Most customs programs exist to identify and address compliance problems. The FDA’s Voluntary Qualified Importer Program takes a different approach, and the VQIP deadline is approaching.
VQIP benefits reward food importers that can demonstrate strong supplier oversight, documented food-safety systems, and sustained control over the safety and security of their supply chains.
Importers seeking Fiscal Year 2027 participation must submit their Notice of Intent and application through FDA Industry Systems by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on September 1, 2026. Approved applicants must then pay the annual user fee before October 1 to begin receiving benefits for the new fiscal year.
The deadline is important. But the application is only the final expression of a much longer compliance process.
What VQIP Offers
VQIP is a voluntary, fee-based program for eligible importers of human and animal food. FDA provides expedited review and entry for foods listed on an approved application, with its import-screening system programmed to recognize participating shipments and, in most cases, release them immediately unless examination or sampling is necessary.
Additional program benefits may include:
- Limited examinations and sampling, the FDA generally reserves these actions for public-health concerns, necessary risk-based sampling, or audits of participating shipments.
- Preferred examination locations, the FDA will attempt, when practical, to examine or sample food at the destination or another location preferred by the importer.
- Prioritized laboratory processing, samples collected from VQIP entries receive expedited laboratory attention.
- Dedicated program support, participating importers have access to the VQIP Importers Help Desk.
For companies that regularly import food, reduced uncertainty at the point of entry may support more reliable inventory, production, and distribution planning.
VQIP Is More Than an Application
VQIP is designed for importers that already maintain a high level of supply-chain control. FDA is evaluating the strength of the importer’s overall system, not simply whether the application fields were completed correctly.
Core eligibility requirements include:
- A qualifying import history, generally at least three years of importing food into the United States.
- A written Quality Assurance Program, the importer must develop, implement, and submit documentation of its VQIP QAP.
- Current foreign-facility certifications, each foreign supplier of food included in the application must hold a current certification issued under FDA’s Accredited Third-Party Certification Program.
- FSVP or HACCP compliance, the applicable importer responsibilities must be satisfied.
- A suitable compliance history, the importer, associated supply-chain entities, and covered foods must not have disqualifying enforcement or significant food-safety issues.
- An acceptable filer or broker, VQIP entries must be submitted by a paperless filer or broker with an acceptable FDA filer-evaluation rating.
These requirements make an important point: VQIP does not create a shortcut around compliance. It recognizes importers whose established controls justify a more streamlined review process.
Confirm Supplier Certifications Before Applying
Foreign-supplier certification is often one of the most important readiness questions.
Each foreign supplier whose food will be included in the VQIP application must have a valid facility certification issued through the FDA’s Accredited Third-Party Certification Program. For raw produce, the farm must be certified.
Importers that do not yet have the required certifications may need to work with an accredited certification body to arrange an appropriate regulatory audit. That process takes time and should not be left until the final days of the application window.
Importers should verify:
- Whether every intended foreign supplier is properly certified.
- Whether each certification remains current.
- Whether the listed foods, facilities, and FDA product codes align across the application and supporting records.
- Whether internal supplier-verification documentation is complete and readily available.
Good supplier data has always supported successful food imports. Under VQIP, that information becomes part of the basis for receiving expedited treatment.
Review the Cost Alongside the Benefits
The FDA has established the FY 2027 VQIP user fee at $9,994 per approved application. The fee supports program benefits from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, and must be paid before October 1 for benefits to begin at the start of the fiscal year.
The fee is assessed per application, and FDA permits an importer to include multiple eligible foods from certified foreign suppliers.
For each company, the value calculation will be different. Importers should compare the annual fee and administrative commitment against the potential operational value of faster entry, fewer routine examinations, prioritized sampling, and more predictable cargo flow.
What Importers Should Do Before September 1
Companies considering participation in FY 2027 should use the remaining application period carefully.
Recommended steps include:
- Confirm eligibility and review the full FDA requirements rather than relying solely on a brief checklist.
- Verify facility certifications and ensure every foreign supplier intended for the program has current qualifying documentation.
- Review the Quality Assurance Program and confirm that it reflects actual business practices and current supply chain controls.
- Confirm FSVP or HACCP responsibilities, identify the responsible party, and verify compliance.
- Coordinate with the customs broker or filer, confirm the filer’s FDA status, and review how VQIP entries will be identified in ACE.
- Complete the FDA Industry Systems application, submit the Notice of Intent, and required information before the September 1 deadline.
- Plan for the user fee, approved applicants must make full payment before October 1 to begin benefits on time.
Submitting early also provides more time to address questions, correct incomplete information, and complete payment after FDA approval.
Experience Helps Turn Compliance Into Consistency
Food imports already require coordination across the FDA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Foreign Supplier Verification Program, Prior Notice, ACE, and other product-specific requirements.
VQIP adds another layer, but it also offers qualified importers an opportunity to turn strong compliance practices into more predictable import operations.
At Coppersmith Global Logistics, we help food importers align customs entries, FDA requirements, supplier information, and supporting documentation. Our role is not to replace the importer’s responsibility. It is to help make sure the information supporting that responsibility is organized, accurate, and ready when government agencies need it.
The September 1 deadline is approaching. Importers interested in VQIP benefits should now confirm eligibility, supplier certifications, program documentation, and filer readiness.
Contact Coppersmith Global Logistics to discuss whether VQIP fits your food-import program and what should be reviewed before the FY 2027 application window closes.
