Indonesian Seafood to Brazil: MAPA & ANVISA 2026 Essentials

A field-tested, step-by-step guide to securing and correctly completing Brazil’s MAPA seafood health certificate (CSI) from Indonesia in 2026. Who issues it, which data points matter, signature and seal rules, what ANVISA checks, and the most common reasons certificates get rejected at Brazilian ports.

If you sell Indonesian seafood into Brazil, you already know the paperwork can make or break a clearance. We’ve spent years shipping to Brazilian buyers, and the MAPA health certificate is the one document you can’t afford to get wrong. Below is the practical, field-by-field guidance we give our own teams and partners. It’s current for early 2026 and based on real inspections at Brazilian ports.

The MAPA vs ANVISA split in 20 seconds

MAPA. Through DIPOA and SIF, MAPA handles import inspection of products of animal origin, including fish and seafood. The health certificate (CSI) is for MAPA.
ANVISA. Oversees sanitary surveillance at ports and may review labeling, packaging, and risk controls. ANVISA doesn’t issue or receive the health certificate, but they can hold cargo if something doesn’t align with Brazilian rules.

Takeaway. You need a MAPA-compliant CSI in Portuguese. And your labels and documents shouldn’t contradict what ANVISA sees on site. We’ve seen holds triggered simply because the storage temperature on cartons didn’t match the certificate wording.

Who issues the Brazil health certificate in Indonesia and where to get the form

In Indonesia, the competent authority for fish and fishery products is the fish quarantine and quality control authority under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. In practice, your certificate is issued and signed by an official veterinarian or authorized officer at the local office where your shipment is inspected.

Get the template from one of two sources.

Your Indonesian competent authority office that services your plant. Ask for the specific Brazil CSI model for your commodity.
Your Brazilian importer or broker can confirm the correct MAPA model code and any port-specific expectations.

Do not use a self-made Word file. Use the official bilingual or Portuguese model provided by the competent authority. Templates differ by commodity. Frozen shrimp uses a different model than frozen tuna or fillets, and wording is not interchangeable.

Does Brazil accept bilingual certificates or Portuguese only?

Brazil accepts certificates in Portuguese. Bilingual versions are commonly used as long as the Portuguese text is present and controls. Our recommendation. Use the bilingual template with Portuguese first and English second. Inspectors in Santos and Navegantes have consistently preferred that layout in our experience.

Can you use digital signatures in 2026?

Here’s the reality. Some trading lanes now use e-certification with digital signatures and QR verification. But across Brazilian ports in 2025–2026, most seafood entries still expect a wet-ink signature by the Indonesian competent authority’s official and the office stamp. If you want to use a digitally signed certificate, confirm two things before loading.

The specific port’s MAPA unit accepts the exporting country’s e-cert for your product.
Your Indonesian competent authority issues that e-cert in the MAPA-recognized format.

When in doubt, send the original paper CSI with wet signature and stamp. We’ve seen delays of 5–10 working days when a carrier arrived with only a digitally signed PDF and no prior acceptance on file.

Field-by-field. How to fill the MAPA CSI correctly

Every model looks slightly different, but the core fields are consistent. Below is how we complete them for fillets, portions, tuna and shrimp.

Exporting country and competent authority. Indonesia. Name the Indonesian competent authority office. Use the exact official name and address.
Certificate number and pages. Use the government-issued serial number. State “Page X of Y.” Brazil dislikes loose extra pages.
Consignor and consignee. Legal names and addresses. Match the commercial invoice exactly. No abbreviations that don’t appear in the invoice.
Establishment details. This is critical. Write the processing plant’s full legal name as listed by MAPA and the SIF approval number for Brazil. If your plant is not SIF-listed for Brazil, stop. You can’t export until it is. Verify the listing in MAPA’s SIGSIF database and keep a screenshot in the file.
Product description. Be precise. Include:

Product form. For example, “Skinless boneless fillet, Individually Quick Frozen.”
Scientific name. Example for our Grouper Fillet (IQF): Epinephelus spp.
Presentation and packing. For example, 10 x 1 kg IVP packs in master carton.
Net weight and total net weight.

Species and origin method. Wild-caught or aquaculture. For farmed vannamei, state “Aquaculture” and species name Litopenaeus vannamei. For wild tuna or snapper, state “Wild-caught.”
FAO catch area and vessel details. For wild products, include FAO Major Fishing Area number, vessel name and flag. Gear type helps. For example, “FAO 71. Longline. Vessel: XYZ. Flag: ID.” Missing FAO area is a top rejection reason.
Production dates and lot codes. Use the production date format used on carton labels. Align the lot code exactly with the inner and outer packaging. If you produce over multiple days, list a range and attach a lot breakdown as an annex referenced on the certificate.
Temperature and storage statements. Include the storage temperature the product must be kept at. For frozen, “Product kept at or below minus 18 C” is the usual wording. MAPA inspectors have tightened checks on this statement in the past year.
Container, seal and transport. Record container number and official seal number. If seals change due to customs inspection, communicate re-sealing and update documents at once. Mismatched seals are a frequent red flag.
Health attestation block. Use the exact official wording on the model. It typically covers that the product was processed in an approved establishment, inspected, fit for human consumption, and complies with Brazilian legislation.
Signature, seal, place and date. The official veterinarian or authorized officer signs in wet ink. Apply the authority stamp. Date of issue must be on or before the vessel departure date. We do not ship with post-dated certificates.

