Statizoid

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...

Countries reporting
189
Highest
1,090 DB16-20 methodology
Venezuela
Lowest
0.5 DB16-20 methodology
Sweden
Median
33.75 DB16-20 methodology
Years covered
6
2014–2019
Data points
1,132

What the numbers show

Time to import: Documentary compliance (hours) (DB16-20 methodology) is currently reported for 189 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 33.75 DB16-20 methodology, and the mean is 58.56 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 LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
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 Djibouti 50 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
69 Antigua and Barbuda 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 55.9% falling
69 Kiribati 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
69 Sri Lanka 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 17.2% falling
69 Myanmar 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
69 Nepal 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
69 Peru 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 33.3% falling
69 Papua New Guinea 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 60.0% falling
69 Rwanda 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
69 Ukraine 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 71.4% falling
69 Uruguay 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 33.3% falling
69 Vanuatu 48 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
80 Barbados 46 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
81 Palestine 45.33 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
82 Israel 44 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
82 East Timor 44 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
82 Trinidad and Tobago 44 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
85 Russia 42.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
86 Iran 40 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 80.5% volatile
87 Solomon Islands 36.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
88 Belize 36 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
88 Chile 36 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
88 Ghana 36 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 93.4% volatile
88 Guinea-Bissau 36 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
88 Paraguay 36 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
88 South Africa 36 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
94 Micronesia (country) 35 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
95 Fiji 33.75 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Saint Kitts and Nevis 33.14 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
97 Seychelles 33 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
98 Guatemala 32 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 42.9% falling
98 Saudi Arabia 32 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 75.6% falling
100 Gambia 31.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
101 Haiti 28 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 6.7% falling
102 Tunisia 26.92 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
103 Azerbaijan 26 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 37.3% falling
103 Comoros 26 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 10.9% falling
103 Costa Rica 26 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
103 Morocco 26 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 10.3% falling
107 Samoa 24.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
108 Brazil 24 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 83.6% volatile
108 Cape Verde 24 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 50.0% falling
108 Dominica 24 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
108 Grenada 24 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 44.9% falling
108 Suriname 24 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 50.0% falling
108 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 24 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
114 India 19.88 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 68.6% falling
115 Mexico 17.56 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
116 Sao Tome and Principe 17 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 19.0% falling
117 Mozambique 16 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 34.2% falling
117 Nicaragua 16 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
119 Saint Lucia 14.07 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 26.2% falling
120 Dominican Republic 13.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 64.0% volatile
121 El Salvador 13.33 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
122 China 12.8 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 80.5% falling
123 United Arab Emirates 12 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
124 Mauritius 8.62 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
125 Albania 8 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
125 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
125 Bhutan 8 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 United States 7.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
129 Oman 7 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 70.8% volatile
130 Malaysia 6.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 35.0% falling
131 Kosovo 6.03 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
131 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 6.03 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
133 Bahamas 6 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 88.9% volatile
133 Panama 6 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
135 Kazakhstan 5.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
135 Montenegro 5.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
137 Australia 4 DB16-20 methodology 2019 up 60.0% rising
137 Thailand 4 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
137 Taiwan 4 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
140 Eswatini 3.56 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
141 Belarus 3.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
142 Japan 3.35 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
143 Botswana 3.31 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
144 Namibia 3.25 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
145 North Macedonia 3 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
145 Singapore 3 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
145 Serbia 3 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
148 Iceland 2.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
148 San Marino 2.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
150 Cyprus 2 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
150 Georgia 2 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 91.7% volatile
150 Norway 2 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
150 Turkey 2 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
154 Puerto Rico 1.71 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
155 United Kingdom 1.67 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
156 Armenia 1.62 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
157 Moldova 1.56 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
158 Switzerland 1.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
159 Hong Kong 1.32 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
160 Canada 1 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
160 South Korea 1 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
160 Lesotho 1 DB16-20 methodology 2019 down 66.7% falling
160 New Zealand 1 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
164 Ireland 0.8125 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
165 Hungary 0.75 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Austria 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Belgium 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Bulgaria 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Czechia 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Germany 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Denmark 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Spain 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Estonia 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Finland 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 France 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Greece 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Croatia 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Italy 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Lithuania 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Luxembourg 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Latvia 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Malta 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Netherlands 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Poland 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Portugal 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Romania 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Slovakia 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Slovenia 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Sweden 0.5 DB16-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat

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Time to import: Documentary compliance (hours) by country. Statizoid. Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/time-to-import-documentary-compliance-hours-db16-20-methodology/

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About this data

Indicator
Time to import: Documentary compliance (hours) (DB16-20 methodology)
Unit
DB16-20 methodology
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
189 places, 1,132 data points, 2014–2019
Last refreshed

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.