Definition of IEC Code
IEC Code is unique 10 digit code issued by DGFT – Director General of Foreign Trade , Ministry of Commerce, Government of India to Indian Companies.
Full form of IEC Code
Full From of IEC Code is “Importer Exporter Code”. To import or export in India, IEC Code is mandatory. No person or entity shall make any Import or Export without IEC Code Number.
IEC Code No Notification
Directorate General of Foreign Trade(DGFT) issued a Policy Circular No.15 (RE-2006)/2004-2009 Date: 27th July, 2006) for New System for issuance of Importer-Exporter Code Number.
Eligibility, Legal Provisions and Conditions for IEC Code Number
Eligibility condition and Legal Provisions are given for IEC Code Number Application in Foreign Trade (Regulation) Rules, 1993 Ministry of Commerce, Notification No. GSR 791 (E), dated 30-12-1993.
Application for Grant of IEC Number
An application for grant of IEC number shall be made by the Registered/Head Office of the applicant and apply to the nearest Regional Authority of Directorate General Foreign Trade, the Registered office in case of company and Head office in case of others, falls in the ‘Aayaat Niryaat Form - ANF2A’ and shall be accompanied by documents prescribed therein. In case of STPI/ EHTP/ BTP units, the Regional Offices of the DGFT having jurisdiction over the district in which the Registered/ Head Office of the STPI unit is located shall issue or amend the IECs.
Only one IEC would be issued against a single PAN number. Any proprietor can have only one IEC number and in case there are more than one IECs allotted to a proprietor, the same may be surrendered to the Regional Office for cancellation.
Only one IEC would be issued against a single PAN number. Any proprietor can have only one IEC number and in case there are more than one IECs allotted to a proprietor, the same may be surrendered to the Regional Office for cancellation.
IEC Code Online Application Form
The application can be download Form in PDF or Word. This is called "Aayaat Niryaat Form - ANF2A". Along with IEC Code Number Application Form it is necessary to submit Appendix-18B Attested by Applicant's Banker in his letter head with two passport size photo).
List Of Regional Authorities Of DGFT And The Corresponding Office of Reserve Bank Of India, Exchange Control Department
You can find the list of Foreign Exchange Control Department of the RBI as given in Appendix-18D.
Validity of IEC Code No
An IEC number allotted to an applicant shall be valid for all its branches/divisions/units/factories as indicated in the format of IEC given in Appendix- 18B.
Duplicate Copy of IEC Number
Where an IEC Number is lost or misplaced, the issuing authority may consider requests for grant of a duplicate copy of IEC number, if accompanied by an affidavit.
Surrender of IEC Number
If an IEC holder does not wish to operate the allotted IEC number, he may surrender the same by informing the issuing authority. On receipt of such intimation, the issuing authority shall immediately cancel the same and electronically transmit it to DGFT for onward transmission to the Customs and Regional Authorities.
Application Fee For IEC Code Number
Application Fee : Rs 250.00
Mode of Payment : In Demand Draft/ Pay Order from any designated bank in favour of Zonal Joint Director General of Foreign Trade or Payment through EFT ( Electronic Fund Transfer by Nominated Bank by DGFT Like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, UTI Bank, Punjab National Bank, Central Bank etc) or Application fee can deposited by TR6 Challan with Duplicate Copy in any branch of Central Bank of India and TR6 Challan need to be submit along with IEC Code Application.
Specified fee shall be paid for making an application under any provision of the Policy and Handbook of Procedure Volume-I.. The scale of fee, mode of payment, procedure for refund of fee and the categories of persons exempted from the payment of fee are contained in Appendix-21B.
Mode of Payment : In Demand Draft/ Pay Order from any designated bank in favour of Zonal Joint Director General of Foreign Trade or Payment through EFT ( Electronic Fund Transfer by Nominated Bank by DGFT Like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, UTI Bank, Punjab National Bank, Central Bank etc) or Application fee can deposited by TR6 Challan with Duplicate Copy in any branch of Central Bank of India and TR6 Challan need to be submit along with IEC Code Application.
Specified fee shall be paid for making an application under any provision of the Policy and Handbook of Procedure Volume-I.. The scale of fee, mode of payment, procedure for refund of fee and the categories of persons exempted from the payment of fee are contained in Appendix-21B.
Territorial Jurisdiction of Regional Authorities
Every application, unless otherwise specified, shall be submitted to the Regional Authority of Directorate General Foreign Trade, as per the territorial jurisdiction of the Regional authorities indicated in Policy and Handbook of Procedure Volume-I.
