Customs Clearance in Rwanda

Haraka Freight International provides customs clearance in Rwanda for importers, exporters and cargo agents. Customs clearance is offered as part of our own services. We additionally offer a stand-alone, full customs clearance and brokerage service for importers, exporters, and local and overseas cargo agents. We do not need to carry your goods to clear the consignment for you through customs.

Whether your cargo arrives by truck from Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, by air into Kigali, or across a land border, our customs team in Kigali prepares the paperwork, lodges the declaration, follows the assessment and stays with the cargo until it is released and delivered.

What our customs clearance in Rwanda includes

• Facilitation at the airports, seaports and borders.
• Preparing the needed documents.
• Ensuring the quick clearance and safe delivery of goods.
• Air and sea clearance.
• An experienced customs team.
• Arranging the necessary documentation with the relevant customs facilities.
• Notifying the concerned parties.
• Following release procedures up to delivery.
• Special customs procedures such as temporary entry and re-exporting.

A clearing agent in Rwanda you can rely on

Many importers only need a clearing agent: their supplier or another forwarder has already shipped the goods, and the cargo now has to get through customs. That is exactly what our stand-alone service is for. As a clearing and forwarding company in Rwanda, we can take over at any point: at the port of entry, at a border post, at an inland bonded facility in Kigali or at the airport.

For businesses that import regularly, we act as a long-term customs broker. We keep your product classifications, permits and supplier documents on file so that each new consignment moves faster than the last.

How import clearance in Rwanda works

Every shipment is different, but import clearance in Rwanda generally follows the same steps:

1. Pre-arrival check. We review the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill and any permits before the cargo arrives, and point out anything missing.
2. Classification and valuation. We help confirm the tariff classification (HS code) and customs value of the goods, which determine the duties and taxes due.
3. Declaration. We lodge the customs declaration electronically with the Rwanda Revenue Authority (opens in a new tab) (RRA).
4. Assessment and payment. Customs assesses the declaration. Once duties and taxes are paid, the process continues.
5. Verification, if selected. Some consignments are selected for document checks or physical inspection. We attend the inspection and answer customs' questions.
6. Release and delivery. Customs releases the cargo, and we arrange collection and delivery to your premises.

For goods arriving through Mombasa or Dar es Salaam, the East African Community's Single Customs Territory means the goods are declared once, in the destination country, and taxes are paid at destination. Manifests are lodged with the port-country revenue authority before the vessel arrives, and release is issued by the destination authority (Tanzania Revenue Authority (opens in a new tab) explains the system). Done well, this saves a lot of time at the port. Done badly, it delays the cargo before it even leaves the coast. Preparing the declaration early is the key.

Export clearance in Rwanda

Export clearance in Rwanda matters just as much for exporters of coffee, tea, minerals, manufactured goods and re-exports. We prepare the export declaration, coordinate any inspections or certificates required for your product, and make sure the paperwork matches what your buyer and the destination customs will expect. When we also handle the transport, the export documents travel with the cargo to the border or airport.

Documents usually required

Requirements change, and some goods need approval before they are shipped. Food, medicines and medical products fall under the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (opens in a new tab), and many products must meet standards set by the Rwanda Standards Board (opens in a new tab). Tell us what you are importing and we will confirm what applies before you buy.

Customs clearance in Kigali: airport, inland facilities and borders

• Air cargo. We clear air freight arriving at Kigali International Airport. See air freight in Rwanda.
• Road cargo from the coast. Trucks from Mombasa and Dar es Salaam arrive under customs control at border posts and inland bonded facilities. We follow them from the port to final release.
• Regional land borders. We handle facilitation at the borders with Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the DRC, including transit cargo heading on to Goma and Bukavu. See cross-border logistics.

Special customs procedures

Not every shipment is a simple import. We also handle:

• Temporary entry, for equipment, vehicles or exhibition goods that will leave Rwanda again.
• Re-exporting, when goods leave Rwanda in the same state they arrived in.
• Transit, for cargo crossing Rwanda on its way to the DRC or Burundi.
• Goods held under bond while you decide when to pay duties and take delivery. See warehousing in Rwanda.

Why choose Haraka for customs clearance

• Experienced customs team that knows how declarations, assessments and verifications work in practice.
• Clearance and transport in one place. Combine clearance with freight forwarding and road transport, so there are no gaps between the port, the truck and customs.
• Stand-alone when you need it. Already have a forwarder? We clear the goods without taking over the transport.
• We keep everyone informed. We notify the concerned parties at each stage, from arrival to release and delivery.

For transit cargo heading on to the DRC or Burundi, read our guides to DRC customs clearance for transit cargo and transit cargo from Mombasa.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a clearing agent to import goods into Rwanda?

For most commercial imports, yes. Customs declarations are lodged electronically by licensed customs agents, who also handle assessment, payment and release. A clearing agent like Haraka prepares the declaration, checks your documents and follows the cargo until it is released and delivered.

Can Haraka clear goods that another company transported?

Yes. We offer a stand-alone, full customs clearance and brokerage service. We do not need to carry your goods to clear the consignment for you. Send us your documents and arrival details and we take it from there.

What documents do I need for customs clearance in Rwanda?

Usually the bill of lading or air waybill, the commercial invoice, the packing list and, where it applies, a certificate of origin, import permits or product certificates. The exact list depends on your goods. We check it with you before the cargo arrives.

How long does customs clearance in Rwanda take?

It depends on the completeness of the documents, the type of goods, whether the consignment is selected for physical verification and how quickly duties are paid. Clearance is fastest when documents are prepared before the cargo arrives, which is why we start early.

How much does customs clearance cost?

Our fee depends on the shipment and the services involved. Import duties and taxes are separate and are set by law according to the tariff classification and value of your goods. Ask for a quote and we will itemise both.

Do you handle temporary imports and re-exports?

Yes. We handle special customs procedures such as temporary entry and re-exporting, for example equipment brought in for a project and taken out again afterwards.