Direct Port Delivery centralizes DPD processing, coordination and enquiries for importers and customs brokers.
A dedicated Direct Port Delivery Cell at the custom house centralizes DPD application processing, correspondence handling, coordination of customs-clearance tasks (including advance IGM filing and amendments, duty payment and scanning), and maintenance of an importer-wise DPD clearance register for daily submission to the supervisory office.

Reconstitution of Permanent Trade Facilitation Committee expands stakeholder representation to improve customs clearance and ease of doing business.
Announcement reconstitutes the Permanent Trade Facilitation Committee at JNCH to broaden stakeholder representation for improved trade facilitation; it lists current member categories-including customs officials, technical officers, trade associations, terminal and port operators, banks, CFS and warehousing representatives, and regulatory officers-and invites additional trade bodies and stakeholders to submit willingness to participate in monthly PTFC meetings to enable formation of a reconstituted committee.

Classification of wireless microphones now treated under the microphone tariff heading; pending assessments to be finalised accordingly.
Consequent to deletion of tariff line 8525 50 50 in the Finance Bill, 2016, all microphones including wireless microphone sets/systems consisting of one or more wireless microphones and a wireless receiver are classifiable under tariff item 8518 10 00; pending assessments may be finalised accordingly and difficulties may be reported to the Board.

Currency denomination restriction removal allows foreign-going vessels to carry Indian currency notes of any denomination for onboard disbursements.
The Board withdraws the earlier denomination restriction on Indian currency carried by merchant ships for onboard disbursements, following revised Reserve Bank guidelines that do not prescribe any restriction on denomination carried by an Indian traveller or ship captain; carriage and disbursement remain subject to the usual conditions prescribed by the Reserve Bank.

Dispensing of customs baggage declaration: domestic passengers on international flights' domestic leg need not file the form.
Domestic passengers on the domestic leg of an international flight are not required to file the Customs Baggage Declaration form, and Chief Commissioners of Customs are directed to ensure strict implementation at all airports; the Circular was later rescinded by a subsequent circular effective in 2026.

Re-export procedure: streamlined permission and documentation centralises approvals for warehoused goods export.
Streamlined procedure requires the bonder exporter to apply to the Bond Section where goods are warehoused; upon verification and conditional permission, a provisional entry is made in the Bond Register and a sealed permission letter is sent to the Export office and warehouse Bond Officer. The party then files the permission and generates the Shipping Bill at the exporting Commissionerate; after assessment, the Bond Officer records Shipping Bill details and authorises movement to the export port under supervision or seal. Following examination and LEO at export, final Shipping Bill is submitted to Bond Section for cancellation or debit in the Bond Register.

Continuity bond permits one-year port clearance for vessels, subject to post-arrival submission of required certificates within seven days.
The Board authorised steamer agents to submit a one year continuity bond/guarantee in the annexed format to obtain Advance/EDI Port Clearance, thereby obviating execution of a fresh bond at each entry. Clearance under the continuity bond is conditional on submitting specified certificates within seven days of the vessel's sailing, and failure to comply will invite action under the Customs Act, 1962. The bond must be executed before the Preventive General Dy./Asst. Commissioner of Customs on prescribed stamp paper and is renewable, issuing a reference number for covered vessels.

Denomination restriction on Indian currency lifted for foreign-going vessels, with customs directing public notices and reporting of issues.
The Board notes that RBI revised guidelines do not restrict denominations of Indian currency carried by Indian travellers or ship captains, withdraws the earlier denomination restriction for merchant ships, directs jurisdictional Chief Commissioners to issue public notices, and requests reporting of any implementation difficulties to the Board.

Disposal of time-expired bonded goods requires staged notices, detention, verification and auction with recovery of outstanding dues.
A staged administrative procedure governs time expired bonded goods: maintain warehouse lists and bond registers; issue a formal notice one month before expiry for clearance or extension; on noncompliance issue notices under section 72(1) and section 72(2), compile importer responses, verify absence of investigative or appellate holds, obtain supervisory approval to forward goods for public auction, and, if auction proceeds are inadequate, initiate statutory recovery of the balance.

Public grievance mobile app enables lodging, reminders and tracking of complaints on CPGRAMS via Android smartphones.
A mobile application for the CPGRAMS portal is available for Android devices via the portal QR code or link; after installation users can lodge grievances, send reminders or clarifications, and track the status of redressal directly from their smartphones.

Custom Broker Licence renewal requires prescribed documentation, timely submission and formal payment before endorsement.
Renewal under Reg.9(2) of CBLR, 2013 requires application at least 90 days before licence expiry, with supporting documents: licence copy; list of approved employees and identity card expiries; PAN of proprietor/firm; association membership; three-year filing and duty/export data; details of suspensions, inquiries, fines, show cause notices; and security particulars. A declaration must confirm no change in constitution/address, no government dues, maintenance of accounts and KYC, and surrender of invalid employee ID cards. Processing is targeted within 30 working days after a complete application; approved renewals are posted publicly. On intimation, the broker must pay the renewal fee via TR-6 challan and submit the endorsed receipt for endorsement of renewal.