Filing of Application
Application can be filed online in DGFT website, details of online links are given below.
Every application for an Import/Export licence/ certificate/ Authorisation/ permission or any other purpose should be complete in all respects as required under the relevant provisions of the Policy/Procedures and shall be signed by the applicant as defined in paragraph 9.9 of the Policy. An incomplete application is liable to be rejected giving specific reason for rejection. However in case of manual applications, the applicant would furnish a soft copy of the application in MS word format.
Every application for an Import/Export licence/ certificate/ Authorisation/ permission or any other purpose should be complete in all respects as required under the relevant provisions of the Policy/Procedures and shall be signed by the applicant as defined in paragraph 9.9 of the Policy. An incomplete application is liable to be rejected giving specific reason for rejection. However in case of manual applications, the applicant would furnish a soft copy of the application in MS word format.
Profile of Importer/ Exporter
Each Importer/Exporter shall be required to file importer/ exporter profile once with the Regional Authority in Part 1 of ‘Aayaat Niryaat Form - ANF2A’. Regional Authority shall enter the information furnished in Part 1 of ‘Aayaat Niryaat Form ANF-2A’ in their database so as to dispense with the need for asking the repetitive information. In case of any change in the information given in Part 1 of ‘Aayaat Niryaat Form ANF-2A’, importer/exporter shall intimate the same to the Regional Authority.
Self Addressed Stamped Envelope
The applicant shall furnish a self addressed envelope of 40 x 15 cm with postal stamp affixed on the envelope as follows for all documents required to be sent by Speed Post:
a
|
Within local area
|
Rs. 25.00
|
b
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Up to 200 Kms.
|
Rs. 25.00
|
c
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Between 200 to 1000 Kms
|
Rs. 30.00
|
d
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Beyond 1000 Kms.
|
Rs. 50.00
|
IEC No: Exempted Categories
The following categories of importers or exporters are exempted from obtaining Importer - Exporter Code (IEC) number:
- Importers covered by clause 3 (1) [except sub-clauses (e) and (l)] and exporters covered by clause 3(2) [except sub-clauses (i) and (k)] of the Foreign Trade (Exemption from application of Rules in certain cases) Order, 1993.
- Ministries/Departments of the Central or State Government.
- Persons importing or exporting goods for personal use not connected with trade or manufacture or agriculture.
- Persons importing/exporting goods from/to Nepal provided the CIF value of a single consignment does not exceed Indian Rs.25,000.
- Persons importing/exporting goods from/to Myanmar through Indo-Myanmar border areas provided the CIF value of a single consignment does not exceed Indian Rs.25,000.
However, the exemption from obtaining Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) number shall not be applicable for the export of Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipments and Technologies (SCOMET) as listed in Appendix- 3, Schedule 2 of the ITC(HS) except in the case of exports by category(ii) above.
- The following permanent IEC numbers shall be used by the categories of importers/ exporters mentioned against them for import/ export purposes..
S.No
|
Code Number
|
Categories of Importers / Exporters
|
1
|
0100000011
|
All Ministries / Departments of Central Government and agencies wholly or partially owned by them.
|
2
|
0100000029
|
All Ministries / Departments of any State Government and agencies wholly or partially owned by them.
|
3
|
0100000037
|
Diplomatic personnel, Counselor officers in India and officials of UNO and its specialised agencies.
|
4
|
0100000045
|
Indians returning from / going abroad and claiming benefit under Baggage Rules.
|
5
|
0100000053
|
Persons / Institutions / Hospitals importing or exporting goods for personnel use, not connected with trade or manufacture or agriculture.
|
6
|
0100000061
|
Persons importing / exporting goods from /to Nepal
|
7
|
0100000070
|
Persons importing / exporting goods from /to Myanmar through Indo-Myanmar border areas
|
8
|
0100000088
|
Ford Foundation
|
9
|
0100000096
|
Importers importing goods for display or use in fairs / exhibitions or similar
events under provisions of ATA carnet This IEC number can also be used by importers importing for exhibitions/fairs as per Para 2.29 of HBPv1. |
10
|
0100000100
|
Director, National Blood Group Reference Laboratory, Bombay or their authorized offices.
|
11
|
0100000126
|
Individuals / Charitable Institution /Registered NGOs importing goods,
which have been exempted from Customs duty under Notification issued by Ministry of Finance for bonafide use by victims affected by natural calamity. |
12
|
0100000134
|
Persons importing / exporting permissible goods as notified from time to time, from / to China through Gunji, Namgaya Shipkila and Nathula ports,
subject to value ceilings of single consignment as given in Para 2.8(iv) above. |
13
|
0100000169
|
Non-commercial imports and exports by entities who have been authorized by Reserve Bank of India.
|
Note: Commercial Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) who have obtained PAN will however be required to obtain Importer Exporter Code number. The permanent IEC number as mentioned above, shall be used by non-commercial PSUs.
