Dispensing with SDF form: include foreign exchange declaration in Shipping Bills; exporters must follow amended filing procedure.
Dispensing with SDF form: exporters must include the foreign exchange declaration previously made via SDF within the Shipping Bill declaration, including an undertaking to comply with foreign exchange realisation and repatriation obligations. The Shipping Bill must be accompanied by prescribed supporting documents (entitlement certificates, invoices, quota/inspection certificates or other documents) submitted with the export goods in the warehouse. Exporters and customs brokers are required to adopt the amended procedure when filing Shipping Bills.

Electronic collection of lighthouse dues: online payments accepted and customs to verify digital receipts and notify trade.
Electronic collection of lighthouse dues will use DGLL and Syndicate Bank online portals; Customs officers will receive user IDs and passwords to verify online payment receipts produced by shippers or agents, with supporting email notifications to Customs Houses on icegate. Chief Commissioners are to sensitize staff, issue Public Notices to trade and shipping agents, and follow the enclosed draft notification and Standard Operating Procedure for detailed implementation and verification procedures.

SEZ cargo electronic integration with customs EDI enables automated filing, tagging and transshipment approvals for import and export movements.
Integration establishes an electronic interface between the SEZ online system and ICES 1.5 to automate IGM tagging, Bills of Entry filing, removal messaging and transshipment approvals. Steamer agents must supply correct SEZ codes and cargo nature; importers/customs brokers file BEs in SEZ online, obtain transshipment approval in ICES 1.5 and follow a triplicate Transshipment Permit regime with Preventive Officer verification of marks, numbers, containers and seals. Re-warehousing messages close IGM lines.

Integration of SEZ online with Customs EDI: electronic filing and transhipment controls for SEZ import and export cargo.
Integration of SEZ online with Customs EDI Systems creates an electronic flow for SEZ cargo at ACC Cochin from 1.6.2015: IGMs must include correct SEZ code and TI marking; SEZ online files Bills of Entry which trigger ICES 1.5 transshipment numbers and goods removal messages; authorized representatives present SEZ attested BE numbers to Superintendent (Bonds) and Preventive Officers verify marks and numbers and issue transhipment permits; SEZ re warehousing messages via ICEGATE will close IGM lines. For exports, Shipping Bills are filed in SEZ online, LEO granted there, and arrival/EGM data are exchanged with ICES 1.5 with hard copy endorsements to continue until full electronic implementation.

Document Management System implementation mandates digital storage and coupon-based charges; EDI coupon attachment mandatory effective now.
Implementation of a Document Management System at New Custom House will store Bills of Entry and Shipping Bills in electronic and physical form; Newgen Software Technology Ltd will implement the system and scanning will be performed into locally hosted servers. The Service Centre will collect a DMS fee by issuing two coupon sets (normal documentation and DMS), purchasable in bulk, and the EDI copy of the coupon must be attached to Bills of Entry and Shipping Bills when handed to officers after LEO/Out of Charge, effective from system commencement.

Simplified transit procedure for relief supplies enables sealed truck transit to Nepal with advance CTD filing and no security requirements.
A simplified transit regime permits certified relief consignments to Nepal, sent by foreign governments or multilateral agencies, to transit from specified Indian ports, airports, ICDs and land customs stations under an expedited Simplified Customs Transit Declaration (SCTD). Advance CTD filing is allowed, no bond or security will be required, goods must be sealed with a customs seal and truck/seal details recorded, and CTDs are to be endorsed by Nepal Customs, fax reconciled weekly between Commissioners, with unreconciled cases escalated to the Board; customs may examine goods with Commissioner approval.

Foreign exchange declaration requirement integrated into Shipping Bill; exporters must include prescribed undertaking in export documentation.
The SDF requirement for exports through EDI ports has been dispensed with and replaced by a mandatory declaration incorporated into the Shipping Bill by Notification No. 46/2015-Customs (N.T.). Exporters must include an undertaking to comply with the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, including realization and repatriation of foreign exchange, as part of the Shipping Bill declaration; customs authorities must issue Public/Trade Notices and report implementation difficulties to the Board.

Mandatory pre-deposit requirement for customs appeals changes filing process; Review Cell to process payments and monitor orders.
A Review Cell is created to centrally receive appellate orders, put them to the Appraising Officer (Review)/Superintendent (Review) for acceptance, maintain consolidated registers and monthly pendency extracts, and monitor stay orders; the AO/Superintendent in the Review Cell is designated to certify TR 6 challans and record mandatory pre deposits in a separate register following the statutory pre deposit requirement for appeals.

SEZ online-ICES integration enables automated customs tagging and transshipment approvals to streamline port to SEZ cargo movement.
Integration of SEZ online with ICES 1.5 establishes an electronic workflow whereby IGMs must include correct SEZ codes and cargo nature, SEZ online filed Bills of Entry are auto tagged to IGM particulars and trigger messages to ICES for goods removal; ICES will generate a transshipment reference and Approval Order to replace the manual TSA register, with Preventive Officer verification at Port/CFS and ICEGATE messaging to SEZ online for release and re warehousing closure.

Rotation policy for customs appraisers and inspectors mandates fixed tenures and biannual reassignments to ensure balanced exposure and integrity.
The policy consolidates rotation and transfer rules for Appraisers and Inspectors in Mumbai Customs Zone II, emphasizing systematic rotation to promote efficiency and varied experience, fixed tenures, and predictable posting cycles. It prescribes functional tenures across appraising, docks, examination and intelligence units, mandates biannual rotations, restricts sensitive postings to vigilance cleared officers, allows one year intelligence postings with possible extensions for ongoing cases, and requires phased relieving with automatic relief on stipulated compliance dates. Canvassing for postings is misconduct.

