clearance of non-animal product foodstuff

Clearance of non-animal imported foodstuff products

About the service

The processes of inspection and clearance of imported foodstuff products are made in accordance with import permits/certificates whereby products are placed under inspection at the imported foodstuff control station (quarantine stations) and the Ministry of Health licensed labs. Quarantine stations operate at all ports, Ben Gurion Airport and land crossings. The aim is to control foodstuff products imported to Israel from other countries in accordance with the instructions and permits issued by the National Food Service.

An application for shipment clearance may be submitted 24 hours prior to arrival to Israel.

Who may import foodstuff products?

Licensed importers who have a valid registration card to import foodstuff products, licensed importers with permits, registered importers, or those who receive approval to obtain permits for products within the shipment package.
In general, people can import foodstuff products in limited quantities in accordance with the rules of importer registration.

Process phases

Important note: If the shipment includes animal food products, you should follow the procedures according to the process of food products (products can be released under veterinary supervision in coordination with the veterinarians who work in various ports).

Phase 1- Online clearance application on the website of quarantine stations.

Customs agents and importers who apply online will receive emails to update them on the clearance process: opening the file, messages requesting missing documents and information, and a message on file clearance.

Latest updates are also available through the importer license and permit status system of the customs authority and e-government. Access to importer license and permit status system data is available via smart cards for data privacy purposes only. (Information about smart cards procurement).

Phase 2–receiving computerized approval for foodstuff products clearance from customs or proceeding with inspection at the quarantine station.
- When receiving online messages on foodstuff clearance, clearance application may be submitted to customs without referring to the quarantine station. The online message appears on the screen once the application is submitted online. When fees are paid online, an email is sent to notify about shipment clearance.

Please note that this is the only alternative way for shipments which have certificates for receiving permits.

In each case where article 1 does not apply, a clearance file must be submitted to the quarantine station with all the required documents.

Phase 3 – Submitting the file at the quarantine station (files which were not completed electronically).

To see the list of addresses and working hours at the quarantine stations, as well as the list of documents to be submitted, see below.

Phase 4 – Processing at the quarantine station (files which were not completed electronically).

Here, files are checked by the management. This includes: certificates in agreement with the importer’s account, products data, producer, exporter and country of origin.

- If the product is an ordinary type (approval on receiving online permit) and an approval was received to obtain an online permit and was included in the sample, the product will be checked according to Regulation 05-0077.
- In the event of an ordinary product (approval of import of ordinary foodstuff products) with no application submitted online, 3% of the documents will be included electronically in the sample. (the percentage of the sample will be determined according to the instructions received by the National Food Service), and the product will be checked according to Regulation 05-0077.
- In the event that ordinary products are included in the sample, the shipment will be processed according to sensitive products inspection.
- The checking of documents and physical and / or lab sample testing will also be decided by the inspector according to special instructions issued by the National Food Service lest that the products fail to meet the Israeli law or become inconsistent with the foodstuff product records.
- In the event of a sensitive product, the inspector will have to check the documents and physically inspect the container and products, or a lab test will be conducted according to regulations.
- If the shipment includes ordinary products, and at least one of the products is sensitive, the shipment will be processed according to sensitive testing of products.
- If the consignment contains ordinary products, some of which have a normal product import record and others are certified for online permit, the treatment is similar to normal food with an import record which is not automatically completed.

Note: If the shipment is sent to a lab for testing, it only becomes available for marketing if the lab results of the lab test are positive. Otherwise, the quarantine station shall be notified in writing.

Phase 5 – Clearance – The certification to clear the file from the quarantine station is an authorization granted to customs to proceed with the clearance process.
- Conditional clearance – A goods clearance application can be sent to the importer's warehouse before receiving the results of the lab testing—provided that all necessary documents for clearance are complete—depositing a bank guarantee in the National Food Service account and a declaration of the importer not to market the goods until the testing has been completed and positive results have been received.
  - Bank guarantee – The importer deposits a guarantee of approximately NIS 25,000 in the Ministry of Health account. The guarantee can be deposited in one of the bank branches. The guarantee bond must include the address of the Ministry: Ministry of Health, PO Box 20301, Tel Aviv 61203.

