Today's adventure: visit to the Customs and the SII

I know I promised yesterday to write about how Sophie La Girafe stimulates the 5 senses of  Baby, but instead I will tell you about the process to import here. It can be very stimulating as well ^__^.

Right now, we know our package is at the  Customs Office in Tel Aviv and that we must get it as soon as possible not only because we want it, but also because after a certain number of days ( 20 I think), we would have to pay them for storage.

So today we went to the Customs Office. I was very hopeful to get my hands on our precious package. I was ready: I had all the papers we filled, signed, paid since the beginning of this enterprise and I was determined to face every unhappy and unhelpful clerk with a bright smile.

Well, in spite of my strategy, I am sorry to report that we did not retrieve the package. However the people we met there were quite helpful, especially an older gentleman whose job is to inform newcomers in the import-business like me.

We could not get the package because one document from the SII  ( The Standards Institution of Israel) and one paragraph in the invoice were missing.

The Customs need to know where the products come from and how many they are in order to calcaulate the Customs fees. And that has to be written in a certain way in the invoice.

 So Customs: checked somehow!

Next we went to  the SII  located next to the University of Tel Aviv. This is basically where everything starts and ends if you decide to import to this country. They will tell you where and what tests to do, they will authorize (or not) the Customs to let you have your goods etc etc. We presented them with the Customs form they needed, we paid and we recieved our authorization so now basically all that is missing is the invoice with the proper wordings . Once we have it, it is back to Customs to get our package.

After that we will have to go back to the SII to show them we did not lie, that we have both the right products and the stickers conformed with the Israeli Law.

And after that .... we can show the toys, and sell them !!!

Of course this will repeat with each import but I guess it will be easier and faster. At least I hope so!