Import and Export Services

1. Contact the import and export unit by sending an email to [email protected].
2. The import and export unit will guide you with the required steps for your shipment. The office will send you a Shipping Request Form to fill out and send back. The office will also arrange to have a forwarding agent contact you to plan your shipment. All correspondence with the forwarding agent related to your shipment must be through the import and export unit.
3. The forwarding agent, once assigned, will undertake a survey of the goods to be shipped and will provide a quotation for the cost of the shipment. This quotation will not include certain charges (exclusions) such as insurance, destination charges, customs, local taxes, storage fees at destination and transportation to your residency at the final destination.
4. Do not proceed with packing/pickup unless the import and export unit sends you a forwarding agent quotation for your review and approval. Any cancellation of the process after starting will incur cancellation fees. Thus, it is important to review the quotation carefully, especially the exclusions that will be added to your shipment’s final invoice.
5. If you choose to use your own forwarding agent rather than the one provided by AUC, you will handle the whole process personally. You need to ensure that the service provided is door-to-door shipment. Under this personal arrangement AUC will reimburse you up to the agreed allowance only, based on original shipping documents and receipts. Any extra costs above the agreed allowance will be your responsibility. 
6. Some forwarding agents take fees for doing the survey. Therefore, if you cancel the shipping process with the agent later, they will charge AUC with the related fees and this amount will be deducted from your shipping allowance.
7. Your shipment will be by either air or sea freight, according to both availability and cost. Priority will be given to sea freight as it is more cost effective. The shipment must arrive in Cairo after your arrival in order to be released by customs.

The AUC team that will be providing this service to you are:

1. Sawsan Khalil, import and export unit in Cairo at [email protected]. She will answer your questions regarding contents, preparation of the shipment, inventory, pick-up and delivery.
2. Yvette Isaac, provost’s office, AUC New Cairo at [email protected]. She will answer your questions regarding shipping allowance.

Your allocated shipping allowance will be in the USD amount indicated in your AUC signed contract.

Airlines calculate the airfreight charges according to chargeable weight (i.e. the volume of the received shipment after professionally scanned and packed). Chargeable weight is not always the same as the actual weight. Chargeable weight is based on cubic dimensional weight; whichever is greater. Cubic dimensional weight is determined by measuring the greatest length, width, and height to arrive at a cubic volume.

This means that a shipment whose volume is greater than its weight will cost more. For example, a box of books weighing 50 kg will cost about $1000, but a box of pillows weighing 50 kg will cost considerably more because its volume will be calculated and converted to weight. The first example (books) refers to "gross weight," and the second example (pillows) refers to "chargeable weight.

USA - TSA requires that all shipments, especially those that have loose cartons and suitcases, to be re-packed on pallets through a professional packer before being delivered to the airline and customs. This process might increase the gross weight and volume (chargeable weight). The final chargeable weight cannot be estimated in advance before the cargo handlers pick it up. 

The forwarding agent charges according to the chargeable weight stated on the air waybill by the related airline. This weight will not be negotiated after the arrival of the shipment to its final destination.

In general, all items outside used personal clothes will be subject to Egyptian Government approval, according to its list of prohibited and restricted items (listed below). As this list undergoes continuous change you should contact the import and export unity if you have any uncertainty about which items should not be shipped. This will prevent delays in shipment and the possibility of items to be confiscated and not returned.

The following are prohibited items which will be confiscated and not returned; do not include them in your shipment as any one of these items can delay your entire shipment:

• Alcoholic beverages of any kind
• All telephones (mobile, wireless, normal home phones) and GPS devices. Carry your personal mobile phone with you.
• Pornographic materials, drugs, anti-religious materials
• Firearms and weapons, ammunition, daggers and swords (even decorative items)
• Bank notes and coins
• Seeds, insecticides, cleaning preparations containing lye, chlorine, or ammonia
• Batteries, matches, cigarette lighters and lighter fluid, nail polish, nail-polish remover, perfume, cologne, hair dye, correction fluid, aerosol cans, or any item that has FLAMMABLE written on it

The following are restricted items which may or may not be allowed based on the evaluation of Egyptian authorities:

• Video tapes, computer disks, cassette tapes, CD's, DVD's, records, and slides are subject to censorship authority approval and are subject to confiscation in the event that they fall into the category of prohibited items.
• Printers, scanners, fax machines, copiers, and satellite receivers are subject to refusal by the censorship authority. The brand and model number of such items must be included in the packing inventory list. The catalogues and manuals should be included to assist in clearance from the related authorities.
• High value works of art, including statues, require evaluation by a special committee. This evaluation is time consuming and costly and will delay the customs clearance process.
• Food and medicine.
• Radios, telescopes, binoculars, radio controlled drones, helicopters and small planes.
• Jewelry, furs, silverware, or fragile accessories are generally not covered by insurance and should be hand-carried.  Likewise irreplaceable items such as manuscripts, slides, or medical records should also be hand-carried.  

Large quantities of any item included in your shipment may be considered goods for commercial resale and may result in the application of higher duties and a more complicated and costly clearing process.

