Issuing a Permit for the Import of Sensitive (Non-Animal-Based) Food Products

Application submission

You need to open a new inquiry in the portal under the heading: "Submission of a new application for an early approval for sensitive food".

Application entry

The application will be entered into the computer system and you will receive the entry number for your application for the early approval for the import of sensitive food.

Document review

1. The secretary of the Import Department will verify the details and the validity of the applicant's importer registration certificate.
2. If everything is in order, the applicant will receive a message stating that the application has been entered into the system, and simultaneously the application will be forwarded for professional processing by a food engineer.
3. If, after review of the documents, it will be determined that a certain document is missing, the application will be returned to the applicant with a note on which documents should be supplemented.
4. The count of processing days will begin once the applicant has provided the supplemental documents.

Review by a food engineer 

1. The food engineer will review the application per professional criteria, according to the available legislation (standards, regulations and ordinances applicable to the product).
2. After this review by the food engineer, it will be decided whether to issue an early approval for the import of sensitive food, or to decline the application.
3. The food engineer may require from the applicant to provide supplemental information or to have a certain information item verified before agreeing to issue the approval.
4. The food engineer will review applications according to the FIFO principle (first application received is the first application to be processed).

Approval of the application

If the engineer decides to approve the product, the early approval for the import of sensitive food, including the accompanying documents, will be sent to the e-mail address listed in the application form.

Rejection of the application

• If the details reviewed do not meet the requirements or if certain details are missing or if the product does not meet the legal requirements, the application will be declined and returned to the applicant with a rejection form specifying the reason for the rejection of the application.
• If the rejection form states that certain information or documentation is missing, the applicant may supplement the missing information and re-submit the application for further processing.
• If the applicant will not provide the missing information or documents within one year from the date of the rejection of the application, the inquiry will be closed. In such cases, the applicant will need to file the application again.

• A manufacturing document detailing the product's ingredients, including source materials, additives and their quantities.
• A relevant specification document for this product that includes the product's brand name, generic name and any other information such as: chemical and microbiological aspects, food polluting, shelf life, storage conditions and so on.
• Supervision certificates.
• Decryption of the manufacturer code according to the definition listed in this protocol.
• The product's Hebrew label.
• Additional documents in accordance with Import Protocol 05-001.

• The application, including documents and supplemental documentation, can only be filed through the secured zone of the National Food Services portal.
• Information display is only given:
  • Through the secured portal;
  • To holders of a smart card;
  • To those who registered to the secured zone.
• You can activate from the open zone the secured zone of the National Food Services portal, which requires the use of a smart card.
• You can log into the open zone of the National Food Services portal.
• Forms are to be delivered to the secretary of the Import Department in the National Food Services.
• Fill the inquiry file (Hebrew), attach all of the required documents as detailed in the Protocol for the Import of Sensitive Food 05-001 and according to the type of requested product, and send.

• You may only submit the documents to the secretary of the Import Department of the National Food Service via the portal and only as PDF.
• Documents, which are required for the application for the early approval for the import of sensitive food, will be submitted signed by the importers.
• Documents will be drawn and signed by the food manufacturers or their representatives on an official and original document that includes the factory's (the manufacturer's) logo with their full address, and the time of their signing.
• Documents with a date of signature that is more than one year prior cannot be submitted and will not be received.
• The language of submitted documents will be English. For documents in a different language, a notarized translation or a translation from the relevant embassy or consulate, either to Hebrew or English, must be provided.
• Each document should be scanned separately.
• Make sure that you scan the documents clearly and legibly.
• The file's name must be indicative of the file's nature, for example: "Food Specification" or "Technical Specification" or "Approval of the Relevant Authority" or "Label".
• The size of each scanned document will be up to 2 MB.

• You need to open a new inquiry via the portal through "Submission of a new inquiry for early approval for food".
• Make sure that you fill all of the fields correctly. Incorrectly filled forms will not be entered into the system.
• All files must be in PDF format.
• Each document should be scanned separately.
• Make sure that you scan the documents clearly and legibly.
• The file's name must be indicative of the file's nature, for example: "Food Specification" or "Technical Specification" or "Approval of the Relevant Authority" or "Label".
• The size of each scanned document will be up to 2 MB.

• Fees for the applications should be paid via the Government Payments Website.
• Payers are required to enter the following details:
  • Importer's registration number;
  • Company registration number;
  • Inquiry number (under the "declaration/application" field) as received in the returning e-mail.
• If one of the entered details is incorrect, an error message will be displayed.
• If the details are correct, the amount due will be displayed.
• Payments will be made according to the guidelines displayed in the Government Payments Website.
• Upon completion of the payment, a confirmation of payment will be submitted to the National Food Services, for further handling and processing of the application.

• Make sure that the e-mail address listed in your importer registration certificate is up to date, since all approval or rejection messages will be sent to that address.
• If the application is filed through the food importers' representatives, approval or rejection messages will be sent to them only.
• It is the importers' responsibility to make sure that their representatives' details are up-to-date, and they are the ones listed in the National Food Services' import systems.
• You should only pay the fee after receiving your inquiry number in the system's message that also lists the amount due. The application will only be processed once the fee is paid.
• The rest of the process does not change, and will continue per the existing process in accordance with the Protocol for the Import of Sensitive Food, 05-001.

• Pursuant to the Public Health Protection Law (Food), 5776-2015, the decision on applications for the early approval for the import of sensitive food will be made within 45 business days from the date on which the application is filed.
• If the application is filed in an orderly manner, and all documents are submitted in full and in an orderly manner, the National Food Services will act to reduce processing times according to the type of product as specified below:
  • Raw materials: within 14 business days from the date on which the application is received in the digital system;
  • Final products: within 21 business days from the date on which the application is received in the digital system;
  • Food for babies and task-specific food: within 60 business days from the date on which the application is received in the digital system;
  • Food supplements: within 45 business days from the date on which the application is received in the digital system.
• In case of receipt of supplemental materials from the applicant, the count of business days for the handling of the application will restart.

• A certificate of early approval for the import of sensitive food is exclusive, for one certain importer, for one specific food product from a specific manufacturer, from one specific manufacturing site in a specific country, and it cannot be transferred to another person.
• Questions about the classification of the product should be submitted in writing to the secretary of the Import Department. There is a list of food products classified as sensitive (Hebrew).
• A certificate of early approval for the import of sensitive food is:
  • Issued annually for 12 months and up to 10 years upon payment of an annual fee;
  • Can be renewed up to 10 years;
  • After 10 years, a new application for the early approval of a sensitive food product should be filed with all of the necessary documents.
• The process for the approval of food products classified as "sensitive" appears in the Public Health Protection Regulations (Health), Declaration on Sensitive Food, 5780-2019.