Export transhipment verification governs SEZ container movement, requiring seal checks, document scrutiny, and shipment endorsement at port gates.
SEZ export containers in full container load condition moving under Export Transhipment through JNPT port terminals must undergo preventive verification at the gate before entry for loading on the designated foreign-going vessel. Gate Preventive Officers must check the cargo, verify marks and numbers, confirm seal integrity, and examine the ETP and SEZ gatepass documents. If the cargo is in order, they must manually endorse "Allowed for Shipment" on the ETP copy and SEZ gatepass copy until ICES access is available. Any seal tampering or discrepancy must be reported immediately.

Single unified electronic Customs bond enables all India multi purpose bond submission with e stamping, e signing and bank guarantee linkage.
SEB permits importers/exporters to submit a Single All India Multi purpose Electronic Bond via ICEGATE selecting applicable obligations, with option to add obligations or increase bond amount later. Execution includes digital payment of stamp duty and electronic signatures through NeSL without notarisation; a unique bond number is generated and stored in NeSL and e Sanchit. Electronic Bank Guarantees may be issued by NeSL integrated banks, transmitted to NeSL, and linked and validated on ICEGATE for dashboard visibility; annexures specify formats, scenarios, BG quantum and technical messaging requirements.

Self-sealing permission applications must be emailed with PDF attachments to the designated customs submission address.
Applications for Self-Sealing Permission, registration, or renewal must be emailed to [email protected] with all required documents attached as PDF files and properly named; the email account is solely for submission, and after verification the customs office will send the permission copy to the exporter's email.

Automation of Refund Processing: electronic filing and disbursal streamlines customs refund applications and audit shift to post-audit.
Automation of Customs refund procedure establishes electronic filing, scrutiny, communication and electronic disbursal of refund claims through the ICEGATE Portal. Applicants may file refund applications with supporting documents; pre-filled forms follow reassessment, a Unique Application Reference Number is generated on filing, and proper officers must intimate deficiencies within ten days and communicate acknowledgements, show-cause notices and speaking orders electronically, including examination of unjust enrichment. Concurrent audit is dispensed with and selection for post-audit will be finalized by DG-Audit with DG ARM; electronic credit will be effected to the applicant's registered bank account via PFMS.

Single Unified Multi Purpose Electronic Bond enables nationwide electronic execution with linked e bank guarantees, streamlining customs security.
Introduction of a Single All India Multi Purpose Electronic Bond (SEB) enabling importers/exporters to submit one nationwide electronic bond via ICEGATE covering obligations across provisional assessment, export promotion schemes, section 143 imports, warehousing (section 59) and manufacture/operations in private/special warehouses (section 65). SEB execution uses e stamping and e signing through NeSL without notarisation, allows later addition of obligations or bond value, and links to electronic Bank Guarantees validated via NeSL and displayed on ICEGATE dashboards per consolidated BG quantum schedules.

Amendments during final assessment permitted for bulk cargo, allowing officers to revise invoice details and recalculate assessable value.
Updated EDI functionality allows officers, during final assessment of bills of entry for bulk and liquid bulk cargo, to amend unit price, quantity, invoice number, freight and miscellaneous charges; the system will recalculate the assessable/invoice value based on the amended unit price and amended quantity. The capability is limited to bulk and liquid bulk consignments and is effective as a standing order for officers, with specified helpdesk contacts for issues.

DPD registration contact update: authorities will align registered emails and mobiles with IEC records and require OTP verification.
DPD Registration contact details will be aligned with Importer IEC records and the online OTDI module will verify authenticity by sending an OTP to the registered mobile; on successful verification, change-of-CFS requests update in real time. Suspected duplicate e-mail usage prompted a suo-moto update using IEC data, while importers may request changes with requisite documents via their registered e-mail and report issues to the Additional Commissioner; officers must treat this as a standing order.

Container scanning portal status check now available at csd.jnpa.in; enter container, IGM number and date.
A new container scanning status portal (csd.jnpa.in) enables stakeholders to check whether a container is selected for scanning and whether it has been scanned and examined by entering the container number, IGM number and IGM date in the "Check Container Status" tab.

Late fee waiver for Bills of Entry affected by system downtime, applying to vessel entries and treated as standing order.
Waiver of late fees is authorised for Bills of Entry affected by electronic filing unavailability during the Union Budget updation; it applies to Late Fee under the Bill of Entry (Forms) Amendment Regulations, 2017 for Bills of Entry for vessels with entry inward at INTUT1 and for those filed on or before restoration, and the Public Notice is issued as a Standing Order with implementation difficulties to be reported to the Commissioner of Customs.

Extension of e BRC submission deadline to facilitate exporters, conditional on compliance with Public Notice 21/2024.
The deadline for submission of electronic Bank Realisation Certificates (e-BRCs) by exporters is extended from 31.01.2025 to 15.02.2025, conditional on compliance with documentary requirements specified in Public Notice No. 21/2024 dated 31.12.2024. Exporters and brokers must submit proof of realisation of sale proceeds within the extended period. A dedicated BRC Cell with contact email [email protected] and named officers is designated to handle pending cases and provide assistance; implementation difficulties should be referred to the Assistant Commissioner, BRC Cell, ACC.

