Colombia
Agreement signed · Strong coverage · Compiled 2026-07-05
31 screening rules
- Labeling: 17 rules — 10 blocking, 5 conditional, 2 advisory
- Additives: 4 rules — 3 blocking, 1 conditional, 0 advisory
- Contaminants & residue limits: 4 rules — 4 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
- Import & registration: 6 rules — 4 blocking, 2 conditional, 0 advisory
Market profile
- Main food law
- Ley 9 de 1979 Codigo Sanitario
- Labeling regulation
- Res 5109/2005 + Res 810/2021
- Import requirements
- INVIMA VUCE guide 2024
- National standards body
- ICONTEC (NTC) — paywalled
- Latest USDA FAIRS report
- 2025
Import and export
Documents to import
- Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter/supplier — Mandatory
- Packing list — Issued by: Exporter/supplier — Mandatory
- Bill of lading / airway bill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
- Certificate of origin (non-preferential and preferential forms) — Issued by: Competent body in exporting country — Conditional
- Customs import declaration — Issued by: Importer / licensed customs broker to DIAN — Mandatory
- Health / sanitary certificate from country of origin — Issued by: Competent authority of exporting country — Conditional
- Veterinary (zoosanitary) certificate — Issued by: Official veterinary service of exporting country; checked by ICA (animal health) / INVIMA — Conditional
- Phytosanitary certificate — Issued by: NPPO of exporting country; checked by ICA — Conditional
- Registro / Permiso / Notificación Sanitaria de Alimentos (RSA/PSA/NSA by risk) — Issued by: INVIMA — Mandatory
- Importer / facility registration — Issued by: INVIMA registration of foreign manufacturing plant (meat, dairy, seafood require INVIMA plant inscription/audit) — Mandatory
- Import permit / licence — Issued by: Registro/Licencia de importación via VUCE (when required) + ICA Documento Zoosanitario/Fitosanitario de Importación (DZI/DFI) — Conditional
- Free sale certificate — Issued by: Authority of exporting country — Conditional
- Certificate of analysis / lab report — Issued by: Accredited lab — Conditional
- Label approval / Spanish or local-language label — Issued by: INVIMA — Mandatory
- Halal certificate — Issued by: Recognised halal body — Conditional
- Fumigation certificate / ISPM-15 wood packaging mark — Issued by: Exporter's fumigation provider — Conditional
- Legalisation / apostille of foreign documents — Issued by: Consulate / apostille authority — Conditional
- Declaración Anticipada (mandatory advance declaration); Declaración Andina del Valor (FOB >= USD 5,000); ONAC-certified digital signature — Issued by: DIAN — Conditional
Documents to export
- Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
- Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
- Bill of lading / airway bill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
- Export customs declaration: Solicitud de Autorización de Embarque (SAE) / Declaración de Exportación (DEX) via MUISCA — Issued by: DIAN — Mandatory
- Certificate of origin (preferential/non-preferential) — Issued by: DIAN / MinCIT (preferential COO) — Conditional
- Export health / sanitary certificate — Issued by: INVIMA — Conditional
- Export veterinary certificate — Issued by: ICA (animal health) / INVIMA — Conditional
- Export phytosanitary certificate — Issued by: ICA — Conditional
- Free sale certificate — Issued by: INVIMA — Conditional
- Exporter registration — Issued by: DIAN / export promotion body — Mandatory
- Legalisation / apostille of certificates — Issued by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (apostille) — Conditional
- INVIMA Certificado de exportación / ICA export inspection — Issued by: INVIMA / ICA — Conditional
Government fees
- INVIMA Registro sanitario - alimento alto riesgo (code 93007) (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
- INVIMA Permiso sanitario - mediano riesgo (93009) (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
- INVIMA Notificación sanitaria - bajo riesgo (93011) (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
- INVIMA import inspection / Certificado de inspección sanitaria (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
- ICA DZI/DFI import document & inspection (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
- VUCE import registration/licence fee (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
- Penalty: missing advance declaration (reference) (Import) — 1% of FOB (max 300 UVT)
- VAT/GST on imported food (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
Customs single window: VUCE (MinCIT) / MUISCA DIAN
Customs duties are not included.
A fee without a confirmed amount is listed by name only.
Official sources
- Ley 9 de 1979 — Código Sanitario Nacional (1979) Open the source
- Resolución 2674 de 2013 — Requisitos sanitarios / BPM alimentos (2013) Open the source
- Resolución 5109 de 2005 — Rotulado y etiquetado de alimentos (2005) Open the source
- Resolución 810 de 2021 — Etiquetado nutricional y frontal (mod. Res. 2492/2022) (2021) Open the source
- INVIMA — Guía de diligenciamiento Visto Bueno VUCE (importaciones), v6 (2024) Open the source
- USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Colombia (CO2025-0025) (2025) Open the source
- ABECÉ para la aplicación de la Resolución 2492 de 2022 y 810 de 2021 (MinSalud) (2023) Open the source
Reference documents
- USDA Exporter Guide Annual — Colombia (CO2025-0018) (2025) Open the source
- USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Colombia (CO2025-0025) (2025) Open the source
- INVIMA — Guia Visto Bueno VUCE importaciones v6 (2024) Open the source
- USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report — Colombia (CO2022-0017) (2022) Open the source
- Resolucion 810 de 2021 — Etiquetado nutricional y frontal (2021) Open the source
- Resolucion 2674 de 2013 — BPM alimentos (2013) Open the source
- Resolucion 5109 de 2005 — Rotulado y etiquetado (2005) Open the source
- Ley 9 de 1979 — Codigo Sanitario Nacional (1979) Open the source
- INVIMA instructivo Certificado Inspeccion Sanitaria (current) Open the source
- NTC Colombian technical standards (ICONTEC)
Guidance compiled from published sources — not legal clearance. Confirm the requirements with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.
Screening guidance based on published standards — not legal clearance. Requirements marked "needs verification" are directional hints; confirm with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.