Case Documentation Requirement

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Case: Captive non-human primates Effective 24 Jan 2020 to 01 Feb 2020

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.

Veterinary Certificate

A certificate, issued in conformity with the provisions of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code describing the animal health and/or public health requirements fulfilled by the exported commodity.

Complete - All prescribed information required to be on a document must be present and complete. Additional prescribed information below:
1. A certificate must be supplied for each animal
2. The document must be written in English, and a language understood by the official veterinarian of the country of export.
3. The document must meet all requirements of the veterinary certification conditions.
4. The document must provide all relevant statement/s.
5. The document must provide identification of each animal. This includes description, species, sex, age and microchip number with site of implantation (if applicable).
6. The document must detail the name and address of the person in charge of the goods and the exporter.
7. The document must include the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources import permit number.
8. The document must include the nature and identification of the means of transport.
9. The official veterinarian's name, title and contact details must appear on the veterinary certificate.
10. The document must be signed, dated and stamped (with the stamp of the government veterinary administration) on each page of the veterinary certificate and all documents e.g. laboratory reports which form part of the extended health certification.
11. Copies of documents will be accepted which bear the original signature, date and stamp of the official veterinarian.
Note:
An official veterinarian is a veterinarian authorised by the veterinary administration of the exporting country to perform animal health certification in conformity with the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
Legible - All prescribed information required to be on a document must be legible.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Warnings and Information Notices

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

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