Domestic importers who intend to engage in food import business (i.e., the buyer of a foreign trade contract, the consignee on a B/L or other documents, the domestic consignee on a customs declaration form, etc., hereinafter referred to as “importers”) shall apply for registration with the customs at the place where they are registered before importing.
1. Registration conditions for importers
(1) Obtain a business license, and the business scope of the business license includes the types of food they operate.
The types of food they operate include: meat, eggs and products, aquatic products and products, Chinese medicinal materials, grains and products, fats and oils, beverages, sugar, vegetables and products, vegetable seasonings, dried nuts, canned food, alcohol, dairy products, bee products, cigarettes, cakes and biscuits, candied fruit, condiments, tea, other processed foods, special foods, other plant-derived foods, and others.
(2) Food additives, food-related products, some grain varieties, some oilseeds, fruits, edible live animals, etc. shall be handled in accordance with relevant regulations and are not applicable to this guideline.
Note that if the types of food to be imported include meat products, the consignee registration of imported meat shall be completed simultaneously.
2. Registration application materials
3. Registration (or change) handling process
When registering for registration, the enterprise shall obtain an electronic port IC card or U shield. It should be noted that if the enterprise is a cardless user, it is necessary to register a new user.
4. Handling agency and result query
The customs shall verify the registration materials and electronic information submitted by the importer. After the verification is passed, the registration shall be accepted and submitted to the General Administration of Customs for review. After the General Administration of Customs has reviewed and approved it, the registration number shall be issued through the registration system.
Importers can check the registration status through the “Import and Exporter Registration System for Imported Food” (http://ire.customs.gov.cn/).
5. Legal processing time limit
If the application materials are complete, the customs shall accept and complete the filing within 5 working days.
6. Notes
(1) The filing qualification of the imported food importer is valid for a long time.
(2) According to the “Announcement on the Cancellation of the Registration of Consignees of Imported Meat and Domestic Consignees of Imported Cosmetics” (Announcement No. 108 of the General Administration of Customs in 2021), the registration of consignees of imported meat will be cancelled from January 1, 2022. If an enterprise needs to import meat, it only needs to check meat in the food types in the registration link of the imported food importer.
Only companies that have obtained the enterprise registration number are allowed to declare to the relevant customs as the consignee on the imported food document during the import declaration.
When an enterprise does not have an imported food consignee registration number, if it wants to import food, it can entrust an enterprise that has obtained the imported food importer registration qualification to import on its behalf.