February 1999

by Natalya Antonenko

Goods shipped to Kazakhstan must be declared to Kazakhstani customs within 15 days of arrival. The State Customs Committee, located in Astana, is the central customs body. It manages 13 customs departments, located in each oblast, and 16 customshouses, located throughout Kazakhstan, including four in Almaty oblast. Customs clearance is completed by the customs departments (excluding the department for Almaty city and oblast) and customshouses. Customshouses manage one or several customs points located in Kazakhstan.

Imported goods are subject to customs clearance at the customshouse of their arrival. If, for example, a firm is registered with a customshouse in Almaty and the goods arrive in a customshouse in Atyrau, the firm is required to present confirmation (issued by the customs body with which the firm is registered in Almaty) that it has no outstanding customs debts.

Customs clearance procedure includes submission of all required documents together with an electronic copy of the customs declaration; verification of the documents by a Customs officer; Customs' valuation of the declared goods; Customs' calculation of taxes, fees, and duties; and Customs' inspection of goods in the presence of the importer or the agent and authorization of their release.

The documents required for completing customs clearance include, but are not limited to:

• Supply Contract or Agreement (original or notarized copy). The document must be stamped and signed by all parties.
  
• Import Transaction Passport (one copy if submitted to the bank that will transfer funds for the payment of goods, or three copies if submitted to Customs).
  
• Customs Cargo Declaration. Form TD-1 must be submitted to Customs in quadruplicate.
  
• Commercial Invoice (one copy). The document must include: the country of origin; cost or value of packaging materials; labeling and number of packages; weight (net, gross, and tare); quantity and description of goods; price per unit and the total value; purchase price; terms of supply; and exact place of final dispatch in the exporting country. All invoice data must be in accordance with the terms of the contract. The invoice must be stamped by the shipper. The invoice must clearly declare whether the goods are for sale or private use.
  
• Shipping Documents (originals). The documents must include the registration numbers of transportation vehicles, weight and description of the cargo, and numbers of the attached contract and of the license or registration. All documents must be in duplicate.
  
• Packing List(s) (originals). The list must present a brief but complete description of goods and must be stamped by the company.
  
• Power of Attorney for Conducting Customs Clearance. The document is required for transactions conducted through customs brokers or agents.

Additionally, depending on the nature of goods, Customs may require the following documents: Import License; Certificate of Origin; Certificate of Conformity; Declaration of Customs Valuation; insurance documents; Statistical Card; technical documents for equipment; Quarantine Certificate; Sanitary Certificate; Veterinary Certificate; and Certificate of Company's Registration in Kazakhstan. Note: The importer should make all necessary copies and have the original documents ready for submission if required.

Under the Customs Code, the decision to release goods is made by Customs within 10 days upon acceptance of the cargo declaration. To avoid delays, all required documents must be prepared and submitted in a timely and orderly fashion in exact accordance with Customs regulations. A customs declaration must be filed by a Kazakhstani legal entity (a firm or its branch established under Kazakhstani law), a representative located and registered in Kazakhstan, or a permanent resident of Kazakhstan. A foreign company or importer must act through a customs broker licensed by the State Customs Committee. The cost of the service provided by a customs broker in Kazakhstan ranges from US$100 to US$700 per shipment, depending on the means of transport, type of goods, and frequency of shipments.

The U.S. Embassy notes that U.S. firms have experienced difficulty in getting goods cleared, given various documentation requirements that are often made at the last minute by Customs officers. Frequent importers are advised to utilize prearrival and periodic declaration regimes approved in August 1997. However, implementation of these has been spotty. An experienced customs broker may save a firm headaches, demurrage costs, and other fees.

Natalya Antonenko represents BISNIS at the U.S. Embassy in Almaty.

CUSTOMS BROKERS

TERMINAL, Contact: Anatoliy Mukhamedzhanov, President
22b Manasa Street, Almaty 480008
Tel: +7 (3272) 42-74-66, 42-67-16
Fax: +7 (3272) 42-52-83, 53-81-83
E-mail: tfl@terminal.almaty.kz

ZAO ACCEPT CORPORATION, Contact: Ermek Kozhabergenov, Director of the Customs Department
555 Seyfullin Prospect, Almaty 480091
Tel/Fax: +7 (3272) 63-54-62

RM LOGISTICS, Contact: Ron Macleod, Director
49 Panfilov Street, Room 1, Almaty 480091
Tel: +7 (3272) 32-19-91, 53-57-77
Fax: +7 (3272) 32-12-31
E-mail: Cats@alm.almaty.kz

SEA-LAND Service International (U.S. transportation company)
Contact: Shelley Fitch, Director
85 Dostyk Prospect, Kazakh Business Center #407, Almaty 480100
Tel: +7 (3272) 63-55-44, 69-25-31
Fax: +7 (3272) 63-59-66
E-mail: sealand@asdc.kz

This report is provided courtesy of the Business Information Service for the Newly Independent States (BISNIS)