The freight forwarding company will provide the packing service. You will need to prepare an inventory list, itemizing all contents, following the sample provided in Form A. Follow the guidelines below when completing Form A:

• Current values, not original values, (rounded to the nearest dollar) need to be assigned to all contents. The current value will be used for both insurance purposes and any customs duty that may be assessed.
• Books can be grouped as lots with assigned values such as children's books, $20; or a lot of 30 English textbooks, $600.

For any individual book that is considered valuable, the author, title, and value should be listed separately.

Book titles required either in your inventory list or in a separate list to be able to get printing approval.

• Compact discs, audio and video tapes are to be listed by title.
• Electronic appliances are to be listed by brand, name, model number and serial number; example: Power Macintosh 7200/75, #FC5358FZ5QT.  Keep the original bill of sale for the electronics and appliances.
• Do not ship items made of gold, such as jewelry. Gold colored items such as costume jewelry or brass items should not be referenced as “gold” but rather be referenced as metal or brass or costume jewelry. 
• Email a copy of the inventory list once completed to the import and export unit.

The insurance policy will cover your shipment if you prepared an adequate inventory and filled the required insurance forms. In the event of a claim, the insurance company may require the owner to submit copies of original invoices as evidence of the original value of damaged or lost items.  Then the adjuster will settle your claim taking into account the item's depreciation in value regardless of the value the owner assigned to the item on the inventory. It will disallow claims for items that were not listed on the inventory. The current insurance rate, which is 3.5% of your total inventory list value, will be added to your shipping charges.

• The import and export unit will notify you by e-mail when your shipment arrives.
• You will need to provide your original passport for the shipment clearing process.
• Shipment clearance can take from two weeks to one month or more in case authority approval is required. Therefore, it is recommended that you bring all the material required for your classes during the first month with your luggage. In addition, you should bring enough clothes and other necessities with your luggage to cover the first month.
• Once the shipment is cleared, the cost will be calculated. Any amounts that are more than the approved allowance need to be settled personally with the freight forwarder.
• The import and export unit will coordinate with you on the suitable time for delivery of the shipment to your residency.

1. Contact the import and export unit by sending an email to [email protected].
2. The Import and Export Unit will guide you with the required steps for your shipment. The Office will send you the Shipping guideline for your kind review and filling out the shipping request form and send back. The Office will also arrange to have a forwarding agent contact you to plan your shipment. All correspondence with the forwarding agent related to your shipment must be through the import and export Unit.
3. The forwarding agent, once assigned, will undertake a survey of the goods to be shipped and will provide a quotation for the cost of the shipment. This quotation will not include certain charges (exclusions) such as insurance, destination charges, customs, local taxes, storage fees at destination and transportation to your residency at the final destination.
4. Do not proceed with packing/pickup unless the Import & Export Unit sends you a forwarding agent quotation for your review and approval. Any cancellation of the process after starting will incur cancellation fees. Thus, it is important to review the quotation carefully, especially the exclusions that will be added to your shipment’s final invoice.
5. If you choose to use your own forwarding agent rather than the one provided by AUC, you will handle the whole process personally. You need to ensure that the service provided is door-to-door shipment.  Under this personal arrangement AUC will reimburse you up to the agreed allowance only, based on original shipping documents and receipts. Any extra costs above the agreed allowance will be your responsibility. 
6. Some forwarding agents take fees for doing the survey. Therefore, if you cancel the shipping process with the agent later, they will charge AUC with the related fees and this amount will be deducted from your shipping allowance.
7. Your shipment will be by either air or sea freight, according to both availability and cost. Priority will be given to sea freight as it is more cost-effective. The shipment must arrive at your final destination after your arrival in order to be released by customs.

The AUC team that will be providing this service to you are:

1. Sawsan Khalil, import and export unit in Cairo at [email protected]. She will answer your questions regarding contents, preparation of the shipment, inventory, pick-up and delivery.
2. Yvette Isaac, provost’s office, AUC New Cairo at [email protected]. She will answer your questions regarding shipping allowance.

Your departure shipping allowance will be provided by the Provost’s Office for relocated faculty or the Human Resources Office for relocated staff. 

Airlines calculate the airfreight charges according to chargeable weight (i.e. the volume of the received shipment after professionally scanned and packed). Chargeable weight is not always the same as the actual weight. Chargeable weight is based on cubic dimensional weight; whichever is greater. Cubic dimensional weight is determined by measuring the greatest length, width, and height to arrive at a cubic volume.

This means that a shipment whose volume is greater than its weight will cost more. For example, a box of books weighing 50 kg will cost about $1000, but a box of pillows weighing 50 kg will cost considerably more because its volume will be calculated and converted to weight. The first example (books) refers to "gross weight," and the second example (pillows) refers to "chargeable weight.

USA - TSA requires that all shipments, especially those that have loose cartons and suitcases, to be re-packed on pallets through a professional packer before being delivered to the airline and customs. This process might increase the gross weight and volume (chargeable weight). The final chargeable weight cannot be estimated in advance before the cargo handlers pick it up. 

