UPS Close Window

Import/Export

United Kingdom to Lebanon

Country or Territory Regulations Topics:

Import Documentation

The EUR1 certificate shall be issued by the customs authorities of the exporting country or territory on application having been made by the exporter. The exporter must be able to proof at any time the originating status of his products concerned. This form is valid for products of any value and must accompany the shipment in original.

Details of the preferential agreements the EU has in place could be found on the EU website: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs/customs_duties/rules_origin/preferential/article_779_en.htm

Invoice Declaration (EUR1)

An invoice declaration can be made out by a so called approved exporter for originating products of any value or by any exporter limited to originating products whose value does not exceed EUR 6,000.

The customs authorities of the exporting country or territory can authorised exporters who frequently exports products under the Agreement to make out invoice declarations irrespective of the value of the products concerned. Exporters granted with such an authorisation are referred to as approved exporter. The customs authorities grant him with a customs authorisation number which shall appear on the invoice declaration.

The exporter making out an invoice declaration must be able to proof the originating status of the products to the customs authorities of the exporting country or territory at any time.

An invoice declaration has to be made out by the exporter by typing, stamping or printing on an invoice, the delivery note or another commercial document. An invoice declaration shall bear the original signature of the exporter. An approved exporter shall not be required to sign such declarations provided he accepts full responsibility for any invoice declaration identifying him as exporter.

The text of the invoice declaration is laid down in the preferential trade agreement. Details of the preferential agreements the EU has in place could be found on the EU website: http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs/customs_duties/rules_origin/preferential/article_779_en.htm

For more information,please refer to Free Trade Agreements

Bilateral free trade agreements or unilateral autonomous preferential agreements allow the import clearance of certain products with a reduced duty rate or with a full duty exemption. The products benefiting from the preferential treatment must fulfil the necessary rules of originating in a country or territory covered by the preferential trade agreement.

An exporter who wants his products to benefit from the preferential treatment must be able to proof that his products fulfil the rules to be originating in a country or territory covered by the preferential trade agreement and they must provide a preferential document validated by the customs authorities or document with a valid preferential statement issued by themselves.

The preferential trade agreement foresees the following preferential proofs above.

For all exports from sent on a Freight Collect (Bill Receiver) basis, a Security and Export Fee is collected from the shipper. The fee is 21.70 Euros.

MSDS/NON DG

It is not required for all, however shipments can be held by local authority in United Arab Emirates after screening due to lack of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) or NON DG (Dangerous Goods) declaration letter from the shipper resulting to misconnections and impacting end-to-end service.

It would be advisable for all shipments originating, transiting and terminating for UAE to have MSDS or NON DG declaration from shipper enclosed in the shipment and copies to be uploaded in IDIS.

Goods under IATA Special Provisions A67 require a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet).

It is not required for all, however shipments can be held by local authority in United Arab Emirates after screening due to lack of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) or NON DG (Dangerous Goods) declaration letter from the shipper resulting to misconnections and impacting end-to-end service.

It would be advisable for all shipments originating, transiting and terminating for UAE to have MSDS or NON DG declaration from shipper enclosed in the shipment and copies to be uploaded in IDIS.

A Packing List is required for multiple package shipments .
Export procedure ex United Kingdom

A formal electronic export declaration must be sent to customs authorities by the exporter or their representative. Customs authorities grant the release for export and issue an Export Accompanying Document (EAD) with a unique Movement Reference Number (MRN). UPS operated simplified procedures allowing export formalities to be completed upto 14 days after export.

Informal Declarations
An informal declaration is possible for shipments up to a national threshold. The informal declaration is based on the invoice value and is restricted to shipments not subject to prohibitions and restrictions (for example, embargo regulations) or special export procedures (for example, temporary export). The informal clearance will be done by UPS at the point of exit.

National Requirements
Shipments up to a value of 873.00 GBP can be declared informally on the basis of the invoice.

