U.S. flag An official website of the United States government
  1. Home
  2. For Industry
  3. Import Program – Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  4. Importing COVID-19 Supplies
  1. Import Program – Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Importing COVID-19 Supplies

IMPORTERS: Shipment of COVID-19 supplies held-up at a port-of-entry?

For assistance, contact the FDA office covering your port of entry.

Visit the FDA Import Offices and Ports of Entry page for contact information and instructions. It includes an interactive map that importers can use to find the right office for their shipment based on where the product is entering the United States.

To ensure timely assistance with an urgent need of COVID-19 supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic, please have the necessary information available, such as the:

  • entry number (which you can get from your entry filer),
  • port of entry, and
  • other shipment details.

The FDA receives many different types of entries (consumption, informal, warehouse, import for export, etc.). Most questions revolve around the difference between commercial and personal shipments. 

  • Commercial Shipments: Imported goods brought into U.S. commerce for sale or distribution. To find out more information about the different types of entries visit our Common Entry Types page.
  • Personal Shipments: Imported goods brought into the U.S. for personal use.

For more detailed information, visit the Importing Medical Devices During the COVID-19 Pandemic webpage.

For assistance with import procedures regarding respirators, face masks, test kits, or other medical devices during the COVID-19 public health emergency email:



Back to Top