Basic information
Outline of the system
Import permits are required to ensure that plants, plant products and by-products, and products and inputs for agricultural use have been inspected via the proper procedures and do not constitute a potential risk as carriers of pests or diseases.Permits are issued to Honduran citizens, natural persons and legally constituted entities and foreigners either resident or represented in Honduras.
Product coverage
Plants, plant products and by-products, and products and inputs for agricultural use, such as fertilizers and substrates; cotton and cotton products; coffee and coffee products; grain and grain products; sugar cane and by-products; condiments; cut flowers (roses, gardenia, lilac, camellia, rhododendron, azalea, etc.); fruit and vegetables; frozen fruits and vegetables; agricultural inputs; groundnuts and by-products; plant fibre materials; inert materials as a substrate medium; manufactured and semi-manufactured products; wood and wood products, except for veneered wood, plywood and laminated wood; wicker and rattan for furniture manufacturing; soil samples; foliage, etc.; ornamental plants; processed potatoes; plants and plant products for or capable of propagation; aromatic and medicinal plants; roots and tubers; seed potatoes; oilseed for animal feed; and tobacco and tobacco products.
Nature of licensing
Automatic
If Automatic, administrative purpose
Non-Automatic
If Non-Automatic, description of the notified Non-Automatic Licensing regime
Products under restriction as to the quantity or value of imports
The procedure is not intended to limit the amount of imports but to prevent the introduction of pests and diseases.
Questions for products under restriction as to the quantity or value of imports
Not applicable.
The system applies to products originating from which country?
The permit system applies to products from any country.
Expected duration of licensing procedure
Legal requirements
Is the licensing statutorily required?
Constitution of the Republic: Article 245, sections 11, 116 and 118 of the General Law on Public Administration, Article 43 of Decree No. 157-94, Law on Plant and Animal Health, Amendment to Law on Plant and Animal Health Decree No. 344-2005.
The import permit procedure is mandatory.
Does the legislation leave designation of products to be subject to licensing to administrative discretion?
The legislation specifies the products which are subject to this procedure.
Is it possible for the government to abolish the system without legislative approval?
Eligibility of applicants
Is there a system of registration of persons or firms permitted to engage in importation?
There is a registration system only for importers of seeds for commercial purposes.
What persons or firms are eligible to apply for a licence?
Permits are issued to Honduran nationals, natural persons, legally constituted entities and foreigners either resident or represented in Honduras.
Is there a registration fee?
There is a registration system only for importers of seeds for commercial purposes, for which a tax is charged, payable every two years, of L. 500 for importers and L. 2,000 for merchants.
Is there a published list of authorized importers?
The details are available in a database held by the Seed Certification Department.
Contact point for information on eligibility
Ministry/Authority
Address
Telephone
Fax
E-mail address
Website
Contact officer
Submission of an application
Administrative body(ies) for submission of an application
General Directorate of Plant Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG)
Documentation requirements
What information is required in applications?
The information to be provided in applications is set out in the document "Applications for Import Permits for Plant Products and By-Products" issued by the Technical Sub-Directorate of Plant Health.
What documents is the importer required to supply with the application?
A pro forma invoice must be attached.
Window of submission of an application
How far in advance of importation must application for a licence be made?
Applications for phytosanitary permits must be made at least 15 days prior to the arrival of the imports in the country, save in exceptional cases which will be covered in the relevant technical handbooks on procedure. Normal practice is for the licence to be issued within a period not exceeding 72 hours, but it is generally issued within 24 hours;
Are there any limitations as to the period of the year during which application for licence can be made? If so, explain
Not applicable.
Issuing the license
Can a licence be granted immediately on request?
Extension is always possible where the applicant complies with the legal requirements.
Can licences be obtained within a shorter time-limit or for goods arriving at the port without a licence
Where imported items have already arrived in port, in exceptional cases compliance with the requirements is checked, and if there are no objections the licence may be issued immediately.
Which administrative body is responsible for approving application of licences?
Sole responsibility for examining the information lies with an administrative body, namely the Technical Sub-Directorate of Plant Health, acting through the Plant Quarantine Department of SENASA/SAG, Ave. La FAO, Col. Loma Linda Norte, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Must the applications be passed on to other organs for visa, note or approval?
Are there any other conditions attached to the issue of a licence?
They are not subject to conditions, except where these are applied for investigation purposes and where direct supervision by official bodies is required on entry into the importing country.
Fees and other administrative charges
Is there any licensing fee or administrative charge?
Either a fee is charged or the application costs L. 250 per import permit.
What is the amount of the fee or charge?
Either a fee is charged or the application costs L. 250 per import permit.
Is there any deposit or advance payment required associated with the issue of licences?
No deposit or advance is required other than the costs of the application in question, as mentioned in the preceding reply, and these are not refundable if the application is refused.
Amount or rate?
No deposit or advance is required other than the costs of the application in question, as mentioned in the preceding reply, and these are not refundable if the application is refused.
Is it refundable?
No deposit or advance is required other than the costs of the application in question, as mentioned in the preceding reply, and these are not refundable if the application is refused.
What is the period of retention?
What is the purpose of this requirement?
Refusal of an application
Under what circumstances may an application for a licence be refused other than failure to meet the ordinary criteria?
A permit may be refused if a product has not been previously imported and constitutes a phytosanitary risk to the country; this is determined through phytosanitary risk analysis,
Are the reasons for any refusal given to applicants?
The technical grounds for refusal are notified directly to the applicant.
Have applicants a right of appeal in the event of refusal to issue a licence?
Applicants have no right of appeal against a negative technical determination.
If so, to what bodies and under what procedures?
Importation
Are there any limitations as to the period of year during which importation may be made?
Not applicable.
What documents are required upon actual importation?
An international phytosanitary export certificate from the country of origin or provenance is required for all fresh products; certificates of quality have to accompany the shipment in certain cases, and endangered species are subject to special documentation requirements such as a CITES certificate issued by the country of origin.
Are there any other administrative procedures, apart from import licensing and similar administrative procedures, required prior to importation?
There are no other procedures prior to importation.
Conditions of licensing
What is the period of validity of a licence? Can the validity be extended? How?
The period of validity of an import permit is 30 calendar days, renewable within five calendar days after payment of the due amount; renewal may not be refused unless the phytosanitary grounds have changed.
Is there any penalty for the non-utilization of a licence or a portion of a licence?
No penalty is applicable except on expiry of the permit in question.
Are licences transferable between importers? If so, are any limitations or conditions attached to such transfer?
Import permits are not transferable.
Foreign Exchange
Is foreign exchange automatically provided by the banking authorities for goods to be imported?
Not applicable.