The following applies to United States Customers ONLY. All others, please ignore.
To purchase items with a catalog number beginning with "KOU" you must have a valid 16.3 Import Permit issued by the Animal and Plant Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture (APHIS/USDA).
Completing an Import Permit Application and Fees.
You will need a valid "VS 16-3 Import Permit" from the US Department of Agriculture (APHIS) before we can ship your order. Applying is easy but it does take some time. Please allow 3-6 weeks. Permits cost ~$150 for the first year and ~$100 to renew each subsequent year.
Link to APHIS VS 16-3 permit application page. Select form VS 16-3 from the "Apply by Mail of Fax" section.
Link to APHIS VS 16-3 permit application instructions.
Use this example permit as a guide to completing your application. We recommend having us review your application before submitting to APHIS. Please email to us at info@cosmobiousa.com or call us at 760-431-4600.
Tip: If completing the form on your computer, be sure to "save as" with a different name or your entries will be lost and you will have to start over.
How do I submit my permit application?
Email your scanned permit application to: animalproducts.application@aphis.usda.gov.
or post mail to:
USDA-APHIS-VS-NIES
4700 River Road, Unit 40
Riverdale, MD 20737
or fax to: 301-734-8226
For any questions you may have have for APHIS, call directly to (301) 851-3300 (option 1).
I submitted my application to APHIS. Now what?
3-4 days after submitting your application, you should recieve a confirming email from APHIS. If not, it's best to call to confirm.
I received my permit. Now what?
You will receive your permit attached to an email. Print and sign your permit. Include a a copy of your permit with your order.
Why do I need a permit?
a) Products with catalog numbers begining with KOU are manufactured by The Koken Company in Japan. Most KOU products contain bovine collagen. The import of collagen and collagen-containing products into the United States is regulated by the US Department of Agriculture, primarily to prevent the spread of BSE throughout US herds. While KOU products containing bovine collagen are produced from animals raised in "BSE Free" countries (i.e., either Australia or New Zealand), the finished product is produced in Japan, a "BSE country". For import purposes then, KOU products are classified as being from a BSE country.
Yes, but why do I need a permit? I'm purchasing from Comos Bio USA in California, not Japan. Right?
The USDA is concerned to know how imported collagen containing products will be used, who is using them, and how they will disposed of. Because Cosmo Bio USA is not an end-user, the APHIS permit issued to us requires that each shipment be accompanied by special documention that is both expensive and time consuming to obtain. On the other hand, permits issued to end users are considerably less restrictive. Thus, while Cosmo Bio USA processes your order, KOU items are shipped directly to end users from our Japan office. This is why we require end users to obtain an import permit.
Please note: when completing Box 4 of the 16-3 Form, the "Shipper Address" should show:
Export Division
Cosmo Bio Co. Ltd.
2-20 Toyo 2-Chome, Koto-ku
Tokyo 135-0016
JAPAN
cosmo-bio-japan@cosmobio.co.jp