Practical tip. For mixed products like a container with Frozen Shrimp (Black Tiger, Vannamei & Wild Caught) and Mahi Mahi Portion (IQF), do not lump them in one line. Use separate lines per species and presentation, or issue separate certificates if the model or port expects single-species certificates.

What if you make a mistake. Can you correct or must you reissue?

We recommend reissuance for any material error. Brazilian ports usually reject hand corrections, even if initialed and stamped. Minor clerical edits can sometimes be accepted if the issuing authority cancels and reissues the page with a new serial, but that still means a new original. In our files, 8 out of 10 certificate issues required a full reissue to avoid clearance delays.

How many originals are needed at Brazilian clearance?

At least one original must travel with the cargo. Many import brokers ask for a second original for their records or for split checks between MAPA and terminal. Our practice. Print two originals, both wet-signed and stamped. Courier one set to the consignee while one travels with the container. It has saved us twice when a document pouch went missing.

Validity period. Does the CSI expire?

The MAPA certificate is consignment-specific. It’s not a general license and doesn’t have a standalone expiry. But Brazilian inspectors want the issue date to be on or before the loading date, and the certificate must cover the exact lots shipped. If you add or swap lots after issuance, you need a new certificate.

Common rejection reasons we see, and how to avoid them

Establishment not SIF-approved for Brazil, or wrong SIF number printed. Confirm your SIF listing before proforma.
FAO area or vessel name missing for wild-caught products. Gather catch data from the outset.
Portuguese text missing or not matching English. Use the bilingual template with Portuguese first.
Lot codes on cartons don’t match the certificate line items. Align ERP, labels and certificate before loading.
Temperature statement absent or vague. Include “kept at or below -18 C” for frozen.
Seal or container number mismatch. Photograph the seal and keep the photo in the file.
Signature by non-authorized person. Only the competent authority’s officer can sign. Company quality managers cannot.
Certificate dated after departure. Sign and stamp before the cut-off.
Using the shrimp model for finfish or vice versa. Confirm the model per commodity.

Need help matching model to commodity, or checking your SIF listing for Brazil. You can Contact us on whatsapp. We can walk through your draft CSI and flag issues before you ship.

Quick examples of correct descriptions

Wild-caught tuna saku. “Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares. Saku blocks. IQF. Wild-caught. FAO 71. Longline. Processed in SIF-approved establishment no. XXXX. Storage at or below -18 C.” Our Yellowfin Saku (Sushi Grade) follows this style.
Skinless fillet. “Grouper fillet, Epinephelus spp. Skinless boneless. IQF. Wild-caught. FAO 71. Packed 10 x 1 kg IVP in carton. Storage at or below -18 C.” See our Grouper Fillet (IQF).
Farmed shrimp. “Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. HLSO IQF. Aquaculture. Packed 10 x 1 kg. Storage at or below -18 C.” Refer to our Frozen Shrimp (Black Tiger, Vannamei & Wild Caught).

FAQs we’re asked every week

Where do I get the official form and who signs it in Indonesia?

Use the Brazil-specific CSI model from the Indonesian competent authority office servicing your plant. It’s signed by their official vet or authorized officer and stamped.

Does MAPA accept bilingual certificates?

Yes. Portuguese must be present and is the controlling language. Bilingual Portuguese-English is widely used.

Can I send a digitally signed certificate?

Only if the MAPA port unit accepts your country’s e-cert for that product and you have prior confirmation. Otherwise, send the original with wet signature and stamp.

What vessel and FAO details are required?

For wild-caught. FAO Major Fishing Area number. Vessel name and flag. Gear if the model asks. For aquaculture, provide farm origin details as requested on the model.

Can I correct a typo?

We advise reissue. Handwritten corrections are commonly rejected.

How many originals does Brazil need?

At least one original with the cargo. We prepare two originals. One rides with the container and one goes by courier to the consignee.

Final checks before you ship

Verify plant SIF approval in SIGSIF for the exact product category.
Lock the correct CSI model per commodity.
Match invoice, packing list, labels and certificate fields.
Include FAO area and vessel for wild-caught.
Print two originals, wet-signed and stamped.
Email scans to your broker 48 hours before arrival.

If you also want product recommendations that pass Brazilian buyers’ specs without tweaks, browse our export-ready range. Start with View our products. We can align specs and paperwork in one go.