The Sierra Leone CTN is a mandatory certificate required for all shipments with a final destination of Sierra Leone. It is the responsibility of the shipper or freight forwarder to obtain the CTN prior to vessel arrival.
The CTN is used to help the efficiency of customs clearance and prevent illicit trade activities. It is submitted fully electronically and there is no hard copy once completed. Final validation can take 72 hours or more so it is important to submit your documents to AfricaCTN with plenty of time before vessel arrival.
This article will explain how to get the Sierra Leone CTN, the requires documents and steps involved from submission to final validation.
Step 1: Submit Required Documents
To begin your Sierra Leone CTN you must submit the required documents to AfricaCTN via email or our secure CTN dashboard. The required documents are BL, commercial invoice and freight invoice.
Step 2: Receive Draft CTN and Invoice
Once we receive the documents, we will issue your draft CTN and invoice. You will receive them on the same day you submit the documents, typically within a few hours of submission.
Step 3: Approve the Draft CTN
Now that you have the draft CTN, check and confirm all the details on the CTN. Make sure they match between the BL, commercial invoice and freight invoice. If there are any discrepancies please let AfricaCTN know immediately. Once all details are correct, you must approve the draft.
Step 4: Pay the Invoice
Once the draft CTN is approved, you will then make payment of the invoice so the validation process can begin. The payment details will be noted at the bottom of your invoice. If you have any questions during this process, feel free to give us a call.
Step 5: Receive the Final Validation
Once all steps are complete, AfricaCTN will validate your Sierra Leone CTN. This process typically takes 24-48 hours until the authorities release the final validation. You will receive the final validated CTN in your email inbox as soon as it is released, no hard copy required.
Validation Deadline
It is important that the Sierra Leone CTN is validated prior to vessel arrival in the discharge port.
Summary
The documents needed to submit your Sierra Leone CTN are the BL, commercial invoice and freight invoice. You must complete the CTN prior to vessel arrival in Sierra Leone. The process is to submit documents, receive the draft CTN and invoice, approve the draft, pay the invoice and receive the final validation.
To submit your Sierra Leone CTN check out the Sierra Leone page here.
