How does customs clearance work in Mali?
Mali Customs (Direction Générale des Douanes) says every good brought into the customs territory, even one meant for re-export, must be placed under customs control, duty-paying or not. Clearance starts with a summary declaration and ends with a detailed declaration, the déclaration en détail, which in Mali is made in the IM model. Mali Customs names SYDONIA World as its computerised system.
Three phases
Mali Customs describes the import process in three phases: taking the goods to customs, placing them under customs, and clearing them. A summary declaration is filed at the nearest customs office, and a maritime manifest, waybill, air waybill or road transport document can serve as that summary declaration.
In SYDONIA World, one click generates the T1, the transit document, at the border. The inland destination office takes it in charge, which generates the manifest that the detailed declaration is built on.
Who may file
Under article 87 of the customs code, no one may make a profession of completing customs formalities for others for the detailed declaration unless they are an approved customs broker (commissionnaire en douane agréé). Mali Customs says the clients are approved economic operators with a tax identification number (NIF) and trader status in import-export.
The declarant is the main party answerable to customs for irregularities in the declaration, whether deliberate or not.
Documents Mali Customs lists
- Invoice.
- Packing list.
- Import intention (intention d'importation).
- Transport document.
- Certificate of origin, for originating products.
- Phytosanitary certificate, for food products.
- Special authorisation for certain products, such as medicines.
From declaration to release
- Lodge and register the declaration. The detailed declaration is made in the IM model with the customs regime and the supporting documents. To be registered it must be admissible: the office must be competent, the goods physically present, the declarant authorised and the form lawful.
- Selectivity: green, yellow or red. After registration the goods go to a green channel (automatic assessment and release order), a yellow channel (compulsory documentary check) or a red channel (compulsory full physical verification).
- Assessment and payment. When everything is in order the customs officer assesses the declaration and issues the payment slip for duties and taxes. Payment can be in cash, by consignment or guarantee with the treasury.
- Collect the goods. After payment, customs hands over the release order (bon à enlever, BAE) and the operator may take the goods.
Frequently asked questions
Can I lodge the declaration myself in Mali?
Mali Customs says that for the detailed declaration made for others, only an approved customs broker may do it, under article 87 of the customs code. Confirm with Mali Customs whether any other route applies to you.
What does IM mean on a Mali declaration?
Mali Customs says the detailed declaration is made in the IM model, naming the customs regime the goods will be placed under. See our guide to the IM4 code for the home-use model.
What are the green, yellow and red channels?
They are the outcomes of selectivity after registration: green for automatic assessment or release order, yellow for a compulsory documentary check, and red for a compulsory full physical verification.
Sources
Last verified: 2026-10-17
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Customs Declare reads your commercial invoice and prepares the declaration for review. A person approves it before it is final.
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