Importing from China to Egypt: The ACID Number on NAFEZA Before the Vessel Moves

Country guides· 08.08.2026· 5 min read Importing from China to Egypt: The ACID Number on NAFEZA Before the Vessel Moves The short answer To import from China into Egypt: activate a NAFEZA account, issue the ACID number before shipping and send it to the supplier so it appears on the documents, confirm the factory is registered with GOEIC where the category requires it, then ship to Alexandria, Damietta, Port Said or Ain Sokhna at an indicative 20 to 35 days. In most countries a documentary gap can be repaired after the goods arrive. In Egypt there is one step that allows no such repair: the ACID number. It is issued in advance on the NAFEZA single window, tied to the shipment before it leaves China, and it must appear on the shipping documents. A consignment that sails without a valid ACID risks being refused processing at the port and returned at the importer's expense. So in Egypt the work starts at the desk, not at the factory. What is the ACID number and why is it the most important step? ACID stands for Advance Cargo Information Declaration. The Egyptian importer applies for it on NAFEZA before shipping, and a number is issued that belongs to that specific consignment. It is then sent to the Chinese supplier to be shown on the invoice, bill of lading and the rest of the documents. The purpose is that shipment data and documents reach customs electronically before the goods themselves, so assessment and verification start early. In practice this means your schedule must leave real space between issuing the ACID and the sailing date rather than chasing the vessel. What is the order of steps between importer and supplier? StageResponsible partyTimingOutput Registration on NAFEZAEgyptian importerOnce, before the first shipmentAn active platform account Applying for the shipment ACIDEgyptian importerWell before shippingAn ACID number for that consignment Sending the number to the supplierImporterAs soon as issuedNumber carried on the documents Electronic document submissionChinese supplierBefore sailingDocument file linked to the ACID Reviewing and accepting documentsImporterBefore sailingA complete, consistent file Shipping, arrival and clearanceAgent and brokerAfter the above is completeCustoms release This order is not an organisational preference but an operational condition: any step taken out of place moves its cost to the port. Does the Chinese factory need to be registered in Egypt? For many categories, yes. The General Organization for Export and Import Control (GOEIC) requires factories or brand owners to be entered in a dedicated register before their products can be imported, applying to defined lists of goods that typically include consumer products, textiles, household appliances and others. Registration is the responsibility of the factory or brand owner, requires a file of documents and certificates, and can take considerable time. The question to put to your Chinese supplier in the first conversation is whether the factory is registered for this category. Ask for evidence, and never build an import plan on a promise to register later. Check the current category lists with your broker, as they are updated by official decision. Which Egyptian port suits your shipment? Alexandria and the El Dekheila terminal: the largest on the Mediterranean, serving Cairo and the Delta. Damietta: convenient for the eastern Delta, with an active container terminal. Port Said: at the northern entrance to the Suez Canal, strong in transhipment services. Ain Sokhna: on the Red Sea, closest to Greater Cairo and the industrial areas east of the capital, and sometimes offering a shorter transit from Asia because it does not require a canal transit. Indicative transit from the main Chinese ports usually runs between 20 and 35 days depending on the port, the service and transhipment calls, with groupage adding a week or more. Choose the port on the basis of your warehouse location and inland transport cost, because the road difference between Sokhna and Alexandria can reverse the whole comparison. How much are duties and taxes? Egyptian customs duty varies by tariff heading with no single unified rate; some production inputs sit at low rates while finished goods are higher. VAT at a general rate of 14 percent is added, with categories treated differently, alongside port charges and service fees. Also factor in the effect of the exchange rate applied in customs valuation on your final landed cost. Ask your broker for a written estimate against your HS code before contracting with the factory. What should you check with your bank? Import financing in Egypt runs through the bank using instruments such as documentary collection or a letter of credit depending on the case, and foreign currency requirements and import-related banking procedures can change by decision of the competent authorities. Do not rely on the experience of a previous shipment. Confirm with your bank before contracting which instrument is required, what documents it will ask for, and how long the transfer is expected to take. Then align the payment terms in your contract with the Chinese factory to what your bank can actually execute, because this is one of the most common friction points between importer and supplier. Checklist for importing into Egypt Activate your NAFEZA account well ahead of the first shipment. Confirm the factory or brand owner is registered with GOEIC if your category is covered, and ask for evidence. Fix the HS code and obtain a written estimate of duty and VAT. Issue the ACID number before shipping and send it to the supplier in writing. Verify the ACID appears on the invoice, bill of lading and other documents before sailing. Review the payment instrument and transfer requirements with your bank before signing the proforma. Choose the port on total inland cost rather than ocean freight alone. Run a pre-shipment inspection, insure the cargo, and arrange clearance and haulage before arrival. Practical summary Reduce your Egypt plan to a single sentence: never let a shipment sail without a valid ACID number and, where registration is required, a registered factory. After that the rest is ordinary management of cost and time. The rules, lists, rates and transit times described here can change by official decision, so verify them with the official authorities, your bank and your shipping agent at the time of shipping. On the origin side, ALSHUMUL Trading Services in Guangzhou coordinates the factory, inspection and document control so the file matches the shipment requirements before loading. Share this article WhatsApp Facebook X TikTok Instagram Copy link All questions → All services → Back to the blog → Frequently asked questions on this topic The questions most often asked before importing from China: costs, factories, quality, shipping and payment. All questions → What is the ACID number and who obtains it? – ACID is the Advance Cargo Information Declaration. The Egyptian importer applies for it on the NAFEZA platform before shipping, and a number is issued for that specific consignment. It is sent to the Chinese supplier to be shown on the invoice, bill of lading and other documents so that shipment data reaches customs electronically ahead of the goods. Leave real time in your schedule between issuing the number and the sailing date. What happens if goods ship without an ACID number? + A consignment that sails without a valid ACID risks being refused processing at the port and returned at the importer expense, with the freight, demurrage and lost time that follow. It is among the least recoverable mistakes in importing into Egypt, so obtaining the number and sending it to the supplier should be a written precondition in your contract before loading is authorised. Does the Chinese factory need GOEIC registration? + For many categories, yes. The General Organization for Export and Import Control requires factories or brand owners to be entered in a dedicated register before their products can be imported, covering defined lists that typically include consumer products, textiles and household appliances. Registration is the factory responsibility and takes time and documentation. Ask in your first conversation, request evidence, and check the current lists with your broker. Which Egyptian port should I choose for cargo from China? + Alexandria and El Dekheila are the largest on the Mediterranean and serve Cairo and the Delta, Damietta suits the eastern Delta, Port Said is strong in transhipment at the canal entrance, and Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea is closest to Greater Cairo and the industrial zones east of it, sometimes with a shorter transit from Asia. Decide on warehouse location and inland cost, not ocean freight alone. What duties and VAT apply in Egypt? + Duty varies by tariff heading with no single unified rate, so some production inputs are low while finished goods are higher. VAT applies at a general rate of 14 percent with categories treated differently, alongside port charges and service fees. Ask your broker for a written estimate against the HS code before contracting, and account for the exchange rate applied in customs valuation when calculating landed cost. What should I review with my bank before contracting? + Review which payment instrument is required, such as documentary collection or a letter of credit, what documents the bank will request, and the expected time to execute the transfer. Foreign currency requirements and import-related banking procedures can change by decision of the competent authorities, so do not rely on a previous shipment. Align contract payment terms with what your bank can actually execute. 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