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Import Clearance Procedure

Helpful terms and definitions

Clearance: The accomplishment of border formalities necessary to allow goods to enter New Zealand. NZFSA clearance may occur prior to importation (pre-clearance arrangement with exporting country) through to post-border clearance (product released to the importer by NZFSA with conditions). NZFSA is in effect providing a ‘Clearance’ for the product to be sold, not a clearance to enter the country as occurs with Customs and Biosecurity.

Food is defined in the Food Act 1981 to mean anything that is used or represented for use as food or drink for human beings; and includes:

a. Any ingredient or nutrient or other constituent of any food or drink, whether that ingredient or nutrient or other constituent is consumed or represented for consumption by human beings by itself or when used in the preparation of or mixed with or added to any food or drink; and

b. Anything that is or is intended to be mixed with or added to any food or drink; and

c. Chewing gum, and any ingredient of chewing gum, and anything that is or is intended to be mixed with or added to chewing gum.

Importer is defined in the Food Act 1981 to mean any person by or for whom any goods are imported; and includes the consignee of any goods; and also includes any person who is or becomes:

d. The owner of any goods; or

e. Entitled to the procession of any goods; or

f. Beneficially interested in any goods – on or at any time after the importation of these goods and before they have ceased to be subject to the control of Customs in accordance with the Customs and Excise Act 1996.

NZFSA means the department of state known as the New Zealand Food Safety Authority.

NZFSA Permit: NZFSA issues two types of permits for imported prescribed foods:

• Single Use Permit – final NZFSA clearance for full release of a prescribed food to the domestic market,

• Conditional Release Permit – prescribed food can be moved to a holding facility with the condition that the prescribed food must be held until a FAO is satisfied that the prescribed food complies with the Food Act.

Sale is defined in the Food Act 1981 and without being a substitute for that for sale generally means selling for human consumption or use and includes selling for resale for human consumption or use. The term ‘use’ means any use in connection with the preparation or packing of food for human consumption.

Updated July 2009