Initiative for Contactless Customs

Circular No. ES/263/2020-21                                                           14th July, 2020   

To : Members of the Council

Sub.: Initiative for Contactless Customs

Dear Member,

As you are aware CBIC had issued Circular No.32/200 dated 6th July, 2020, at the behest of CBIC, DG Systems. Accordingly, CBIC w.e.f. 6th July, 2020 had enabled certain functionalities in ICEGATE which would reduce the need for physical interaction between Customs and Trade and also speed up the Customs clearance process. 

In this regard, JNCH Customs had already issued Public Notice No.79/2020 dated 8th July, 2020 ,Air Cargo Complex (Sahar) too has issued Public Notice No. 97/2020 dated 13th July, 2020 regarding operationalization of certain functionalities in ICEGATE and now Mumbai Customs has issued Public Notice No. 39/2020 dated 7th July, 2020 regarding initiatives for Contactless Customs.

In order to enhance the efficiency in the Customs clearance processes thereby leading to speedy clearances, transparency in decision making, ease of doing business and very importantly, reduce physical contact in the prevailing pandemic situation certain functionalities have been introduced. 

These functionalities have been enabled in ICEGATE which would reduce the need for physical interaction between Customs and trade and also speed up Customs clearance process. 

A) Registration of Authorised Dealer Code bank account through ICEGATE:

1) Exporters are presently required to register their Authorised Dealer (AD) Code and Bank Account(s) for purposes of remittances and availing export benefits respectively at every Customs station. Even though it is an one-time procedure, it requires physical interaction between the Customs and the trade and submission of physical documents by the latter. Being a manual process, it causes delays impacting exports besides requiring the exporters or their representatives to personally visit the Customs Houses. Same is the case for the process of updation of Bank Account details. On review, this procedure has been done away with. 

2) The Directorate General of Systems, CBIC has now enabled functionality within ICEGATE login which allows the exporters to make an online request for registration/modification of their AD Code / Bank Account(s) and also electronically submit the Passbook copy or Bank Authorisation letter through e-Sanchit. The exporters would also have access to a Dashboard to view the status of approval and acceptance at PFMS, for quick rectification at their end. The detailed step-by-step guide is available on the ICEGATE portal at https://www.icegate.gov.in/Download/Bank_Account_Management_Advisory.pdf. 

B. Automated debit of bond after Assessment:

Presently, importers or their representatives are required to physically visit Customs House for physical debit of Bonds after the Bill of Entry is returned (to the importer) for the payment of duty. On review, it has been decided to do away with this requirement. Instead, ICES would automatically debit the Bond and reflect the same in the first copy of the Bill of Entry, provided the details of the Bond are provided during submission of the Bill of Entry. As has been re-iterated earlier, trade is encouraged to use a continuity bond to avoid procedures related to repeat submission of Bonds.

C. Simplified Registration of Importers/Exporters in ICEGATE:

Although simplified Registration module for importers/exporters based on verification provided in associated GSTIN has been provided without the requirement of digital signature, since many importers/exporters have not availed the same, various functionalities available in the ICEGATE portal cannot be accessed by them. These functionalities are useful to the importers/exporters and would help them in their management of imports and exports. Some of these functionalities are Management of Bank Accounts, Ledger View, IGST Refund status, Query Reply etc. Therefore, importers/exporters are advised to register on ICEGATE and conduct their Customs clearances through electronic interface. The simplified registration on ICEGATE can be done easily in few moments by following the steps given in the link at https://www.icegate.gov.in/Download/Advisory_for_Simplified_%20Registration_at_IC EGATE _v1.pdf .

Members may kindly make a note of the above and do the needful as advised.