Policy Import

For API version information, refer to the API Version History section.

V2.0

POST/api/2.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import

Import a compliance policy, defined in an XML file, into your account. We’ll include all the service-provided controls from your XML file. You have the option to also include user defined controls.

Permissions - If you’re not a Manager, the permission to Manage PC module must be turned on in your account.

Input ParametersInput Parameters

Parameter	Required/Optional	Data Type	Description
action=import	Required	String	Specifies the action type for importing the policy.
echo_request={0\|1}	Optional	Integer	Specify 1 to view (echo) input parameters in the XML output. By default these are not included.
xml_file	Required	File	File containing the policy details.
title={value}	Required	String	The title of the new policy.
create_user_controls={0\|1}	Optional	Integer	When not specified, user-defined controls are not created when you import a policy. Specify 1 to include UDCs from the XML file.

Sample - Import PolicySample - Import Policy

API Request

https://<qualys_base_url>/api/2.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import&title=My+Policy"

XML Output

<!DOCTYPE SIMPLE_RETURN SYSTEM "https://<qualys_base_url>/api/2.0/simple_return.dtd">
<SIMPLE_RETURN>
   <RESPONSE>
      <DATETIME>2016-09-15T21:32:40Z</DATETIME>
      <TEXT>Successfully imported compliance policy</TEXT>
      <ITEM_LIST>
         <ITEM>
         <KEY>ID</KEY>
         <VALUE>136992</VALUE>
      </ITEM>
      <ITEM>
         <KEY>TITLE</KEY>
         <VALUE>My Policy</VALUE>
      </ITEM>
   </ITEM_LIST>
</RESPONSE>
</SIMPLE_RETURN>

Sample - Import Policy With UDCs Having Remediation Information Using XML FileSample - Import Policy With UDCs Having Remediation Information Using XML File

API Request

curl -u "USERNAME:PASSWORD" -H "X-Requested-With: curl" -H Content-Type:text/xml --data-binary "@UDC_with_Remedy_20200422.xml" "https://<qualys_base_url>/api/2.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import&title=Policy1&create_user_controls=1"

XML Output

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<!DOCTYPE SIMPLE_RETURN SYSTEM
"https://<qualys_base_url>/api/2.0/simple_return.dtd">
<SIMPLE_RETURN>
  <RESPONSE>
    <DATETIME>2020-04-22T22:51:16Z</DATETIME>
    <TEXT>Successfully imported compliance policy</TEXT>
    <ITEM_LIST>
      <ITEM>
        <KEY>ID</KEY>
        <VALUE>1867541</VALUE>
      </ITEM>
      <ITEM>
        <KEY>TITLE</KEY>
        <VALUE>Policy1</VALUE>
      </ITEM>
    </ITEM_LIST>
  </RESPONSE>
</SIMPLE_RETURN>

DTD

<platform API server>/api/2.0/simple_return.dtd

V3.0

POST/api/3.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import

Import a compliance policy, defined in an XML file, into your account. We’ll include all the service-provided controls from your XML file. You have the option to also include userdefined controls.

Permissions - If you’re not a Manager, the permission to Manage PC module must be turned on in your account.

Input ParametersInput Parameters

Parameter	Required/Optional	Data Type	Description
action=import	Required	String	Specifies the action type for importing the policy.
echo_request={0\|1}	Optional	Integer	Specify 1 to view (echo) input parameters in the XML output. By default these are not included.
xml_file	Required	File	File containing the policy details.
title={value}	Required	String	The title of the new policy.
create_user_controls={0\|1}	Optional	Integer	When not specified, user-defined controls are not created when you import a policy. Specify 1 to include UDCs from the XML file.

Sample - Import PolicySample - Import Policy

API Request

curl -k -s -S -H 'X-Requested-With:curl demo2' -u "username:Password#" -H Content-type:text/xml --data-binary "@/home/location/Policy_V3sample.xml" "https://<qualys_base_url>/api/3.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import&title=V3sample"

XML Output

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<!DOCTYPE SIMPLE_RETURN SYSTEM "https://<qualys_base_url>/api/3.0/simple_return.dtd">
<SIMPLE_RETURN>
  <RESPONSE>
    <DATETIME>2025-06-27T12:04:53Z</DATETIME>
    <TEXT>Successfully imported compliance policy</TEXT>
    <ITEM_LIST>
      <ITEM>
        <KEY>ID</KEY>
        <VALUE>5757988</VALUE>
      </ITEM>
      <ITEM>
        <KEY>TITLE</KEY>
        <VALUE>V3sample</VALUE>
      </ITEM>
    </ITEM_LIST>
  </RESPONSE>
</SIMPLE_RETURN>

V4.0

POST/api/4.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import

Import a compliance policy, defined in an XML file, into your account. We’ll include all the service-provided controls from your XML file. You have the option to also include userdefined controls.

Permissions - If you’re not a Manager, the permission to Manage PC module must be turned on in your account.

Input ParametersInput Parameters

Parameter	Required/Optional	Data Type	Description
action=import	Required	String	Specifies the action type for importing the policy.
echo_request={0\|1}	Optional	Integer	Specify 1 to view (echo) input parameters in the XML output. By default these are not included.
xml_file	Required	File	File containing the policy details.
title={value}	Required	String	The title of the new policy.
create_user_controls={0\|1}	Optional	Integer	When not specified, user-defined controls are not created when you import a policy. Specify 1 to include UDCs from the XML file.

Sample - Import PolicySample - Import Policy

API Request

curl -k -s -S -H 'X-Requested-With:curl demo2' -u "quaylys_username:Password@" -H Content-type:text/xml --data-binary "<file_directory_path>/compliance/policy_import_api.xml" "https://<qualys_base_url>/api/4.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import&title=UDC_inactive_create_v4&create_user_controls=1"

XML Output

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<!DOCTYPE SIMPLE_RETURN SYSTEM "https://<qualys_base_url>/api/4.0/simple_return.dtd">
<SIMPLE_RETURN>
    <RESPONSE>
        <DATETIME>2025-06-02T13:23:31Z</DATETIME>
        <TEXT>Successfully imported compliance policy</TEXT>
        <ITEM_LIST>
            <ITEM>
                <KEY>ID</KEY>
                <VALUE>1464127</VALUE>
            </ITEM>
            <ITEM>
                <KEY>TITLE</KEY>
                <VALUE>UDC_inactive_create_v4</VALUE>
            </ITEM>
        </ITEM_LIST>
    </RESPONSE>
</SIMPLE_RETURN>

API Version History

The following table depicts the information about the different versions of this API along with the status:

API Version	API Status	Release Date
/api/2.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import	To be deprecated	December 2025
/api/3.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import	To be deprecated	Januray 2026
/api/4.0/fo/compliance/policy/?action=import	Active	July 2025