Suo-moto payment of customs duty allows exporters to deposit or debit self-calculated duty pending RA regularisation.
Authorisation holders with an acknowledged RA regularisation application may make suo-moto payment of self-calculated duty and interest for bona fide default under Advance/EPCG by cash challan or debit of eligible Chapter 3 duty credit scrips (limited to permitted imports); interest must be paid in cash and challans submitted to Customs for record update. Upon the RA's excess import letter, Customs will confirm actual duty and interest, adjust for prior payments or debits, direct payment of any balance, endorse paid challans, and, after the RA's redemption letter, reconcile and initiate release of the Bond/Bank Guarantee.

SEVOTTAM service standards ensure time bound response and disposal obligations for customs communications and claims at Visakhapatnam.
SEVOTTAM at Visakhapatnam Customs establishes time bound service standards under the Citizens' Charter: acknowledge written communications; convey decisions; dispose of refund claims; remit drawback claims; clear consignments on complete declarations for exports and imports; release seized documents not relied upon in show cause notices; acknowledge and respond to complaints. It requires submission of communications to a centralized Receipt Section with on the spot dated acknowledgments and provides contact details for queries.

Customs duty revisions change tariff rates and exemptions, altering import duty burdens and concurrent concession eligibility.
Customs duty changes alter BCD rates, exemptions and export duty for specified tariff lines, with certain items exempted and others subject to increased or reduced BCD; exemptions from additional duties under a notification are withdrawn though BCD exemptions continue and specified government import exemptions remain. Amendments to excise law adjust deemed capacities, withdraw specified exemptions, restrict concessional rates to actual users, and extend cess exemptions to DTA clearances from 100% EOUs. CENVAT rules allow use of education cess credits against basic excise duty in limited temporal circumstances. A clarification permits simultaneous claiming of BCD and CVD benefits where notifications allow. Service tax exemptions are provided for services under certain social insurance schemes.

Steamer agency registration requires bank security, guarantee bond and strict manifest filing compliance or face penalties and renewal denial.
Registration and renewal for steamer/shipping agents require an application, fixed deposit and solvency certificate from a nationalised bank, a standard guarantee bond under relevant Customs provisions, firm constitution and authorisation documents, appointment letters from ship owners or charterers, banker particulars, and an authorisation permitting forfeiture of security for violations. Renewals must be applied for in advance with existing security instruments and a fresh standard guarantee; registrations and renewals operate on a three year validity cycle. Agents must file prescribed import and export manifest documents within prescribed times, with penalties for late submission and potential denial of renewal for repeated lapses.

Document Management System requirement: attaching the EDI DMS coupon is mandatory for shipping bill and bill of entry dockets at clearance.
The Document Management System requires scanned preservation of Shipping Bills and Bills of Entry at designated CFS scanning centres, mandates attachment of the EDI copy of the DMS coupon to SB/BE dockets at LEO/OOC, and establishes vendor-led scanning within a prescribed timeframe, tagging, boxing and departmental supervised storage with retrieval only on written departmental direction.

Document Management System implementation mandates digital scanning and mandatory coupon attachment for customs dockets to enable secure retrieval.
Implementation of a Document Management System at Nhava Sheva mandates electronic scanning and storage of customs dockets (Bills of Entry, Shipping Bills and connected documents) generated on or after 7 May 2015. The DMS, operated by an authorized vendor under a three year contract, requires purchase and attachment of duplicate coupons/stickers (one retained by trade, one affixed to the docket) and submission of the EDI copy with the document set; the scheme aims to secure retrieval for refunds, drawback, re import/re export, statutory amendments and investigations.

Photography of cargo mandated in specified inspections; images stored with scanned dockets to supplement examination records.
Implementation of ZapIn integrates photographic capture with the Document Management System to store cargo images with scanned import/export dockets. Photographs are taken during examination in specified cases, uploaded via the ZapIn mobile application, and automatically deleted from the device after transfer; mobile registration and deregistration procedures are required. Photography is limited by case categories, exemptions for accredited clients except where specified criteria apply, numerical limits per consignment, and quality and selection guidelines to ensure images supplement examination reports.

Customs Clearance Facilitation Committee established to ensure expeditious clearance of imports/exports and resolve trade grievances.
Establishment of a Customs Clearance Facilitation Committee (CCFC) for Chennai Customs Zone to ensure expeditious clearance of imported and export goods and time bound resolution of trade grievances. The CCFC, chaired by the Chief Commissioner, includes representatives of key regulatory and infrastructure agencies and is tasked to monitor compliance with prescribed timelines, identify and remove procedural and infrastructural bottlenecks, initiate Time Release Studies, recommend best practices to CBEC and concerned agencies, and resolve trade grievances. The committee will meet at least weekly and modalities will be finalised after stakeholder deliberation.

All Industry Rates of Duty Drawback: committee to set AIRs through stakeholder consultation and documented calculation methodology.
Constitution of a Committee to formulate All Industry Rates (AIRs) of Duty Drawback for 2015, tasked to consult stakeholders, examine quantitative data and deemed-imported materials, determine residuary AIRs, and develop calculation methodology reflecting Budget duty changes. The Committee, chaired and supported by the Joint Secretary (Drawback), shall conduct meetings, field visits, provide documented calculations and worksheets, and submit a report on the Terms of Reference to the Secretary, Department of Revenue by the prescribed deadline. Members receive TA/DA, sitting fees and departmental budget will meet committee expenses.

Paperless delivery orders enable online import cargo clearance with limited exceptions and stakeholder consultation required.
Implementation of a online delivery order system will replace manual hard copy delivery orders for import cargo at the air cargo complex; all importers, CHAs and trade must use the online facility, while limited exceptions (one-time importers, human remains, direct delivery) may avail hard copy delivery orders. Stakeholders are to report difficulties and submit comments for consideration.