the customs clearance procedures with the automatic import license.
1. Scope of applicable goods
There are 37 kinds of goods with automatic import licenses, including beef, pork, mutton, fresh milk, milk powder, cassava, barley, sorghum, soybeans, rapeseed, sugar (out of tariff quota), corn distiller’s grains, soybean meal, tobacco, crude oil, refined oil, fertilizers, diacetate fiber tow, tobacco machinery, mobile communication products, satellite broadcasting and television equipment and key components, automotive products, aircraft, ships, broilers, vegetable oil, iron ore, copper concentrate, coal, steel, engineering machinery, printing machinery, textile machinery, metal smelting and processing equipment, metal processing machine tools, electrical equipment, and medical equipment.
For details, please refer to the “Catalogue of Goods Subject to Automatic Import Licensing Administration (2022)” (Announcement No. 51 of the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs in 2021). Importers shall follow the latest policy announced by the Ministry of Commerce in that year.
2. Acceptance Agency
(1) Ministry of Commerce
(2) The competent commerce departments of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, municipalities with independent planning status and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce (hereinafter referred to as “provincial-level local commerce departments”).
(3) Local and departmental electromechanical product import and export offices entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce (hereinafter referred to as “local and departmental electromechanical offices”).
3. Acceptance Conditions
(1) The applicant submits an application for registration of the consignee or consignor of import and export goods through the “Single Window” or “Internet + Customs”.
(2) The applicant has entered into a contract for the import of goods in accordance with the law.
(3) The applicant has obtained the import state-owned trading qualification or the non-state-owned trading allowance (applicable to the import of oil and refined oil).
4. Application process
Before applying for an automatic import license, the importer should first apply for an electronic key for corporate identity authentication from the Ministry of Commerce and complete the binding operation between the registered user of the “Single Window” and the electronic key. After completion, the enterprise can enter the “Automatic Import License (Non-Mechanical and Electrical Products)” module under the [Regulatory Certificates] in the standard version of the “Single Window” and directly apply for automatic import license applications, agricultural enterprise information filing and other businesses with the Ministry of Commerce.
Bind process: After the enterprise logs in to the “Single Window” system using an operator account, click the company name in the upper right corner to enter the account information management page, select “Ministry of Commerce Electronic Key” under the “My IC Card” menu, insert the electronic key and click Bind (Note: During the login and declaration process, make sure that the electronic key is plugged into the computer, otherwise, related business operations cannot be performed).
5. Issuance of Certificate
After the Ministry of Commerce reviews and approves it, it will feedback the review results to the enterprise through the “Single Window”. The enterprise can check the status of the license application form online and print the electronic license.