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Customs

Customs documentation services

  • Alonso Logistics India has years of experience in handling customs clearance in India. We have documents related to import and export regulations as well as the formalities to be followed for approval by the customs authorities. Your cargo handling is always very safe with us.

Customs clearance procedure in India

  • The import and export of goods in and out of a country must undergo a customs clearance process. The importer and exporter of the goods must submit valid documents to clear this process. In this article we examine some of the main steps and processes for customs clearance in India.

Calling of vessels

  • Once the vessels carrying the goods reaches the country, the person who carried the vessels should make sure that the calling of vessels is done at the customs port. For instance, if goods are imported via aircraft, the pilot is responsible for call of the vessels at the customs airport. There is no requirement for the importer to get involved in this process and will be done by the airline or shipping line.

Presentation of the General Import Manifest (IGM)

  • The person in charge of the vehicle should file an Import General Manifest electronically before the goods arrive. This file would include the details of all the goods imported by the vessel.

Post verification operations

  • On review of the Import General Manifest and post verification of documents, the customs authorities will grant entry inwards to the vessel, assign an IGM number to the manifest and permit the master of the vessel to land and unload the cargo.

Custody of custodian

  • On arrival of the vessel, the goods would remain in the custody of the Custodian until it clears the customs process. A custodian may be a person approved by Principal Commissioner or Commissioner of Customs for this purpose. Imported goods can be unloaded subject to the following conditions:

Presentation of the incoming invoice

  • The importer of the goods must submit an entry invoice (customs copy) electronically for clearance of the goods, before or upon arrival of the goods. On the entry invoice, the importer himself determines the duties and taxes to be paid, which is called self-assessment. The importer will self-assess the duty after considering the applicable exchange rate and the import duty rate. After approval of the entry invoice, the importer has to pay the GST and duty to be entered in the Indian Customs Electronic Date Exchange System (ICEDIS). Once entered in ICEDIS, an entry invoice number will be generated. Subsequently, the importer must present the entry invoice (customs copy), cross-check with duties paid and other supporting documents to the port authorities to make an order allowing clearance. After making a clearance order, the port officer would generate a duplicate entry invoice (importer’s copy) and a triplicate entry invoice (exchange control copy). Both copies would subsequently be given to the authorised person.
    • The note for unloading the goods must be mentioned in the report.
    • It may only be unloaded at places approved by the competent customs office.
    • Under the supervision of the competent authorities.
    • Should be unloaded only during working hours.

Delivery of goods

  • On showing the customs clearances to the port authorities, the importer can take the delivery of his goods. In case of cargo deposited in a warehouse, the importer would another bill of entry called the ex-bond bill of entry to clear the whole or part of the warehoused cargo.