The basic steps involve:
Register a company name and obtain the Certificate of Incorporation/Certificate of Registration
Obtain an Export/Import Code Number from the Customs and Excise Department by submitting copies of the above).
Get a PIN number from the Kenya Revenue Authority
Obtain a VAT certificate from the Kenya Revenue Authority
Obtain a sample local authority license from Nairobi City Council.
Certificate of Origin (at time of export) {Certificate of Origin is issued by the Department of Customs, Kenya Revenue Authority, depending on the destination of the export.
The issued Certificates of Origin are; COMESA Certificate of Origin, Form EUR-1, GSP, EACD and Ordinary Certificate of Origin and AGOA Certificate of Origin
The purpose of the Certificate of Origin is to indicate the origin of the exports so that they can enjoy preferential tariffs in the export market according to the current trade agreement between Kenya and the importing country. For anyone to have an import and export company, the company must be a member of KIFWA. Membership of KIFWA is Ksh 17000 (Admission Ksh 10,000, Subscription Ksh. 7,000). Membership takes a few minutes. Once paid, you will receive a clearance certificate, a copy of which must be provided to KRA in order for you to obtain a license.
Import and export companies can be of two categories:
• Dispatch and forwarding companies
• Importers of raw material for the production of finished products.
It is necessary to make limited companies.
All documentation is processed in September and is also sent to the Customs Union.
KIFWA interviews new directors, and in case of failure, a person can always appeal or try out for the next year. When an individual approves, they are granted the license and password for the KIFWA site.
The schedule for this entire process will take 5 to 6 months. Once accepted, the company should be able to charge a custom bail fee of 300,000 to 600,000.
The main purpose of applying PVoC is to ensure product quality, health and safety, and environmental protection for Kenyans. Among the expected benefits, in addition to products being shipped in accordance with rules and regulations, PVoC is expected to:
♦ Block unfair competition from substandard products and especially stop the influx of counterfeit products
♦ Speed up import release process
♦ Reduce import costs
♦ Reduce the number of shipment destructions or re-exports
The Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) program with standards is a conformity assessment and verification procedure that is applied to specific imported products in the respective countries of export, to ensure their compliance with technical regulations and applicable Kenyan mandatory standards or approved equivalents. The overall objective is to minimize the risk of poor quality and unsafe products entering the Kenyan market, thereby ensuring the health, safety and protection of the environment for Kenyans.
