Applying for Importer Registration (Food of Animal Origin)

Who can submit an application?

• Any company, corporation, or licensed dealer registered in Israel may submit an application for obtaining importer registration certificates.
• If the import is intended for the Palestinian Authority region, identification card holders on behalf of the Palestinian Authority or a Palestinian company, corporation, or licensed dealer registered in the Palestinian Authority region may also apply.

Threshold conditions for application submission

• The importer must be a licensed dealer, or a company registered in Israel (on behalf of the Registrar of Companies).
• The importer must act in accordance with the following procedures (Hebrew):
  • Veterinary Import Procedure: Issuance of Veterinary Import Permit 05-510.
  • Veterinary Import Procedure: Handling shipping of imported food of animal origin in transit 05-011.
  • Veterinary Import Procedure: Cold storage facilities/warehouses used for the storage of food of animal origin in transit 05-012.
• Applicants must sign a declaration in the portal acknowledging their responsibility to learn and comply with relevant legislation.
• Applicants must sign an agreement with one or more cool storage facilities, storing the shipments for the importer. The list of cool storage facilities for storing food in transit is occasionally updated on the Ministry of Health’s website.
• Applicants must hold a manufacturer’s license (supervised by the Ministry of Health) or an operating license (supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture).
• If a representative submits the application, include an updated power of attorney for the current calendar year.

Required application materials

• A copy of a licensed dealer certificate or a confirmation from the Registrar of Companies.
• The company owner’s copy of the identification card.
• A copy of an agreement or contract with one or more cool storage facilities, approved by the Veterinary Department.

How to submit the application?

1. Submit the application for obtaining an importer registration certificate, which is performed through the open zone portal.
2. After receiving the importer registration certificate, you will need to purchase a smart card. These cards are sold by the companies that won the government tender (Personal ID or Comsign).
   • Frequently asked questions about the smart card (Hebrew)
   • Installing a smart card (Hebrew)
3. Submit an application for registration for the secure zone portal.
4. The application must include the smart card’s details, as they appear on the Excel file downloadable from the open zone portal.

The service is free of charge

Further application processing

1. Document review: the unit’s secretary will review the application.
2. Issuing the permit: an importer registration certificate with a unique number will be issued within 7 business days from the date of the application receipt.
3. Completing missing documents:
   • In some cases, additional information is required, such as missing or invalid documents. In such cases, the applicants will be informed through the portal and asked to complete the documents.
   • The importer registration certificate will be issued within 7 business days from receipt of the amended application.