Time to import: Documentary compliance (hours) (DB16-20 methodology) by country
The time for documentary compliance to import records the time associated with compliance with the import documentary requirements of all government agencies of the origin economy, the destination economy and any transit economies. It is calculated in hours. It includes the time for obtaining documents, preparing...
What the numbers show
Time to import: Documentary compliance (hours) (DB16-20 methodology) is currently reported for 186 countries. The highest value is 1,090 DB16-20 methodology in Venezuela; the lowest is 0.5 DB16-20 methodology in Sweden.
The median across all reporting countries is 34.38 DB16-20 methodology, and the mean is 59.17 DB16-20 methodology.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 2,180.
Over the past decade 3 countries rose and 57 fell. The largest increase was in Australia (up 60.0%), and the largest decrease in Ghana (down 93.4%).
Time to import: Documentary compliance (hours): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venezuela | 1,090 DB16-20 methodology | 2018 | — | flat |
| 2 | South Sudan | 360 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Afghanistan | 324 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 3.6% | flat |
| 4 | Egypt | 265 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | up 38.0% | rising |
| 5 | Equatorial Guinea | 240 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Tanzania | 240 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 9.1% | falling |
| 7 | Congo | 208 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 8 | Ethiopia | 194 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 9 | Burundi | 180 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 9 | Togo | 180 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 11.2% | falling |
| 11 | Iraq | 176 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 12 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 174 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 19.4% | falling |
| 13 | Chad | 172 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 14 | Argentina | 166 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 50.6% | falling |
| 15 | Cameroon | 163 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 16 | Guinea | 156 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 16 | Guyana | 156 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 16 | Niger | 156 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Uzbekistan | 150 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 20 | Syria | 149.33 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Bangladesh | 144 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 21 | Liberia | 144 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 23 | Brunei | 132 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 23 | Cambodia | 132 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 23 | Sudan | 132 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 26 | Tajikistan | 126 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | up 2.4% | flat |
| 27 | Central African Republic | 120 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Ecuador | 120 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Gabon | 120 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Nigeria | 120 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 30.5% | falling |
| 31 | Mongolia | 114.67 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 32 | Indonesia | 106.22 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 26.2% | falling |
| 33 | Angola | 96 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 46.7% | falling |
| 33 | Burkina Faso | 96 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Algeria | 96 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 61.4% | falling |
| 33 | Kuwait | 96 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 22.8% | falling |
| 33 | Libya | 96 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Pakistan | 96 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 9.1% | falling |
| 33 | Philippines | 96 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Palau | 96 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Uganda | 96 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 30.6% | falling |
| 42 | Cote d'Ivoire | 89.14 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 44.7% | falling |
| 43 | Kyrgyzstan | 84 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 44 | Sierra Leone | 82 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 40.2% | falling |
| 45 | Zimbabwe | 81 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 46 | Mali | 77 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 47 | Somalia | 76 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | — | flat |
| 47 | Vietnam | 76 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 28.3% | falling |
| 49 | Bolivia | 72 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 49 | Honduras | 72 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 49 | Lebanon | 72 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 49 | Qatar | 72 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 49 | Senegal | 72 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 49 | Tonga | 72 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 49 | Zambia | 72 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 56 | Colombia | 64 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 56 | Mauritania | 64 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 57.3% | falling |
| 58 | Maldives | 61.33 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 59 | Bahrain | 60 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 28.6% | falling |
| 59 | Kenya | 60 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 28.6% | falling |
| 59 | Laos | 60 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 59 | Marshall Islands | 60 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 63 | Benin | 58.67 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 55.1% | falling |
| 64 | Madagascar | 57.64 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 44.4% | falling |
| 65 | Jamaica | 56 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 22.2% | falling |
| 66 | Malawi | 55 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 13.3% | falling |
| 67 | Jordan | 54.86 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 68 | Antigua and Barbuda | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 55.9% | falling |
| 68 | Kiribati | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 68 | Sri Lanka | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 17.2% | falling |
| 68 | Myanmar | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 68 | Nepal | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 68 | Peru | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 68 | Papua New Guinea | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 60.0% | falling |
| 68 | Rwanda | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 68 | Ukraine | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 71.4% | falling |
| 68 | Uruguay | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 68 | Vanuatu | 48 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 79 | Barbados | 46 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 80 | Palestine | 45.33 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 81 | Israel | 44 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 81 | East Timor | 44 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 81 | Trinidad and Tobago | 44 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 84 | Russia | 42.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 85 | Iran | 40 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 80.5% | volatile |
| 86 | Solomon Islands | 36.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | Belize | 36 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | Chile | 36 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | Ghana | 36 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 93.4% | volatile |
