Import Export (IE) Code is a registration required for persons importing or exporting goods and services from India. IE Code is issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of India. Without IEC no person is allowed to export or import goods. Certain category of importers and exporters exempt from obtaining IE Code:
- Ministries or Departments of Central or State Government.
- Persons importing or exporting goods for person use not connected with trade or manufacture or agriculture.
- Persons importing or exporting goods from or to Nepal, Myanmar through Indo-Myanmar border areas and China, provided CIF value of a single consignment does not exceed Rs.25000. In case of Nathula port, the applicable exemption ceiling is Rs.1 lakh. Exemption from obtaining IE code is not applicable in case of export of special chemicals, organisms, materials, equipments and technologies listed in Appendix 3 of Schedule 2 of ITC HS.
The complete registration process for obtaining an Import Export Code number is online.
One needs to follow certain steps to apply IEC Online.
The steps are as follows:
STEP 1: Go to the Government website of DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade). On the left-hand side, under “Quick Links” we can see “Online IEC Application”. We have to click that.
STEP 2: “LOGIN FOR IEC ONLINE” page appears. We have to enter our PAN (Permanent Account Number)
We have to click “Next” after entering the PAN. Email ID and mobile number registered with PAN appears. After entering the ‘Captcha’, we have to click on “Generate Token”. We will receive separate OTPs (One Time Password), in our registered mobile number and email. We have to enter the OTPs and reenter the new “Captcha” and click on “Submit”. Before we start, request all of you to note that after we login, if the page is “inactive” for 15 minutes, we will be automatically be logged out. To re-login, the above OTP step has to be repeated.
STEP 3: We have to update the “Master Data” All the steps are enumerated in detail. Kindly note that earlier Digital Signature and Photo were mandatory. Now we have to have Address Proof and Cancelled Cheque or Bank Certificate only. Now a new green coloured pane will open on the right side of the same page in which you need to fill all the basic information of the entity i.e. Name, Address, City, State, District, PIN Code. Enter the ‘Name as given on the PAN Card’ and ‘Date of Incorporation’ of the same. Now the ‘Type of concern’ is auto filled. Enter the ‘Preferred Activity’ (you can select one of the given options for the preferred activity). Bank details are auto-filled. While entering the Director’s details, their individual PAN, father’s name, DOB etc. are to be filled. We have to update the Branch details also. Once all the details are filled correctly, please click on ‘Update’.
STEP 4: Attach Scan Copies of Required Documents: Now to upload the documents select the documents’ category and documents’ type. (PAN Card and Cancelled Cheque should be in PDF or GIF format. We have to select the “Document Category” (drop down) and “Document Type” (drop down), choose the file from our location and upload. On the left side of the screen we can see the uploaded successful message.
STEP 5: Payment. We have to lick on the payment link which will redirect us to “Payment Initiation Screen”, all the details here are auto-filled like DGFT ID, fee etc. We have to click on pay and another window will open, we have to choose from various options (Debit Cards, Credit Cards, Net Banking etc.). We have to pay INR 500.00 towards the fee. After paying we get a receipt and also we can lick on the tab “Verify Payment” on the main screen.
STEP 6: PREVIEW We have an option to preview the application and make necessary changes, if required. And there is an option of “print” also.
STEP 7: SUBMIT We have to submit our IEC application. We have to be careful while submitting. We have to choose the correct “Jurisdictional DGFT” as per the location. Immediately we get the certificate in a new window. Earlier it was sent to the registered mail id. Now we get it immediately. Getting IEC registration done is a very easy process and may hardly take 30 minutes.
I hope the IEC Application Procedure is now clear to all
Author Bio
