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Customs Clearance
Declarations that clear first time. HS classification, duty and VAT guidance, and Mirsal 2 submissions handled so your cargo is not sitting in a yard accruing storage.
Cargo rarely sits at Jebel Ali because customs decided to open the container. It sits because an HS code was wrong, an invoice value did not tie to the packing list, or a required certificate was never obtained.
Every day a container waits costs storage and demurrage, and those charges accrue whether or not the error was yours. We prepare declarations properly the first time — classification checked before submission, values reconciled across documents, and product-specific approvals identified before the vessel arrives rather than after.
We handle both export and import clearance, for mainland and free zone cargo, whether or not we arranged the freight.
Correct tariff codes identified before submission. A reclassification at the port costs amendment fees, storage and days.
Mirsal 2 submissions prepared and lodged, with values and quantities reconciled across every document.
Export clearance for outbound cargo, including certificates of origin and chamber attestation where required.
Standard duty is 5% of CIF with 5% import VAT on CIF plus duty. We calculate your actual liability before arrival.
Free zone entry, duty deferral for re-export cargo, and transfers between free zone and mainland.
Product-specific approvals identified early — ESMA, MOHAP, Dubai Municipality and others depending on commodity.
We check invoice, packing list and transport document against each other before anything is submitted.
HS codes confirmed and duty liability calculated so there are no surprises at assessment.
Submission made through Mirsal 2 with supporting documents attached.
Any inspection attended, duty settled and cargo released for collection or delivery.
Standard duty is 5% of the CIF value — goods plus insurance plus freight. Import VAT of 5% is then calculated on CIF plus the duty. Some categories carry different rates or exemptions, which we confirm from the HS classification.
One to three working days when documents are complete and correct. Delays almost always come from document mismatches or missing product approvals rather than from customs inspection itself.
If you are VAT-registered in the UAE, import VAT is generally recoverable through your return, so treat it as cash flow rather than cost. Customs duty is not recoverable.
Duty can be deferred while cargo remains in the free zone, and is only payable when goods enter the mainland. For re-export cargo that never enters the mainland, this is a genuine saving.
Yes. Customs clearance can be arranged as a standalone service for cargo forwarded by someone else, provided the documentation is made available in time.
Mismatched HS codes, invoice values that do not reconcile with the packing list, and missing product-specific certificates. All three are avoidable if documents are reviewed before the vessel arrives.
Send us the documents and the container number. We will tell you what is missing and what it takes to release it.
