Jordan Import Requirements & Documentation.  Jordan has made important reforms in trade liberalization in the past few years, and the government continues its efforts to improve the country’s trade and investment climate. However, U.S. firms should be aware that an importer still needs a license to import products to the country, with both automatic and non-automatic licenses issued mainly by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, and with respect to some agricultural products by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Items that do not need an import license may require prior authorization by the appropriate government ministry.  Any imported agricultural or food products may randomly be inspected and tested for human consumption.  Virtually all prepared and mixed foods are tested at the border.  The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) has the authority to inspect food products at the retail and wholesale distribution levels.   A representative may enter at any place and collect samples for testing.  If a product fails to meet technical requirements or is found unfit for human consumption, it is removed from distribution channels and destroyed.

The Jordan Standards and Meteorology Organization (JSMO) regulates food additives for JFDA. Permissible additives and their concentrations are those approved by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The technical standards for foods contain specific lists for food additives and their permissible levels of use. These standards should be consulted to ensure that any additives are permitted.

Goods entering the country under temporary entry status, bonded goods, and goods benefiting from the investment promotion law are exempt from import licenses, income tax, customs, and other taxes and duties.  For more information, visit Jordan Ministry of Investment website and Jordan Customs website.

All Jordanian and foreign trading companies must either obtain an importer’s card from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply for customs clearance purposes or pay a Customs bond equivalent to five percent of the value of the imported goods.  For non-trading entities such as banks, hospitals and hotels, the Ministry issues a special limited card that allows the import of goods specific to that entity’s purpose.

U.S. Export Documentation Requirements.  The Electronic Export Information (EEI) is required documentation when the value of the commodity classified under each individual Schedule B number is over $2,500 or if a validated export license is required to export the commodity. For more information, go to https://www.trade.gov/electronic-export-information-eei.  For shipments to Jordan, exporters must provide a commercial invoice, an airway bill, and a packing list.  Including a certificate of origin with the above documentation is not required, but a common practice.  At a minimum, U.S. companies are encouraged to provide the Jordanian importing party with the information necessary to self-certify and make the FTA preference claim with Jordan Customs. In cases where a certificate of origin is requested by Jordan Customs, certification by a chamber of commerce may be required. A customs declaration is also required, but only an authorized forwarding agent in Jordan can process the declaration, which must be filed electronically.

Invoices do not have to be written in Arabic, but the importer is required to provide an Arabic translation.  Typically, this requirement is met by having the importer hand-write the translation on the actual invoice.  Exporters should be aware that commercial invoices for all shipments from the United States must bear a notarized affidavit.