Case Documentation Requirement

Case: Freshwater aquarium fish Effective 20 Sep 2019 to 21 Nov 2019

Documentation Requirements

The information below describes the requirements for documentation presented to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to support the risk assessment of imported goods.

Health certificate

1. Complete - All prescribed information required to be on a document must be present and complete. Additional prescribed information below:
   

   1. The document must contain the shipping invoice number.
      

   2. The document must contain a list of the individual boxes destined for export.
      

   3. The document must contain a list of the identification numbers and any other details of each box.
      

   4. The document must contain a list of the scientific name/s in each box destined for export.
      

   5. The document must contain a list of the numbers (tails of fish) in each box destined for export.
      

   6. The document must also be written in a language understood by the Competent Authority of the country of export.
      

   7. The document must meet all requirements of the health certification conditions.
      

   8. The document must contain the Department of Agriculture import permit number.
      

   9. An Official of the Competent Authority of the Government of the exporting country, having an appropriate knowledge of fish health and the export premises, must endorse (sign and stamp using a stamp of the government health or agriculture administration) each page of the:
      - health certificate; and
      - shipping invoice or packing list or species list.
      

      The department will only accept copies of documents where each page bears the original signature, date and stamp of the Competent Authority.
      

   10. The document must contain the name of the endorsing officer of the Competent Authority of the Government of the exporting country. The name must be written in BLOCK LETTERS.
       

   11. The document must contain the title of the endorsing officer of the Competent Authority of the Government of the exporting country.
       

   12. The document must contain the location at which the certification was issued.
       

   13. The document must contain the name of the government administration of the exporting country.
       

   14. The document must contain the date of certification.
       

   15. The document must contain the telephone number of the endorsing officer of the Competent Authority of the Government of the exporting country.
       

   16. The document must contain the fax number of the endorsing officer of the Competent Authority of the Government of the exporting country.
       

   17. The document must contain the email address of the endorsing officer of the Competent Authority of the Government of the exporting country.
       

   18. The document must contain the name, address, telephone number, fax number and the email address of the exporter.
       

2. Legible - All prescribed information required to be on a document must be legible.
   

3. Valid - Many documents, such as import permits, are valid for a certain period. Presented documents must comply with the validity requirements specified for that class of document.
   

4. In English - All information required to be on a document must be in English. Exceptions to this rule include:
   

   1. company letterheads that do not need to be translated into English but must be in English characters.
      

   2. commercial, transport and government certification that are required to comply with international standard formats.
      

   3. signatures and names of individuals.
      

   Where a document cannot be provided in English, an affidavit will be accepted from either:
   

   1. that country’s consulate in Australia.
      

   2. the Australian embassy in the country of origin.
      

   3. a translator accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd.
      

5. Free from erasures and alterations - All prescribed information on the document must be free from erasures and alterations unless endorsed by the issuer of the document. The only acceptable endorsement is a company stamp or seal signed by the company employee (including printed name) or a government stamp or seal signed by a government employee (including printed name) applied adjacent to the alteration.
   

6. Multiple page documents - Multi page document must:
   

   • include individual reference numbers/numerical link on ALL pages of the document.
     For example, commercial invoices (or similar) must contain the documents individual reference number or numerical link on each page of the document.
     

   • contain an endorsement on the final page of the document, following the information that is being endorsed.
     

   Note: where a document has noted attachments, the attachments can follow the endorsement.
   

7. Endorsed - All documents must be endorsed by a representative of the organisation or corporation issuing the document. An endorsement must:
   

   1. be an acceptable signature or stamp as defined in the Definitions section of this policy
      

   2. appear after the information that the signatory is endorsing.
      

   Where a document has noted attachments, the endorsement can be made before the attachments.
   

8. Date of issue - All documents must identify the date of issue and is to include the day, month and year. Packing declarations may contain vessel/voyage number which can be used in lieu of the date of issue.
   

9. Consignment specific link - All documents presented to the department for assessment must have a unique consignment-specific link. Examples of consignment identification include:
   

   • container numbers
     

   • bill numbers
     

   • commercial invoice numbers
     

   • lot codes
     

   • preferential tariff certificate numbers
     

   • packing list numbers
     

   • letter of credit numbers.
     

   Where a document does not contain one of the accepted forms of consignment identification, a numerical link to another document that does contain appropriate consignment identification must be present.
   

   Examples of acceptable numerical links include:
   

   • order numbers
     

   • reference numbers
     

   • any other internal reference numbers used by overseas companies
     

   • vessel/voyage references.
     

   Numerical links alone cannot be used as consignment identification links.
   

   Unacceptable numerical links are references that could be present in previous or subsequent consignments and relate to a model, type or standardised item number. Examples of unacceptable numerical links include:
   

   • number of packages
     

   • weights
     

   • dates
     

   • stockkeeping unit
     

   • item codes.
     

   Annual packing declarations are exempt from having consignment-specific links.
   

For further information, please refer to the Minimum documentary and import declaration requirements policy.

Related Information:

• OIE: Website homepage
• List: Competent authorities of exporting countries for freshwater and marine fish
• Minimum documentary and import declaration requirements policy