Guide to Application for Import Licence for Frozen Meat, Chilled Meat, Frozen Poultry and Chilled Poultry

Purpose

1. The purpose of this guide is to provide general guidance for importers who wish to apply for an import licence for the import of frozen meat, chilled meat, frozen poultry and chilled poultry into Hong Kong.

Statutory Requirement

2. The import of frozen meat, chilled meat, frozen poultry or chilled poultry requires an import licence under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60). The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is the designated authority to issue import licences for these commodities.

3. The meat includes beef, mutton, pork, veal or lamb, and the offal of any animal from which such meat is derived. The poultry includes the carcass of a domestic fowl, duck, goose or turkey or any part of such a carcass, and any part of a bird mentioned above which is edible or used in the preparation of food.

Application Procedure

4. Importers of frozen meat, chilled meat, frozen poultry or chilled poultry should apply for the import licence from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department's Food Importer / Distributor Registration and Import Licensing Office at Room 119, 1/F, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

5. Each consignment of the frozen meat, chilled meat, frozen poultry and chilled poultry is to be covered by one import licence. The licence application must be supported by a valid health certificate issued by the recognized issuing entity of the exporting country covering the consignment or by specific approval from the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene.

(a) Online Application

Traders who have opened user accounts in the Food Trader Portal (FTP) may submit applications for import licences online round-the-clock at FTP website: www.ftp.cfs.gov.hk. Upon approval, the import licence will be sent to the applicant's FTP account.
Once your FTP account is linked up to your Trade Single Window (TSW) account, you can receive a one-time password via the mobile phone number registered in your FTP account to access FTP through Trade Single Window (https://www3.tradesinglewindow.hk/portal/en/index.html) for submitting applications for Import Licence.

(b) Paper Mode Application

Completed application form (Form No.: FEHB 284 ) should be submitted to the Food Importer / Distributor Registration and Import Licensing Office (by hand only). Upon receiving the licence application, the Food Importer / Distributor Registration and Import Licensing Office will issue an acknowledgement slip to the applicant. The applicant is required to produce the acknowledgement slip when collecting the licence.

6. There is no fee to be charged on the applicant for processing the import licence.

7. Upon the full commencement of the Food Safety Ordinance on 1 February 2012, import licence for frozen meat, chilled meat, frozen poultry and chilled poultry will only be issued to importers registered under the Registration Scheme for Food Importers and Food Distributors (the scheme) or food traders exempted under the Food Safety Ordinance (Food importers or food distributors who have already registered or have obtained a licence under other ordinances listed at Schedule 1 of the Ordinance). Hence, importing firms should first register with the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene under the Food Safety Ordinance if they intend to import meat and poultry. For more details about the scheme and the registration procedures, please read the "Guide to the Registration Scheme for Food Importers and Food Distributors" available at the designed website (www.foodsafetyord.gov.hk ).

8. Any person who imports into Hong Kong in the personal baggage solely for his personal use in an amount not exceeding 15 kilograms may be exempted from the requirement of an import licence provided that the meat or poultry in question is accompanied by a valid official certificate recognized by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene.

Validity of Licence

9. An import licence is normally valid for one shipment only and for a period of 6 weeks from the date of issue.

Delivery of Import Licence

10. When an application is approved, the licence will be issued to the importer. The owner of vessel, aircraft or vehicle engaged in the importation of the meat or poultry is required, within 14 days upon importation of the food, to deliver the import licence together with the manifest to the Trade and Industry Department.

Registration of Cold Storage

11. The cold stores licensed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department as listed in Appendix I are automatically registered as the cold storages for the imported meat and poultry. A registered importer who imports frozen/chilled meat and poultry for the purpose of his food business licensed by the Department may register his licensed food premises as cold storage for the imported meat and poultry. Details of registration of cold storage are contained in the registration form at Appendix II.

Enquiries

12. For enquiries, please contact Food Importer / Distributor Registration and Import Licensing Office at 2156 3012 or email to fsc@fehd.gov.hk or by fax at 2156 3015.

* The word "chilled" in this Guide refers to the pre-chilling process of food with subsequent storage at a temperature between 0 ℃ and 4 ℃ .

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department