United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
On Hold Shipment Information for Animal Products and Byproducts
On Hold Shipment Information Notification Application
IF AN EMERGENCY ACTION NOTICE (EAN) PPQ 523 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS SHIPMENT, PLEASE CONTACT AQI VMO (AQI VMO Contacts) DO NOT CONTACT NIES.
If SHIPMENTS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD BECAUSE THEY DO NOT MEET USDA VS NIES AGRICULTURE IMPORT REQUIREMENTS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS), CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION (CBP), IT MAY BE DUE TO ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING REASON(S):
1. DOCUMENT REVIEW – Shipping documents may be under review by either the CBP Agriculture Specialist and/or the Agricultural Quarantine Inspector (AQI) VMO at Port of Arrival. Please do not contact NIES at this time. You will be contacted by CBP or the AQI VMO if additional information is required or when document review is complete. NOTE: Any discrepancy identified on accompanying documents may result in the shipment being further detained. (AQI VMO Contacts)
2. USDA IMPORT PERMIT (VS 16-6) Shipments may require a USDA VS import permit. Please contact NIES at 301-851-3300, option 1. *Permit application processing is workload dependent and can take from 4-6 weeks* (Permit Application)
3. VETERINARY/ZOO-SANITARY HEALTH CERTIFICATE – Shipments may require a valid ORIGINAL paper health certificate issued by the government of the exporting country. Company or Third-party issued health certificates are not acceptable for importation. *Please contact NIES (1-301-851-3300 Option 1)*
4. PRODUCER/MANUFACTURER/SHIPPER STATEMENT REQUIRED – This shipment requires a statement issued by the producer/manufacturer/shipper as required by a permit or an APHIS Guideline for Importation. *Please Contact NIES (1-301-851-3300 Option 1) *
5. DOCUMENT REVIEW BY OTHER AGENCIES – Shipments may require document review by:
___ Organisms and Vectors or Agricultural Select Agents Staff (301-851-3300, Option 3)
___ Center for Veterinary Biologics (301-851-3609)
___ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (800-344-9453)
___ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (301-796-0356)
___ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (800) 232-4636
CONTACTING NIES AND REQUESTING ON HOLD COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE DOES NOT GUARANTEE REMOVAL OF THE AGRICULTURE HOLD. NIES will try to work with you to try to bring the shipment into compliance, but the shipment will be subject to re-export or destruction if this is not possible. In order to have the Agriculture hold removed, you must satisfy the import requirements for both CBP and USDA.