The forwarding agent charges according to the chargeable weight stated on the air waybill by the related airline. This weight will not be negotiated after the arrival of the shipment to its final destination.

The following are prohibited items which will be confiscated and not returned; do not include them in your shipment as any one of these items can delay your entire shipment:

• Batteries
• Any toy with remote control
• Medicines
• Any powder, including make-up powder
• Compressed gases
• Combustible and flammable liquids
• Corrosives
• Firearms and weapons, ammunition, daggers and swords
• Live plants, seeds, fresh fruit or flowers, meat, pet food
• Bank notes and coins
• Antiques needing prior approval from Ministry of Antiques.
• Oil paintings needing prior approval from Ministry of Culture.

The freight forwarding company provides the packing service. You will need to prepare an inventory list, itemizing all contents, following the sample provided in Form A-1. Follow the guidelines below when completing Form A-1:

• Current values, not original values, (rounded to the nearest dollar) need to be assigned to all contents. The current value will be used for both insurance purposes and any customs duty that may be assessed.
• Books can be grouped as lots with assigned values such as Children's Books, $20; or a lot of 30 English textbooks, $600. For any individual book that is considered valuable, the author, title, and value should be listed separately.
• Compact discs, audio and video tapes are to be listed by title.
• Electronic appliances are to be listed by brand, name, model number and serial number; example: Power Macintosh 7200/75, #FC5358FZ5QT.  Keep the original bill of sale for the electronics and appliances.
• Email a copy of the Inventory List once completed to the import and export unit.

The insurance policy will cover your shipment if you prepared an adequate inventory and filled the required insurance forms. In the event of a claim, the insurance company may require the owner to submit copies of original invoices as evidence of the original value of damaged or lost items. Then the adjuster will settle your claim taking into account the item's depreciation in value regardless of the value the owner assigned to the item on the inventory. It will disallow claims for items that were not listed on the inventory. The current insurance rate, which is 3.5% of your total inventory list value, will be added to your shipping charges.

• The import and export unit will notify you by an e-mail when your shipment arrives
• The import and export unit will coordinate with you on the suitable time for delivery of the shipment to your residency

The following instructions for all types of shipments and approvals are needed during the customs clearance process as per customs regulations.

1. Documents needed for every shipment either by air, by sea or by courier:

a. Original of the AWB or Bill of Lading in the name of AUC

b. Original invoice in the name of AUC legalized from the chamber of commerce

c. Euro-1 legalize from the chamber of commerce and COE legalized from the chamber of commerce and Egyptian consulate, in case the shipment is coming from Europe.

d. Detailed packing list per each box, carton or pallet

2. In case shipment is containing telecom or computer equipment, the following is needed:

a. Catalogue for the product, datasheet and reasons to import by AUC

b. NTRA approval will be needed, it will take 10-15 days.

3. In case shipment is containing chemicals, it will require the following:

a. Safety data sheet (in the English language), indicating production and expiry date

b. On the product, there must be written the production and expiry date of the product

c. Chemicals approval will be needed, it takes about 10-15 days

4. In case shipment is coming from Russia or Japan:

a. It will be subject to radiation approval from Cairo Airport authorities

5. In case shipment is containing any kind of cameras, sensors, remote control or robots:

a. It will be subject to Intelligence approval, it takes two weeks

b. Catalogue of the product is needed

c. The person in charge will have to provide a descriptive letter for usage and location of use inside the University

6. Shipment is containing books:

a. Approval from the printing department (putting into your consideration that Halayeb and Shalateen should be in Egyptian borders in maps

b. Religious books are subject to El Azhar approval

7. Shipment is containing laboratory materials:

a. Pharmaceutical sector approval is needed

b. Need components analysis certificate and safety data sheet

8. Shipment is containing wooden pallet or boxes or cases or others:

a. All wooden pallets should be fumigated at origin and have an FAO stamp.
9. Any equipment with compressed gas:

a. Need Explosive approval, it takes a minimum one month.

10. Shipments containing life plants or animals:

a. It is forbidden to import any life plants or animals without pre-approval from the concerned authorities, and after supporting them with all documents and certificates needed according to the nature of goods.

11. Shipments containing valuable materials (gold, silver, precious stones)

a. Need scales and stamp approval, in downtown under the ministry of interior and customs control.

12. Shipments by sea:

a. The original bill of lading should be collected from AUC directly or it will be express bill of lading

b. Shipping line or freight forwarder cannot give us the original.

13. The shipment by courier:

a. We should receive copy of the air way bill and the name of the company to be able to contact them to allocate the shipment.

The following instructions for all types of shipments and approvals are needed during the customs clearance process as per customs regulations.

1. AUC departments should send their export shipping request to Sawsan Khalil at [email protected]
2. They should identify clearly if the service will be door to airport or door to door
3.  A content invoice is needed
4.  Our agent will do the survey and send their quote to be approved before starting the exporting process
5.  The agent will handle packing, insurance, forwarding and the shipping process
6.  A copy of AWB and related invoices will be received to be settled