The EORI (European Union Registration and Identification) number needs to be included with the Invoice for any shipment with value exceeding 873.00 GBP. The EORI number can be obtained by the shipper using website link: www.gov.uk/EORI

UPS service
UPS offers the service to prepare export declarations on behalf of the exporter without additional fees.

Export Documentation

Valid passports can be shipped as documents. The description must clearly state 'passport'. Shipping passports require the approval of the UK customs authorities. A delay of minimum one day has to be calculated.

Please check the import related information if passports are allowed for importation.

Clearance Information

Shipments from Colombia are subject to a thorough inspection.

Customs opens all shipments containing documents and conducts a manual inspection.

Customs requires that shipments of letters contain separate envelopes for each consignee.

Customs seizes shipments containing letters to multiple consignees in one envelope and fines UPS Lebanon.

Customs requires an original invoice if the value of the shipment is 1,500,000 LBP or greater.

Lebanon import shipments require formal entry for one of the following reasons:

High value shipments-value over 1,500,000 LBP estimated by Lebanon Customs.

Nature of Goods, if the items are subject to any ministry approval.

Weight, depends on commodity to be considered as formal entry, basically over 15 Kgs, however this is left to the judgment of the customs officer upon arrival of the package in Lebanon.

Multiple shipments for the same consignee imported on the same day.

Consignee may authorize and pay UPS Lebanon to handle the formal entry clearance, in this case, the charges will be as follows:

Handling fee-220 USD

Delivery order-60 USD

Ministry approval-40 USD

Electric/Electronics may require IRI (www.iri.org.lb) at extra charge.

Duties and VAT taxes depending on actual against official receipts.

Please note that not only the value(s) of the commodity/commodities have to be considered when calculating duty and tax, but also the freight charge and other fees.
Please refer to Customs Clearance Process
Shipments addressed to a P.O. Box are accepted as long as a consignee contact name and phone number are indicated on the waybill or address label. When a commercial invoice is required, then the consignee's contact name and phone number must be on the invoice as well. Phone contact will be attempted or an arrival notification will be mailed to the consignee to contact the UPS office and provide a physical address for delivery.

Important Note: Shipments addressed to a P.O. Box are excluded from the UPS International guarantee regardless of the payer. A delay in delivery may occur due to the need for the consignee's physical address in order to complete delivery.

Areas Served

Service is provided to and from every address in the country or territory.
Shipments addressed to a P.O. Box are accepted as long as a consignee contact name and phone number are indicated on the waybill or address label. When a commercial invoice is required, then the consignee's contact name and phone number must be on the invoice as well. Phone contact will be attempted or an arrival notification will be mailed to the consignee to contact the UPS office and provide a physical address for delivery.

Important Note: Shipments addressed to a P.O. Box are excluded from the UPS International guarantee regardless of the payer. A delay in delivery may occur due to the need for the consignee's physical address in order to complete delivery.

Saturday, Sunday, and official holidays.
Half day Saturday (from 12:00).
Spring +0100/ Fall +0200
Arabic, English, French
Lebanese Pound(LBP), US Dollar(USD)

Billing Options

  • Shipping charges can be billed to the shipper, receiver or a third party.
  • When billing the receiver, either the shipper or receiver's account number is required.
  • When billing to a third party, the third party's name, country or territory and account number are required.
  • Duties and taxes can be billed to the shipper, receiver or a third party.
  • When billing a third party, the third party's name, country or territory and account number are required.
  • If the duties and taxes are billed to an account outside of the destination country or territory, a "Duty and Tax Forwarding" surcharge will be applied.
  • Please note the following third party billing exceptions:
    • Shipments to and from the same country or territory (domestic shipments) cannot be billed to third party payors in other countries or territories. For example, shipments from Mexico to Mexico or Canada to Canada cannot be billed to a third party payor in the U.S. This rule does not apply to UPS domestic services in European Union countries or territories as well as to UPS domestic services in the United Kingdom.For example, shipments from Germany to Germany can be billed to a third party payor in the U.S. (as long as the payor is a business and has a VAT or Tax/EIN ID on file with UPS).
  • When paying by credit card, check, or cash, only the shipper can be billed the shipping charges

Commodity Specific Stipulations

There are special stipulations on the following commodities when shipping to Lebanon. If you plan to ship one of the commodities listed below, be sure to adhere to the following stipulations in order to avoid delays and holds at customs.