The guarantee must include the following statement: "Marketing is not allowed until the goods are completely tested and certified by the National Food Service in the Ministry of Health."

- Payment of clearance fees – Fees are updated from time to time. If the shipment includes a number of product groups, the fee shall be doubled, depending on the number of groups of sensitive products contained in the shipment.

The ordinary products contained in the shipment are calculated as one product group. In the consignment containing ordinary and sensitive products, the fees are equal to the sum of the fees for the sensitive product groups and the fees for a single product.

It should be noted that the foodstuff products may not be released from customs without the consent of the quarantine station.

A list of imported foodstuff products clearance stations

Haifa Quarantine Station

Val Yam Street 15 A, Haifa

Tel. 8632959-04

Reception and phone inquiry hours: Sun – Thurs, 08:00-08:30 and 13:30-15:00

Phone inquiries to Secretariat: 07:30-16:00

Ashdod Quarantine Station

Forum Building, 3 Habanim Street, Ashdod

Tel. 8565142-08

Reception hours: 10:00-12:00. Phone inquiry hours: 09:00-10:00 and 15:00-16:00

Ben Gurion Quarantine Station

Maman Building, Room No. 617, Ben Gurion Airport

Tel. 9711169-03

Reception and phone inquiry hours: Sun-Thurs 09:00-14:00, (Break: 12:00-13:00)

Phone inquiry hours: Sun-Thurs 09:00-14:30, (Break: 12:30-13:00)

Nitsana Crossing Station

Nitsana Station was named after Arieh (Luba) Eliav, mobile post Halotsa 80500

Reception and document processing: Sun & Wed 08:00-14:00, (Break: 12:00-12:30)

Working hours and document processing on daily basis (employee on duty handling import issues) 08:00-14:00

Tel./Fax: Nitsana 579606-056

Yossi Grossman: 6243747-050

Maya Rabani: 6243122-050

Beersheba Health office: 6263597-08

Eilat Crossing Station

City Center, Red Commercial Compound, Health office, Eilat

Tel. 6374279-08

Reception hours: contact for scheduling appointment with food engineer

Tel. 6374279-08 Internal 7, Fax: 6372310-08

Jordan Valley Quarantine Station

Reception hours: Sunday-Tuesday, Thurs 08:00-17:00, Wed 08:00-20:00

Tel. 6060403-04, Fax: 6482191-04

Address: Jordan Valley Crossing Border, Sheikh Hussein Bridge

Required documents for the service:

Imported Foodstuff Products Application Form http://www.health.gov.il/doclib/importer-release.pdf;
Valid import registration card;
Valid permit or food registration certificate (for ordinary food products) or food import permit (for sensitive food products) for each food product included in the shipment;
Shipment documents (sea or airway);
Delivery order and gate pass from the shipping agent or airline agent, or an email message from the carrier company;
A copy of the bill of lading;
Packing list (if available);
Relevant analyses for sensitive products in the shipment;
Every additional card or document necessary for the National Food Service to issue import certification;
A copy of payment receipt, provided that payment is made in the bank;
Documents issued by qualified facility for ordinary food products which the importer declared when he filled in the declaration online.

Application processing period

Initial file processing – up to 48 hours from the date of receipt (except Fri and Sun and public holidays in Israel).

Online file processing for ordinary food products is no later than one working day after receipt of the application, except online system interruption or failure, in which case the certificate is given as soon as possible. The above order is subject to file exclusion from the sample.

The file in the sample shall be processed in the quarantine station within 48 hours, except Fri, Sat and public holidays in Israel.

If the producer’s and / or importer’s sampling documents need to be completed, processing may take longer.

The processing period also depends on other factors, such as: the port, customs clearance, importer and the lab which tests the products.