| 87 | Guinea-Bissau | 36 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | Paraguay | 36 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | South Africa | 36 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 93 | Micronesia (country) | 35 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 94 | Fiji | 33.75 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 33.14 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 96 | Seychelles | 33 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 97 | Guatemala | 32 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 42.9% | falling |
| 97 | Saudi Arabia | 32 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 75.6% | falling |
| 99 | Gambia | 31.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 100 | Haiti | 28 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 101 | Tunisia | 26.92 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 102 | Azerbaijan | 26 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 37.3% | falling |
| 102 | Comoros | 26 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 10.9% | falling |
| 102 | Costa Rica | 26 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 102 | Morocco | 26 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 10.3% | falling |
| 106 | Samoa | 24.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 107 | Brazil | 24 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 83.6% | volatile |
| 107 | Cape Verde | 24 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 107 | Dominica | 24 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 107 | Grenada | 24 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 44.9% | falling |
| 107 | Suriname | 24 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 107 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 24 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 113 | India | 19.88 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 68.6% | falling |
| 114 | Mexico | 17.56 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 115 | Sao Tome and Principe | 17 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 116 | Mozambique | 16 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 34.2% | falling |
| 116 | Nicaragua | 16 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 118 | Saint Lucia | 14.07 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 26.2% | falling |
| 119 | Dominican Republic | 13.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 64.0% | volatile |
| 120 | El Salvador | 13.33 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 121 | China | 12.8 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 80.5% | falling |
| 122 | United Arab Emirates | 12 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 123 | Mauritius | 8.62 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 124 | Albania | 8 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 124 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 8 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 124 | Bhutan | 8 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 127 | United States | 7.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 128 | Oman | 7 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 70.8% | volatile |
| 129 | Malaysia | 6.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 35.0% | falling |
| 130 | Bahamas | 6 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 88.9% | volatile |
| 130 | Panama | 6 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 132 | Kazakhstan | 5.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 132 | Montenegro | 5.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 134 | Australia | 4 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 134 | Thailand | 4 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 134 | Taiwan | 4 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 137 | Eswatini | 3.56 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 138 | Belarus | 3.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Japan | 3.35 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 140 | Botswana | 3.31 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 141 | Namibia | 3.25 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 142 | North Macedonia | 3 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 142 | Singapore | 3 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 142 | Serbia | 3 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 145 | Iceland | 2.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 145 | San Marino | 2.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 147 | Cyprus | 2 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 147 | Georgia | 2 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 91.7% | volatile |
| 147 | Norway | 2 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 147 | Turkey | 2 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 151 | Puerto Rico | 1.71 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 152 | United Kingdom | 1.67 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 153 | Armenia | 1.62 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Moldova | 1.56 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 155 | Switzerland | 1.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Hong Kong | 1.32 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 157 | Canada | 1 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 157 | South Korea | 1 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 157 | Lesotho | 1 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | down 66.7% | falling |
| 157 | New Zealand | 1 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | Ireland | 0.8125 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 162 | Hungary | 0.75 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Austria | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Belgium | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Bulgaria | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Czechia | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Germany | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Denmark | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Spain | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Estonia | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Finland | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | France | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Greece | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Croatia | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Italy | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Lithuania | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Luxembourg | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Latvia | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Malta | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Netherlands | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Poland | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Portugal | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Romania | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Slovakia | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Slovenia | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Sweden | 0.5 DB16-20 methodology | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Kosovo 6.03 DB16-20 methodology
About this data
The time for documentary compliance to import records the time associated with compliance with the import documentary requirements of all government agencies of the origin economy, the destination economy and any transit economies. It is calculated in hours. It includes the time for obtaining documents, preparing documents, processing documents, presenting documents and submitting documents. All electronic or paper submissions of information requested by any government agency in connection with the shipment are considered to be documents obtained, prepared and submitted during the import process. All documents prepared by the freight forwarder or customs broker for the product and partner pair assumed in the case study are included regardless of whether they are required by law or in practice. The component indicator is computed based on the methodology in the DB16-20 studies.