Mandatory single window + pre-arrival manifest
Nafeza Platform + ACI System in Egypt
Since the 2021–2022 customs reform, every declaration entering or leaving Egyptian customs runs through Nafeza, and every inbound consignment needs a pre-arrival ACI filing tagged with an ACID number issued through Nafeza. Foreign importers who learn about this after their goods are on a vessel pay for it in demurrage and fines. This page covers Nafeza onboarding, ACI configuration, and the ongoing per-shipment coordination between the Egyptian importer and the overseas exporter.
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.
Last sourced:
When this entity is right
Best for
Foreign importers caught off-guard by the 2021–2022 ACI mandate
Companies whose manifests have been blocked or fined for late / missing ACID submissions
Trading houses that want a managed Nafeza operator instead of building in-house
Manufacturers coordinating supplier filings — the exporter abroad has to submit the manifest data too
Companies switching customs brokers and re-mapping Nafeza user roles
When something else fits better
Not for
Naming the cases this entity is wrong for is the whole point of an advisory call. The cross-links below go to the entity we would suggest instead.
Personal or non-commercial shipments under de minimis
Personal shipments under threshold are not the use case for a managed Nafeza / ACI engagement. Talk to a freight forwarder for those flows.
See Customs Registration for context →Companies with fully staffed in-house customs teams
If you already operate a dedicated customs department, we can run a one-off advisory diagnostic on your Nafeza / ACI configuration without taking operational ownership.
See Importer Card for the registration angle →Free Zone-only flows that never touch inland customs
Pure Free Zone movements have their own clearance rules and may not pass through Nafeza the same way. We confirm the right path on the discovery call.
See Exporter Card →Quick facts
- Statutory minimum capital
- —
- Foreign ownership
- Same ownership rules as the underlying importer / exporter entity
- Typical timeline
- 10–20 working days for first onboarding + per-shipment ACID workflow
What you need to prepare
Document checklist
Items tagged Foreigner-specific need apostille, consular authentication, or sworn translation from your home jurisdiction. We send you a precise per-document brief before any Egyptian-side work begins.
Egyptian-side — to register on Nafeza
Commercial register extract
Tax card
Importer Card and / or Exporter Card
Must be in good standing on the GOEIC register before Nafeza will accept the entity.
Authorised signatory ID and specimen signature
Customs broker power of attorney
Where a third-party broker will file on your behalf.
Per shipment — to issue an ACID number
Commercial invoice (PDF)
Foreigner-specificIssued by the foreign exporter on the exporter's letterhead.
Packing list
Foreigner-specificBill of lading or air waybill
Foreigner-specificCertificate of origin
Foreigner-specificApostilled or attested per the trade-agreement requirement.
Shipment-specific HS-code declaration
Foreigner-specific
Foreign exporter — to file the manifest
The ACID number issued by the Egyptian importer
Foreigner-specificMust be communicated to the exporter before cargo is loaded.
Manifest data filed into the ACI system pre-arrival
Foreigner-specificTypically at least 48 hours before vessel arrival for sea freight.
How the engagement runs
01
Discovery call
Free 30-minute call to map your trade flow: goods, origins, destinations, volume, frequency, supplier list. We identify which Nafeza / ACI configuration fits and whether existing exposure (blocked shipments, fines) needs remediation.
02
Onboarding plan
Written plan with the registration steps, the supplier-side coordination needed, the user-role map, and a documents matrix for first ACID issuance.
03
Nafeza registration
Entity registered on Nafeza, signatories mapped, customs broker linkage filed, and ACI module activated against the importer / exporter card on record.
04
First-shipment runbook
We run the first ACID issuance end-to-end with you and the foreign exporter. Output is a written runbook your team and supplier can reuse on every subsequent shipment.
05
Remediation (if needed)
For blocked or fined consignments we file the corrected ACI where regulations allow, coordinate with Customs Authority on penalty mitigation, and document the case for the file.
06
Handover or ongoing operation
Either hand over the operating manual to your in-house team or stay on as the managed Nafeza / ACI operator on a per-shipment retainer.
Engagement scope
What this engagement covers
We prepare a tailored proposal after reviewing your specifics — activity, shareholder structure, sector pre-approvals. The lists below describe what we typically own end-to-end versus what stays outside the engagement.
What we own end-to-end
- Nafeza account registration and verification with the Customs Authority
- User roles, signatory mapping, and customs broker linkage on Nafeza
- ACI configuration and integration with the importer/exporter card on file
- Per-shipment ACID number issuance and coordination with the foreign exporter
- Document quality review (commercial invoice PDF, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin) before submission
- Remediation for blocked or fined shipments where the regulations allow
Outside this engagement
- Government fees, Customs Authority fees, and any penalties already crystallised (paid at cost)
- Freight forwarder, shipping line, or carrier charges
- Translation of foreign-language commercial documents (handled at cost)
- Sectoral pre-approvals for controlled goods (food, pharma, dual-use)
- In-house ERP integration with Nafeza (separate technical engagement if scoped)
Common questions
What foreign investors ask us
The questions below come up on almost every discovery call for this entity. If yours isn't here, bring it to the call.
Map your Nafeza and ACI exposure with us. Before the next shipment leaves the origin port.
30 minutes. English. No obligation. We run the configuration with you and document a runbook your team and your suppliers can actually use.