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SHIPPING DOCUMENTS
The documents required for all commercial shipments to the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, irrespective of value or mode of transportation, are: a
commercial invoice, a certificate of origin, a bill of lading (or an airway bill),
a steamship or an airlines company certificate, an insurance certificate (if goods are
insured by the exporter) and a packing list. Depending on the nature of goods being
shipped, or upon certain requests from the Saudi importer or in a letter of credit (L/C),
or according to clauses in a contractual agreement, specific additional documents may also
be required (see "Special Documents" below).
It is important to note that authentication of the certificate of origin, the
commercial invoice, and any special document is the responsibility of the exporter, who
must make sure that they are certified in the following specified order:
(1) Notarized by a Notary Public.
(2) Sealed and certified by a local U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
(3) Sealed and certified by an approved U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce (see appendix V for
names and addresses).
(4) Legalized by one of the Consulates General of Saudi Arabia in the U.S.
(see appendix II for addresses).
The Saudi Arabian Consulates legalize only one copy. Additional copies will be
legalized upon request. The Saudi Arabian Consulates will legalize the respective
documents for $8.50 per document or page (an original or a copy). All fees must be
submitted in the exact amount. No cash or personal checks will be accepted. Payments
should be made by a companys check, a cashier's check, or a money order payable to
the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, or to the relevant Saudi Arabian Consulate.
Companies checks, money orders or cashier's checks must be signed.
Each document should be prepared in (at least) one original and one copy. The
certifying U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce will retain the copy. The original is legalized
and returned. All documents (originals or copies) should bear the handwritten signature of
the person issuing the document. Facsimile signatures are not accepted.
All documents sent in by mail must include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Saudi
Arabian Consulates will not return any documents without a self-addressed stamped
envelope. Documents presented by hand will only be released upon presentation of the
consular receipt.
Description of Shipping Documents:
All commercial invoices must be on the letterhead of the exporting company. All commercial invoices must be on the letterhead of the exporting company. The
invoice should contain names and addresses of consignor and consignee, accurate
description of goods and components (trademarks, name of the vessel or airlines) and
the date of sailing, port of loading and port of discharge, net and gross weight,
quantity, unit price and extended price of each type of goods, total value of the
shipment, contents of each package and container, currency, number of L/C (if applicable)
and freight and insurance.
As of 1/1/1417 H., corresponding to May 18,1996, the Saudi customs authorities have
emphasized that commercial invoices issued by exporters should contain accurate
description of goods being exported to the Kingdom, for example:
A) For equipment:
- Line, number, and size of exported item.
- Model number.
- Trade marks.
- Manufacturers complete name.
- Any other information helpful in identifying the exported equipment.
B) For other exported products:
- Complete material description including type, size, weight, and percentage of its
components if possible.
- Complete name(s) of manufacturer(s) or producer(s).
- Trade marks.
- Any other information pertaining to the type of the exported item to the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia.
In addition, all commercial invoices should be certified by a responsible official of
the exporting firm as follows:
"I certify this invoice to be true and correct and in accordance
with our books, also that the goods referred to are of ...........origin."
This certificate must be issued by the manufacturer (or the exporting firm). In
addition to the name of the vessel (airlines) and the date of sailing, name(s),
nationality(ies), and full street address(es) of the manufacturer(s) of all items to be
shipped to Saudi Arabia, and components thereof, must be declared. Furthermore, the origin
of each item or component must be specified. A signed statement to the effect that the
document is true and correct must be given.
If the merchandise to be shipped to Saudi Arabia is not solely and exclusively
originated in the U.S., then a notarized "appended declaration to certificate of
origin" (available at any Saudi Consulate), must be attached to the certificate
of origin.
In addition, the certificate of origin must include name and address of the Saudi
importer, description of the goods, and address of the shipping company.
- The Bill of Lading (or Airway bill):
One non-negotiable copy of the bill of lading is to be presented to a Saudi Arabian
Consulate. The bill of lading should agree with the commercial invoice and show
description, value, net and gross weight of shipped goods. Likewise, volume and
measurement, marks, number of packages, name and address of consignee (Saudi importer) and
consignor, name and address of shipping company and/or shipping agent, name of vessel and
date of sailing, port of loading and port of discharge, etc., should be mentioned. Marks
and numbers should agree with those on invoice and containers.
- Steamship (or airlines company) certificate:
This certificate (which is an appended declaration to bill of lading or the airway
bill) should be issued by the steamship (or airlines) company in at least one
original. It must be notarized and contain the following information about the
vessel (or plane), named in the Bill of Lading or the airline company certificate:
(1) Name of vessel (plane), and previous name (if applicable).
(2) Nationality of vessel (plane).
(3) Owner of vessel (plane).
(4) Name(s) of ports (airports) that Vessel (plane) will call on en route to the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia
A- Port (airport) of loading ...................
B- ..........................................................
C- ..........................................................
Port (airport) of
discharge..................
Further, the steamship (airlines) company certificate should declare that said vessel
(plane) shall not anchor or call on any other ports (airports) than those mentioned in it,
and that all information provided in the certificate is true and correct. The standard
form of the Appended Declaration to the Bill of Lading or airway bill is available at any
Saudi Arabian Consulate.
This certificate (issued by an insurance company in at least one original) must contain
the following information: actual amount of insurance, description and value of insured
goods, name of vessel, port of loading and Saudi port of discharge, and name and address
of beneficiary. Moreover, the appended declaration to insurance policy (form of
which is available at any Saudi Arabian Consulate) should state that the insurance company
has a duly qualified and appointed agent or representative in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
giving his name and full address.
Note: If the shipment is insured by an insurance company in
Saudi Arabia, the exporter, on his letterhead, must state the name and address of said
company.
This includes names and addresses of consignor and consignee, description and value of
the exported goods, net and total weight, number of packages and their contents, number of
containers and contents, numbers of seals, and number of L/C (if applicable).
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