Bank Cards which are requested to be sent out of the United Kingdom should be declared for referral to HMRC and await their approval to send.
Compact discs (CD's) and other audio and visual materials will be transferred to the censor prior to clearance. All CDs should be clearly declared on the Airway Bill (AWB). This will delay clearance for 3-6 days.
An invoice is required on all shipments containing a CD-Rom/Disk. Invoice should indicate the value of the Recording Media (eg. CDR/DVD) & the Intellectual/statistical value of the software/data separately
Milk Products

Milk products require authorization from the Ministry of Health

Diskettes and other audio and visual materials will be transferred to the censor prior to clearance. All Diskettes should be clearly declared on the Airway Bill (AWB). This will delay clearance for 3-6 days.
Medicine shipments require authorization from the Ministry of Health. Shipments to private individuals requires a proforma invoice and a doctor's prescription before clearance can take place. The invoice should state "for personal use only".
Labels must bear instructions and expiration date when applicable.
The consignees broker must obtain approval from the Ministry of Health on arrival, prior to Customs clearance.
Medicine shipments require authorization from the Ministry of Health. Shipments to private individuals requires a proforma invoice and a doctor's prescription before clearance can take place. The invoice should state " for personal use only".
Passports which are requested to be sent out of the United Kingdom should be declared for referral to HMRC and await their approval to send.
Tapes (audio, video, magnetic) and other audio and visual materials will be transferred to the censor prior to clearance. All Tapes should be clearly declared on the Airway Bill (AWB). This will delay clearance for 3-6 days.
Thouraya telephones require approval from the Ministry of Telecoms prior to entry. The consignee should provide this approval in order to arrange for the clearance.

Gift Exemptions

0.00 Lebanese Pound LBP
no gift exemption
no gift exemption

Invoice Requirements

Non-document shipments to Lebanon must include 1 original commercial invoice plus 2 copies of the invoice.

Original invoice must reach Lebanon on the package or in the pouch to avoid delays.

Samples need a Proforma Invoice.

Documents do not require an invoice.

The consignees telephone number, mobile number and email address if available, should appear on the invoice.

Invoice must show the origin of goods-country or territory manufactured in.

Items Classified as Documents

The destination country or territory considers the following items as document shipments. If criteria are listed, the shipment must meet the criteria to be considered a document shipment.

1 or 2 credit cards sent to an individual may be classified as a document. Otherwise, prohibited.
Tickets for events like stage performances, football matches or concerts can be sent as documents up to a limit of 1 kg per shipment.

Event tickets coming from a printing company and send to the organizer of the event or ticket sales offices can not be sent as documents.

Document weight limit 2 kgs.
Document weight limit 2 kgs.
Used traveler's checks are considered a document. Unused traveler's checks are prohibited.

UPS can recommend which forms you need based on a few simple criteria. Forms can be completed online or printed. See which forms you need.

Prohibited or Restricted Commodities

In addition to the prohibited commodities listed here, it is prohibited to ship the following commodities to Lebanon.

Antique shipments are restricted from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and can only be shipped with an International Special Commodities (ISC) contract. Antiques are defined as a work of art, piece of furniture, decorative object, or silverware that is 100 years old or older.
Artwork shipments are restricted from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and can only be shipped with an International Special Commodities (ISC) contract.

Paintings or other works of art can be accepted if the artist is still alive, the artwork is replaceable and an art dealer or gallery has appraised the artwork within the last year. If the declared value of the artwork is greater than $100.00 and there is a claim, the shipper must provide a copy of the original invoice, a bill of sale, or other proof certifying in writing the actual cost or replacement cost of the item.

Artwork includes the following: Original engravings, prints, lithographs, original sculptures, statuary.

