Practice — Import & Export Advisory
Import and export through Egyptian customs with full Nafeza and ACI compliance.
We manage Importer and Exporter Card issuance, Nafeza platform registration, ACI compliance, and customs broker coordination. For new traders setting up correctly and for established companies adapting to the 2022 reforms.
Pending advisor validation
This page is sourced from public Egyptian regulatory references and our internal advisory notes. Our advisors are reviewing the specifics for final sign-off. Book a 30-minute call for advice tailored to your case.
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Where the friction sits
Three regulatory layers govern every consignment
Three regulatory layers apply before a foreign-owned business can clear a single consignment through Egyptian customs. We sequence them in the correct order before any commitment is made.
The trading licence layer
The Importer Card, and the Exporter Card where relevant, grants the legal right to trade across the border. Activity-specific capital thresholds, Law 121/1982 ownership rules, and a 5-year renewal cycle apply.
The platform layer
Nafeza is the single-window customs platform through which every declaration now passes. ACI is the pre-arrival manifest system layered on top. Both became mandatory in the 2021–2022 reform, and both carry penalty schedules for non-compliance.
The clearance layer
Customs dealer registration for the company and customs broker authorization for the named agent. Without both, no individual can file declarations in your name, even when the card and Nafeza registration are in good standing.
The four registrations
Pick the registration to read in detail
Each page below carries the scope, the document checklist, the realistic timeline, and the per-area FAQs. The four read best together — but most engagements start with one of them.
Mandatory for commercial imports
Importer Card (Importers Register)
The Importers Register card is the legal prerequisite to import for commercial purposes in Egypt — issuance, renewal, modification, deletion, deposit recovery.
- Validity
- 5-year cycle, renewable
- Scope
- Companies importing for trade (Law 121/1982 governs the regime)
- Typical time
- 30–60 working days for first issuance
Mandatory for commercial exports
Exporter Card (Exporters Register)
The companion register to the Importer Card — required for commercial exports, often paired with the Industrial Register and chamber of industries membership for manufacturers.
- Validity
- 5-year cycle, renewable
- Scope
- Companies exporting Egyptian goods commercially
- Typical time
- 20–45 working days for first issuance
Mandatory single window + pre-arrival manifest
Nafeza Platform + ACI System Registration
Egypt's single-window customs platform (Nafeza) plus the Advance Cargo Information (ACI) system — mandatory pre-arrival manifest filing per shipment since the 2022 reform. We register, configure, and operate the platform on the client's behalf.
- Validity
- Continuous — per-shipment ACID number per consignment
- Scope
- All sea, air, and land freight clearing Egyptian customs
- Typical time
- 10–20 working days to onboard + per-shipment ACID filing
Required to actually clear goods
Customs Dealer Registration + Broker Authorization
Customs dealer registration for the company and customs broker authorization for the cleared agent — without both, customs clearance is not possible in practice.
- Validity
- Renewable per Customs Authority schedule
- Scope
- Any entity engaging with the Customs Authority directly or via broker
- Typical time
- 15–30 working days when documents are complete
How a trade advisory engagement runs
01
Discovery call
A 30-minute call in English. You describe the trade flow: goods, origins, destinations, volume, and frequency. We identify which of the four registrations you require and in what order.
02
Compliance memo
A written memo covering the entity-level fit under Law 121/1982, the registration sequence, the document load per registration, and the ACI obligations your foreign suppliers must meet.
03
Filing managed
We manage the Importer and Exporter Card filings, Nafeza onboarding, ACI configuration, and customs broker authorization. You receive weekly written updates and a documents tracker per registration.
04
Handover and renewals
A one-hour session covering the renewal calendar: 5-year card cycles, periodic Nafeza role audits, and customs broker re-authorization. An optional retainer covers ongoing per-shipment ACID coordination with your suppliers.
Common questions
What foreign traders ask before clearing a shipment
The questions below come up on almost every discovery call. If yours isn't here, bring it to the call.
Map your trade flow and the correct registration sequence with our advisors.
A 30-minute consultation in English, with no obligation.