Infrastructure cess implementation restores Bill of Entry filing with system entries enabling exemption claims under the budget amendment.
ICES 1.5 has been updated to incorporate Budget changes and is available for filing Bills of Entry; the system implements a new Infrastructure Cess automatically on goods under CTH 8703, while eligible importers may claim exemption under Notification 001/2016 by following specified Service Center or RES entry procedures (marking duties, selecting notification and serial number, or populating SBEDUTY with Notification No., Sl. No., Duty type 'E' and Addl. Duty Flag 'I').

Finalization of Provisionally Assessed Bills of Entry: ICES module mandates e-payment integration for differential duty and bond closure.
Finalisation of Provisionally Assessed Bills of Entry in ICES 1.5 requires importers/brokers to obtain finalisation from the Assessing Officer who forwards the BE to Group AC/DC; specific system roles handle these steps. If finalisation increases duty, the system issues a challan with calculated duty and interest, sends the duty message to banks via ICEGATE for e-payment, and upon payment integration allows bond credit/closure. If duty is unchanged or reduced, bond credit/closure may follow directly and refund procedures remain unchanged. Finally assessed BE copies are generated in Customs and Importer sets.

Shipping agency registration: documentary, bank security and guarantee bond conditions set; renewals required every three years.
Registration and renewal of Steamer Agents/Shipping Agency at Tuticorin require Annexure A application, firm registration documents, notarized power of attorney, banker particulars and confirmation, local office lease, three years of income tax and service tax returns, appointment letter from principal, copies of other port registrations, names and PANs of authorised signatories, and provision of a Fixed Deposit Receipt and Solvency Certificate as security plus execution of a Standard Guarantee bond under Sec.41, 42 & 97(2) of the Customs Act, 1962. Initial registration is valid for three years; renewals require existing FDR, solvency certificate and fresh bond filed at least one month before expiry.

Timely bond cancellation required: exporters must provide EODC and export documents to enable bond and guarantee release.
Timely cancellation of bonds and bank guarantees in advance authorization and EPCG licence cases requires exporters to submit evidence of export obligation-principally the EODC issued by DGFT with supporting shipping bills and BRCs-before licence expiry so Customs can initiate cancellation and return of guarantees; bonds may be closed only after receipt of the EODC and exporters must approach DGFT in advance for redemption certificates.

Customs and Excise duty changes introduce immediate tariff revisions, new optional levies on garments and jewellery, and procedural simplifications.
Finance Bill, 2016 notifications effective 1 March 2016 and provisional declarations introduce immediate Customs and Central Excise duty changes, targeted exemptions subject to actual user conditions, and procedural simplifications. Central Excise adds optional RSP linked levies on branded readymade garments (2% without CENVAT or 12.5% with CENVAT) and on specified articles of jewellery (1% without CENVAT or 12.5% with CENVAT) with revised tariff value, SSI thresholds and simplified registration/return rules. Customs changes rationalise BCD/CVD/SAD across many chapters, amend export duties, and prescribe industry specific exemptions and conditional concessions.

Certificate for lost Bill of Entry issued after bank enquiry, police complaint where applicable, indemnity and EDI verification.
Establishes administrative steps for issuing a certificate when an importer's EDI Bill of Entry is lost, mutilated or destroyed: importer must first seek a bank-certified copy or apply to the Assistant/Deputy Commissioner (EDI) with bank correspondence, police complaint where applicable, a notarised indemnity bond, and the mutilated document if relevant. The EDI Superintendent verifies submissions against the EDI system, refers doubts to the Assistant/Deputy Commissioner, and on approval a dated Certificate stating purpose is issued and recorded in an EDI register.

Single Window NOC Module: confine PGA regulatory checks to the into-bond stage, allow temporary release pending NOC decision.
Regulatory checks by PGAs shall be completed at the into bond stage for Bills of Entry for warehousing so that ex-bond clearance does not trigger duplicate PGA referrals; where immediate PGA clearance is not practicable, goods may be allowed temporary release under the statutory facility permitting release pending final PGA decision until the outstanding NOC is decided.

Central Public Information Officer designations are revised, with appeals routed to the designated Joint Commissioner under information law.
Central Public Information Officer designation for the Airport and Administration Commissionerate is revised by assigning Assistant Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and the Chief Accounts Officer as Central Public Information Officers for their respective charges. Persons aggrieved by a Central Public Information Officer may submit a first appeal to the Joint Commissioner of Customs (Airport and Administration) under the Right to Information appellate mechanism. Implementation-related difficulties may be brought to the notice of the Principal Commissioner of Customs.

Special Valuation Branch investigations proceed with provisional assessments; no routine extra duty deposits unless importer fails to comply.
SVBs investigate related party and other value influencing transactions; they function under jurisdictional Chief Commissioners with DGoV support. Assessments referred to SVBs are provisional but no routine Extra Duty Deposit will be required; failure to provide documents within 60 days permits a 5% security (cash or bank guarantee) for up to three months with one 60 day extension. Importers must submit an initial questionnaire (Annexure A) at filing and fuller documentation (Annexure B) within 60 days; SVBs should issue an Investigation Report within two months (with escalation for extensions). Investigation Reports, not appealable SVB orders, inform finalization of provisional assessments and any further adjudication.