The term "Artwork" does not apply to: architectural, engineering, industrial, topographical, commercial drawings, hand-painted or hand-decorated manufactured articles.

Import of Electronic Cigarettes is prohibited.
Goods originating in Israel are prohibited.
Shipments of Lithium Metal Batteries are prohibited on Emirates Airlines flights which UPS uses to this destination country or territory.

Alternative arrangements are in place, but expect transit delays if the normal planned flow of the package is via Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Time in Transit may be extended due to solution found.

Military equipment is prohibited. Contact should be made with the destination country or territory concerned if there is any doubt about the classification of the goods.
Mobile phones to all destination countries from United Kingdom can be delayed on export due to security checks from government bodies.
Personal Effects cannot be shipped between these countries or territories

Saturday Delivery

Saturday Delivery Available: Yes

Not available in all areas. Always check the international time in transit system for details of service availability within a country or territory.

Service Options

Always check Calculate Time and Cost for details of service availability and guarantee information within a country or territory. All Service Levels may not be available to or from every address within a country or territory.

  • UPS Worldwide Expedited
    ((England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland))
  • UPS Worldwide Express
  • UPS Worldwide Express Saver
  • UPS WorldWide Express Freight
  • WorldWide Economy DDU

Special Clearance Requirements

Outward Processing Relief (goods exported from the UK for the purpose of repair)

The outward processing relief starts with the export from the UK and will be discharged with the re-importation of the repaired goods. Both steps need to be identified by UPS export or import operation. Repair Goods: Goods requiring Export from the UK for repair Invoice requirements:

  • Statement stating "Goods being sent for repair under Outward Processing Relief" should be clearly marked on the commercial invoice
  • Provide serial number of goods being sent for repair. If the goods are not serialized a statement to this effect must be made on the commercial invoice
  • Exporters authorized to export under OPR must include their authority number on all paperwork
  • Provide correct commercial value of goods as originally paid for not a nominal value for the goods.

Failure to provide any of the above information will result in shipments being delayed.

Repaired goods: Goods being re-exported returned after repair in the UK Invoice requirements:

  • Invoice should clearly state "Goods have been repaired under IPR"
  • Provide either IP authorization number or Import entry details
  • Provide full commercial value of goods plus cost of repair

Failure to provide any of the above information will result in shipments being delayed.

New requirements have been implemented and are based on the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) 15, which is entitled "Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade".

ISPM 15 was adopted internationally in 2002, and is gradually being introduced by countries or territories worldwide. Wood or wood products covered by ISPM 15 include items such as packing cases, boxes, crates, drums or similar packing, pallets, box pallets and other load boards, pallet collars and skids, but exclude such processed woods as orientated strand board, particle board, plywood or veneer, created using glue, heat and pressure or a combinations thereof, and, raw wood which is 6mm or less thick.

It is recommended that if a question arises on this issue, please check with the authority that issues the Phytosanitary certificates in your country or territory.

Value Limits


Private Shipments

  • 1500000.00 Lebanese Pound (LBP)
    In most cases, when the value of the shipment is equal to or less than the Deminimis Value, the shipment may enter the country or territory duty and tax free.
Commercial Shipments

  • 1500000.00 Lebanese Pound (LBP)
    In most cases, when the value of the shipment is equal to or less than the Deminimis Value, the shipment may enter the country or territory duty and tax free.

Weight and Size Limits

30.00 kg (66.1 lbs.)  per package
274.00 cm (107.9 in.)  per package
400.00 cm (157.5 in.)  per package
Length and girth combined


Convert metric quantity for weight, length, and area.

NOTE: Information provided by UPS is provided AS IS, may not be current, and does not constitute legal advice. In no event shall UPS be liable for any errors in the information, forms or features made available by UPS, or by any third party site linked to from UPS. Selection and completion of proper forms for any given shipment is the sole responsibility of the shipper. All shipments are subject to the UPS Terms and Conditions of Service in effect at the time of shipping for the country or territory of origin.
Close Window