Waiver of late fees for bills of entry affected by system downtime, subject to specified vessel entries and filing deadline.
Waiver of late fees is granted for Bills of Entry that could not be filed due to ICEGATE system unavailability during the Union Budget updation. The waiver covers Bills of Entry for vessels with entry inwards at INMAA1, INKAT1 and INENR1 on 1 February 2025, where those Bills are filed on or before 2 February 2025, notwithstanding the late fee provisions in the Bill of Entry (Forms) Amendment Regulations, 2017.

Voluntary payment facility on ICEGATE enables self-initiated challans and online settlement without routine officer approval.
Enables electronic collection of Voluntary/Self Initiated Payments (SIP) on ICEGATE, permitting registered users to generate self initiated challans and pay online without officer approval, replacing manual TR 6 payments for past import/export obligations. Payments may be made from the Electronic Cash Ledger or challan wise through specified banking channels, NEFT/RTGS, and payment aggregators; remaining banks will be enabled after testing. Officers must not accept manual TR 6 except with explicit higher level approval, and users must submit proof of payment for field action and verification.

Uploading supporting documents for classification: attach technical catalogs and link e Sanchit to expedite customs assessment.
Importers must upload comprehensive technical documentation-Catalogue, Technical Write-up, End use details, Product Data Sheet, User Manual-and images to e Sanchit, linking each document's IRN to the corresponding Bill of Entry so faceless Assessment Groups can verify self-assessment; absence of such material often causes reclassification queries and delays, as illustrated by an LED chip import where lack of uploaded documentation led to proposed reclassification later resolved after clarification.

Customs tariff revisions and legislative amendments announced; provisional duty changes effective immediately, wider Customs, Excise and GST reforms proposed.
Proposed Union Budget 2025 measures revise customs tariff lines and rates and amend customs, central excise and CGST law. Key features include provisional notifications bringing specified duty changes into immediate effect, a two year limit (with limited extension) for finalisation of provisional assessments, a new voluntary post clearance revision mechanism for import/export entries, abolition and transitional replacement of the Settlement Commission by Interim Boards, GST provisions enabling a Track and Trace mechanism and ITC distribution rules for reverse charge inter state supplies, and a chapter wise review and renewal of conditional exemptions.

Provisional assessment requests may now be made at bill of entry filing to avoid recalling RMS facilitated entries.
A new system field "Prov" requires importers or CHAs to mark "Y" at bill of entry filing to request provisional assessment, eliminating the need to recall RMS facilitated bills; ICEGATE will host the facility shortly. Officers must treat the change as a standing order and report technical problems to the provided email, while traders may use the helpdesk address.

Bill of Entry filing suspension for system updates due to budget changes; collect any new export levies manually.
Bill of Entry filing will be suspended in ICES from 11:00 on the Budget presentation day to allow updation of Notifications and Tariff Directories; filings and approvals made before suspension will be processed but must be monitored for changes in duty liability before clearance. Shipping Bill filing continues; any export duties or cesses announced in the Budget must be tracked and collected manually for Shipping Bills given on or after the Budget date until directory updates are completed. System availability for BE filing resumes after updation, generally within 48 hours absent substantial new levies.

Application fee for extension of time must be paid per application, not per shipping bill, under Drawback Rules.
The Board clarifies that when an exporter applies for extension of time to submit an application for fixation of the rate of duty drawback under the Drawback Rules, the application fee is payable on a per application basis, not per shipping bill, notwithstanding that a single application may include multiple shipping bills; exporters and stakeholders must comply with this per-application fee requirement.

ICES budget updates suspend Bill of Entry filing while export assessments continue with manual collection of revised levies.
Budget-related ICES updates will suspend filing of Bills of Entry and section 48 approvals from 11:00 hours on 01.02.2025 until system changes are completed. Other ICEGATE services and officer functions will continue. Prior Bills of Entry must be checked for changed duty liability before out-of-charge clearance. Shipping Bill filing and assessment will continue, with altered export duty, cess or other levies manually collected until online directory updates are made. Bill of Entry processing will resume after ICES updation.

ICES budget updation temporarily suspends Bills of Entry filing while requiring manual collection of newly affected export levies.
ICES notifications and tariff directories will be updated after the Union Budget 2025-26. Bills of Entry filing and Section 48 approvals will be suspended from 11:00 hours on 1 February 2025 until system updates are completed, although other ICEGATE services will continue. Export Shipping Bills may continue to be filed and assessed; affected export levies must be tracked and collected manually pending online updates. Prior Bills of Entry require verification of revised duty liability before out-of-charge. Trade participants should schedule clearances around the update period.

Declaration of synthetic diamond qualifiers voluntary for exports of lab-grown diamonds below set weight threshold, others remain mandatory.
Declaration of additional qualifiers for synthetic or reconstructed diamonds remains mandatory generally to aid identification and assessment; however, for exports of lab-grown diamonds (HPHT/CVD) below the small-diamond weight threshold the Board has made such additional qualifiers voluntary, while mandatory qualifiers continue to apply in all other cases as per prior circular, and a public notice will be issued for trade guidance.