What you need to know about India's ICEGATE customs system

Any trader doing business in India must be aware of the country's eCommerce-Portal of Central Board of Excise and Customs, or ICEGATE, as it is more commonly known.

Standing for Indian Customs Electronic Data Interchange Gateway, this is the centralized portal used by importers and exporters to digitally file essential customs data with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). A login for the system is mandatory for e-filing of any import or export of trades, cargo carriers, and other online trading.

ICEGATE refers to the main infrastructure for connecting trade users with the Indian government's customs department, and acts as a hub for exchanging information between external trading partners involved in international trading.

Key services that are offered through the ICEGATE portal include electronic filing for Bill of Entry, shipping documentation and related electronic services.

However, the portal also offers a range of other services to businesses. These include the ability to make payments online, track the status of documents at Customs EDI, complete online registration for intellectual property rights, verify the status of import/export codes and conduct online verification of DEPB/EPCG/DES licenses.

There is also a 24/7 helpline available to assist any businesses that have queries about any aspect of the portal.

In order to use the ICEGATE services, the first step is to register for a login. This can be done at the official government website for the portal. In order to complete the progress, the following pieces of information are required:

1. Voter ID card
2. Aadhaar card
3. Passport
4. Driving license
5. Scanned copy of Permit or License
6. Scanned copy of Authorization Letter
7. Order of Commissioner
8. Scanned copy of G Card or F Card Authorization

Once registered, a user will be able to sign up for the following transaction services:

• Exports
• Imports
• Import General Manifest (IGM)
• Export General Manifest (EGM)
• Consol Manifest

One of the main advantages of using the eCommerce-Portal of Central Board of Excise and Customs is its ability to greatly reduce the amount of paperwork that would otherwise be required when importing or exporting goods to and from India.

As well as enabling businesses to complete critical processes as quickly and easily as possible, using the portal also means reduced risk of errors when filing essential documentation and greater peace of mind for imports and exports. What's more, the ability to track the progress of records and view their status at any time ensures that businesses always know exactly what the current situation is.

While many firms work directly within the ICEGATE portal to complete their required imports and exports filing, it is also possible to connect with the system via a centralized customs management software. This allows businesses to maintain control of all aspects of their shipment operations from one single location for complete visibility into all activities, both in India and elsewhere in the world.

MIC-CUST® software includes options designed specifically for the Indian market that support the direct electronic filing of customs declarations to ICEGATE for the following procedures:

• Advanced Authorization Scheme (AAS)
• Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme (EPCG)
• Merit / Drawback (DBK)
• BOND License
• Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS)
• Guaranteed Remittance Waiver (GR Waiver)
• Calculation of duties to be paid
• Customs tariff of India (available from Mendel Verlag)