Customs regulations for your trip to Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire)

Customs regulations

Used Household Goods and Personal Effects

Documents Required

• Copy of passport entry stamp in Ivory Coast
• Packing list in French
• Original detailed and valued inventory in French, dated, and signed by the owner of the goods
• Original bill of lading (OBL) / air waybill (AWB).
• Bordereau de suivi de cargaison / cargo tracking  note
• Diplomatic card issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ivory Coast
• Diplomatic franchise (exemption certificate)
• Original move certificate delivered at origin by city or consulate in the country of departure
• Copy of residency card / work permit
• Letter of employment in Ivory Coast (in French) certifying starting date and position
• Certificate of filiation / etat de filiation (document from the owner of the goods giving details on: parents, name, date of birth, and address)

Specific Information

• Import taxes apply on HHG items at 1% CIF value + EUR 30 per shipment for non-diplomats.
• If telex/express release expect additional release fees (+/- USD 100)
• Diplomats still pay minimum tax EUR 30 per shipment (double if HHG & POV)
• Diplomatic franchise must be applied for by the diplomatic organization employing the owner of the goods.
  • Process usually takes 2-3 weeks.
  • OBL and diplomatic card are necessary for this process.
  • The franchise is issued by the MFA and needs to be endorsed by Customs head office before being handed over.
• Owner of the goods must register with Internal Revenue Services, which takes approximately 3 days to provide with a tax identification number used only for importation of HHG.
• Tax payer identification numbers are not required for diplomats as long as their embassy/organization has a permanent one.
• Non-diplomatic sea shipments are subject to Customs scanner and inspection.
  • Additional fees than expected (approx USD 500/TEU).
• Electrical items will be considered new if invoices are not provided.
• Import duties and taxes apply to new items at approximately 44% CIF value.
• Sea shipments take within 7-15 business days to arrive providing all requested documents have been submitted prior to shipment arrival.
• Air shipments take within 5-10 business days to arrive providing all requested documents have been submitted prior to shipment arrival.

Click here to view : Country guides

Dutiable Items

• 200 cigarettes or
• 25 cigars or
• 100 cigarillos
• 250 grammes of tobacco
• 1 bottle of wine and 1 bottle of spirits
• 250ml of perfume
• 500ml of toilet water
• Reasonable amount of non- prohibited goods
• An unlimited amount of local currency can be imported into the country by locals and visitors alike. Other currencies likewise have an unlimited amount but will need to be declared when entering or leaving the country. Locals will be required to change all foreign currency into local money within eight days of entry.
• Locals leaving the country for another within the French Monetary Zone can export an unlimited amount of local currency but must declare up to XOF 150,000 or the equivalent in other currency if travelling outside this area. Foreign travellers can export up to XOF 10,000 or the equivalent in Euros. Amounts equal to XOF 25,000 in foreign currency can also are exported out of the country.

Click here to view : Airport tax regulations

Prohibited Items

• Illegal drugs
• Weapons, Explosives and Ammunition
• Knives and deadly weapons
• Plants and plant materials
• Soil
• Fertilizers
• Food and food products
• Counterfeit money and goods
• Pornographic material

Miscellaneous (Pets, Motors, and others.)

Motor Vehicles

Documents Required

• Original registration card
• OBL (showing net weight of car and 17 characters chassis number)
• Purchase invoice (if new)

Specific Information

• Vehicles older than 7 years cannot be imported without additional taxes and penalties.
• Vehicles for non-diplomats should not be sent in the same container as the household goods and personal effects (expect then 4-6 weeks clearance delays and additional charges)
• Customs duties & taxes at approx. 44% CIF value
• Other expected extra charges: “CIL & Vignette” fees (EUR 200-500 per vehicle).

Wild Fauna and Flora:

The import of certain endangered species of plant, live animals and their products is prohibited or restricted under CITES.

For further details please refer to CITES: www.cites.org.

Pets:

Cats and dogs must hold:

• An import license if not accompanied by the passenger. Exempt are pets originating from the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Rep., Chad, Congo, France, Gabon, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal;
• rabies inoculation certificate and good health certificate, dated at least 3 days before travel and issued by health authorities at point of origin. Health certificate must indicate that no contagious disease (including rabies) has existed in that territory during the previous 6 weeks.

Baggage Clearance regulations:

Baggage is cleared at the airport of the final destination in Cote d’Ivoire, if this is an international airport.

Exempt: baggage of transit passengers with a destination outside of Cote d’Ivoire, which is transferred automatically to the other aeroplane.

Currency

Currency Import regulations:

RESIDENTS:

Local currency (CFA Franc-XOF): unlimited.

Foreign currencies: Euro – EUR: unlimited; other currencies: declaration required (currencies declared to be exchanged into XOF within 8 days).

NON-RESIDENTS:

Local currency: unlimited.

Foreign currencies: Euro – EUR: unlimited; other currencies: unlimited, but declaration of amount that will be exported when leaving.

Currency Export regulations:

RESIDENTS: if traveling to countries within the French Monetary Area: local currency (CFA Franc-XOF): unlimited; if traveling to countries outside the French Monetary Area: up to XOF 2,000,000.- or equivalent in foreign currencies.

NON-RESIDENTS:

Local currency: XOF 10,000.- or equivalent in EUR.

Foreign currencies: the equivalent of XOF 500,000.- (currency in excess of limit may be exported, if declaration at time of entry has been made); Traveler’s cheques, letters of credit unlimited, if issued abroad in traveler’s name.

Click here to view : Airport tax regulations