Food importers who want expedited FDA review and importation benefits for fiscal year 2027 have until September 1, 2026 to submit their application through the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP) portal. FDA opened the FY2027 application window on January 1, 2026 (see our earlier coverage), and this is a reminder that the window is closing — submitting early gives FDA and the trade community sufficient time to complete application review and process user fee payments before benefits begin.
What VQIP Offers
VQIP is a voluntary, fee-based program under the Food Safety Modernization Act that gives importers with strong, demonstrated control over the safety and security of their supply chains expedited review and importation of human and animal food shipments. Approved FY2027 applicants will receive benefits beginning October 1, 2026, contingent on both application approval and receipt of the required user fee payment. FDA has separately published the FY2027 VQIP and Accredited Third-Party Certification Program (TPP) user fee rates in the Federal Register; approved participants must pay the user fee before October 1, 2026 to begin receiving FY2027 benefits.
Before You Apply: Confirm Your Eligibility
Before applying, importers should review FDA’s VQIP guidance and confirm that every foreign supplier of the foods they intend to import under VQIP holds a valid facility certification issued by a certification body accredited under FDA’s Accredited Third-Party Certification Program (TPP). This is consistently the biggest barrier to participation — certification bodies can only issue that certification after conducting a full regulatory audit meeting the criteria defined at 21 CFR 1.600(c) and 21 CFR 1.651, so importers and foreign suppliers who haven’t already engaged an accredited certification body should do so as soon as possible to avoid running out of time before the deadline.
Ready to Apply? Start Here
Once eligibility is confirmed, importers can go directly to the application and supporting materials:
Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP)
Submission of VQIP Application User Guide
Fact Sheet: Preparing for the FDA Voluntary Qualified Importer Program
Public Registry of Accredited Third-Party Certification Bodies
What Importers Should Do Now
- Confirm every foreign supplier tied to VQIP-covered products holds (or is actively pursuing) a valid TPP-accredited facility certification — check FDA’s public registry of accredited certification bodies.
- If certification isn’t yet in place, engage an accredited certification body now to schedule the required regulatory audit; this step alone can take significant lead time.
- Submit the VQIP application well before September 1 to leave FDA sufficient time to review it and process the user fee payment ahead of the October 1 benefits start date.
- Budget for the FY2027 user fee, which must be paid before October 1, 2026 for approved applicants to begin receiving benefits.
Need help preparing your VQIP application?
ASK Alba™ — Alba’s trade compliance team can help you confirm foreign supplier certification status and get your VQIP application ready before the deadline.
References
FDA: FDA Opens VQIP Application Portal for FY2027
FDA: Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP)
FDA: Fact Sheet — Preparing for the FDA Voluntary Qualified Importer Program
Food Safety Magazine: FDA Announces FY 2027 VQIP, TPP User Fee Rates
