The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a Trade Notice on October 29, 2025, outlining the procedure for refunding the application fees for the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) for importing Gold Bullion under the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) for the fiscal year 2025-26. This action follows the cancellation of all provisional TRQ allocations made for the specified period. Applicants whose TRQ application status has been automatically changed to “closed” on the DGFT portal are now eligible to apply for a fee refund. The application process requires the applicant to use the DGFT website’s e-Miscellaneous Payment Service, provide the file number of their closed application, and specify a validated bank account linked to the IEC holder. The DGFT confirms that a new procedure for fresh TRQ applications for the 2025-26 period will be communicated via a subsequent Trade Notice.
Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Department of Commerce
Directorate General of Foreign trade
Trade Notice No. 16/2025-26-DGFT | Dated: 29.10.2025
To.
1. Industry and Trade;
2. All Nominated Agencies/AD Banks;
3. All concerned Customs Authorities, and
4. IFSCA/IIBX.
Subject — Procedure for refund of application fees deposited by applicants for Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) for import of Gold Bullion under India-UAE CEPA for 2025-26-reg.
Reference is drawn to the Minutes of the meeting dated 16.10.2025 for consideration of the allocation of TRQ under the India-UAE CEPA for FY 2025-26, wherein it was decided that the provisional allocations made in the EFC meeting held on 29.04.2025 stand Cancelled.
2. In light of the same, applicants who applied for the TRQ for import of Gold Bullion may choose to apply for a refund of application fees, according to the procedural steps laid below. Applicants are requested to keep their login credentials of the DGFT website (https://dgft.gov.in), their e-sign or Digital Signature Certificate, ready while applying for a refund request.
3. Steps regarding the refund process are submitted as follows for suitable guidance —
i. The status of TRQ Applications filed for allocation of Gold under India-UAE CEPA for the year 2025-26 in reference to Trade Notice no. 30/2024-25 dated 12.02.2025 will be changed to closed automatically. Once the Status of the application is reflecting as “closed” on the DGFT portal, the applicant can file a refund request at DGFT website.
ii. Refund request is to be made at the DGFT Website –> Services e-Miscellaneous Payment Service —> Apply for Refund.
iii. The file number of the restricted import authorisation application which is closed is required while applying for a refund request. A validated bank account in the name of the IEC holder must be specified in the refund application.
4. For any additional assistance, the Help Document may be referred to on the DGFT Website Learn Application Help & FAQs Refund Scheme —> Refund Help Document.
5. The new procedure for filing of fresh applications for Gold TRQ under India — UAE CEPA for FY 2025-26 will be intimated through a separate Public/Trade Notice.
This is issued with the approval of the Competent Authority
(Raman Kumar)
Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade
[Issued from File No. 01/89/180/01/AM-22/PC-2[B]/Part-I /E-35248]