Guidelines for Application of IEC Code Number.
Mandatory Requirements to apply for IEC Code Number
- Covering letter
- Fill Part A, B & D of the application form.
- Application must be accompanied by documents as per details given below:
1 Bank Certificate from the bank on Bank letter head as per proforma (Part B) given in the application.
a. In case of Proprietorship firms, please furnish
i) Date of Birth of individual
ii) Number of IECs held along with their details
b. In case of Companies, please furnish
i) Extract of Board of Resolution.
ii) MOA with Form 32 and ROC in case of change in Directors.
c. In case of others
i) Notorised Partnership Deed showing date of formation.
ii) No Objection Certificate from other partners/HUF.
3.2 Self certified copy of Permanent Account Number (PAN) issued by income Tax Authorities.
3.3 Two copies of passport size photographs of the applicant. The photograph pasted on the banker’s certificate must be attested by the banker with Seal and Signature of the applicant. - The application must be submitted in Duplicate.
- Each individual page of the application must be signed by the applicant.
- Self addressed envelope stamped with Rs. 25 (Local Address) & for others Rs.30/-. These documents may be kept secured in a file cover.
Check List of Documents to apply for IEC Code
- Covering Letter on your company's letter head for issue of new IEC Code Number.
- Two copies of the application in prescribed format ( Aayaat Niryaat Form ANF 2A ) must be submitted to your regional Jt.DGFT Office.
- Each individual page of the application has to be signed by the applicant.
- Part 1 & Part 4 has to be filled in by all applicants. In case of applications submitted electronically.
- No hard copies of Part 1 may be submitted. However in cases where applications are submitted otherwise, hard copy of Part 1has to be submitted.
- Only relevant portions of Part 2 need to be filled in.
- Rs 250.00 Bank Receipt (in duplicate)/Demand Draft/EFT details evidencing payment of application fee in terms of Appendix 21B.
- Certificate from the Banker of the applicant firm in the format given in Appendix 18A.
- Self certified copy of PAN issuing letter or PAN (Permanent Account Number) Card issued by Income Tax Authority.
- Two copies of passport size photographs of the applicant duly attested by the Banker of the applicant.
- Self addresses envelope with Rs.25/- postal stamp for delivery of IEC certificate by registered post or challan/DD of Rs.100/- for speed post.
How to submit IEC Code application
Application can be submitted in person/by Authorised Employee of the Company at the R & I counters in the office Or It can be sent by post/courier.
Processing of IEC Code Application
The application can be submitted at the counter in person at the office or it can be sent through Post/Courier. An acknowledgement in form of a receipt having File Number is generated on receipt of application. The file number is used for any correspondence/query regarding the IEC application submitted to the office. The application is then sent to IEC section where it is processed. If the application is found complete in all aspects (as per requirements prescribed) an IEC is generated, or else a deficiency letter stating the nature of deficiency is prepared and sent to the applicant. Replies are awaited in cases where deficiency letter is issued and after due compliance by the applicant the IEC is allotted.
Issue and Despatch of IEC Code
IEC allotment letter is sent through post at the registered office mentioned by the applicant in the application. Similarly deficiency letters are sent to applicant by post.
About IEC Application Status
File No for IEC application
A new option to know the file number has been introduced for all exporter who are sending their application through Post/Courier. The applicant has to input PAN number to get the file number.
Status of IEC Application
The applicant can know the status of the IEC application using option “Status of IEC Application” on the website of CLA; IEC issued day wise; IEC’s issued daily can be viewed on the website using option “IEC issued day wise”; File No for IEC application; Applicant’s who have sent their application through post/courier can know their file number using option “File No for IEC application”
A new option to know the file number has been introduced for all exporter who are sending their application through Post/Courier. The applicant has to input PAN number to get the file number.
Status of IEC Application
The applicant can know the status of the IEC application using option “Status of IEC Application” on the website of CLA; IEC issued day wise; IEC’s issued daily can be viewed on the website using option “IEC issued day wise”; File No for IEC application; Applicant’s who have sent their application through post/courier can know their file number using option “File No for IEC application”
