Nafeza is Egypt's customs single-window platform, administered by the Egyptian Customs Authority under the Ministry of Finance. ACID (Advance Cargo Information Declaration) is the document filed through Nafeza that every Egyptian export shipment must carry. The ACID number must be obtained at least 48 hours before vessel arrival at the Egyptian port of loading and must appear on the Bill of Lading or Air Waybill. Without a valid ACID, customs clearance at the Egyptian export side fails — the shipment does not load.
For Uzbek buyers and their freight forwarders, understanding the Nafeza-ACID flow is the difference between a smooth weekly programme and document-rejection delays at port of loading.
What Nafeza covers
Nafeza is Egypt's national single window for foreign trade, launched to digitise customs pre-clearance. It handles:
- ACID — Advance Cargo Information Declaration on every export shipment
- Customs declarations for both export and import
- Document linking — ACID is the master record connecting BL, invoice, packing list, phyto certificate, Certificate of Origin
- Risk management — automated risk scoring on declared shipments
For Uzbek importers, no direct Nafeza interaction is required — the responsibility sits with the Egyptian exporter. But the importer must supply consignee data accurately and on time for the ACID declaration to clear.
ACID workflow
| Step | Action | Owner | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Importer supplies consignee data + commercial invoice draft | Uzbek buyer | T-7 days minimum |
| 2 | Egyptian exporter files ACID via Nafeza | Egyptian exporter | T-48 h before vessel arrival |
| 3 | ACID number issued | Egyptian Customs | T-48 h |
| 4 | ACID number printed on BL / AWB | Shipping line / airline | At loading |
| 5 | Shipment clears customs at port of loading | Egyptian Customs | Loading |
Documents linked to ACID
The ACID declaration ties together:
- Commercial invoice with HS code, quantity, FOB value
- Packing list with carton-level detail
- Bill of Lading or Air Waybill carrying the ACID number
- Phyto certificate issued by Egyptian CAPQ
- Certificate of Origin issued by Egyptian Chamber of Commerce
A mismatch between any of these documents and the ACID declaration triggers rejection at port of loading.
Role of the Uzbek buyer
The Uzbek buyer's contribution is accurate consignee data, supplied on time — typically 7 days before vessel arrival at the Egyptian port. Required:
- Importer legal name and registration number
- Importer address
- Importer TIN (Tax Identification Number)
- Bank channel reference
- Confirmation of HS code and product description
No direct Nafeza-side filing is required from the Uzbek end.
Common failure modes
The five issues that cause document rejection at Egyptian port of loading:
- Missing ACID on BL / AWB — most common, usually a printing error at the shipping line
- Wrong HS code on the ACID declaration vs the phyto certificate
- Mismatched port of discharge between ACID and BL
- Importer data mismatch — TIN or legal name typo
- ACID filed late — under the 48-hour window before vessel arrival
Regulatory context
The full regulatory page on Nafeza-ACID and how it sits inside Uzbek import-customs flow is at the Nafeza/ACID compliance guide. The Uzbek-side phytosanitary protocol is at the Uzbek phytosanitary protocol.
Common questions
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Who is responsible for the ACID number? The Egyptian exporter's logistics team submits the ACID through the Nafeza single-window platform. The Uzbek buyer provides consignee data — legal name, address, TIN, bank reference — at least 7 days before vessel arrival.
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What happens if the ACID is missing or wrong? Customs at the Egyptian port of loading rejects the shipment. It does not load. The exporter must re-file via Nafeza and reschedule — typically a 48-hour delay minimum. Repeated errors trigger exporter-account scrutiny.
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Does the Uzbek importer need to register on Nafeza? No. The Nafeza platform is an Egyptian export-side single window. The Uzbek importer's only role is to supply accurate consignee data on time.
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How early should the consignee data be supplied? Minimum 7 days before vessel arrival at the Egyptian port. For air shipments, 5 days minimum. Earlier is better — particularly for first-engagement shipments where a typo in the legal name can take days to resolve.