Extension of e-SANCHIT Facility to Visakhapatnam Custom House Procedure for Uploading of Documents - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 04/2018

OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS CUSTOM HOUSE: PORT AREA: VISAKHAPATNAM 530035 P3/06/2017-A.M(Pt.1). Dated: 31.01.2018 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 04/2018 Sub:-Extension of e-SANCHIT Facility to Visakhapatnam Custom House Procedure for Uploading of Documents- reg. ***** Attention of all the Importer, Exporters, Customs Brokers, other stake holders and members of the trade is invited to CBEC Circular No. 4012017-Customs, dated 13th October, 2017 (issued from regarding uploading of supporting documents electronically with digital signature i.e. e-SANCHIT. The facility to upload digitally signed supporting documents on a pilot basis is proposed to be introduced in Visakhapatnam Custom House on voluntary basis. 2. Under CBEC Circular No. 1012015 dated March 31, 2015, and Circular 26/2015 dated November 23, 2015, Bills of Entry are required to be submitted by authorized persons on ICEGATE after affixing their digital signatures. Now, under this facility (uploading digitally signed supporting documents), the authorized persons (Customs Brokers/ Importers) are also required to submit all the supporting documents online on ICEGATE after affixing digital signatures. The detailed procedure for uploading the supporting documents 3. For uploading supporting documents on ICEGATE, the authorized persons must open ICEGATE URL httos://wrww.iceqate.gov.in /. Click on Login/Signup button for togin into ICEGATE by using his/her access credentials and then Click on e-SANCHIT link provided in left vertical menu to redirect on e-SANCHIT. The step-by-step procedure for upload of supporting documents is provided on the ICEGATE website. While preparing a job for submission on ICEGATE in their respective Remote EDI Systems (RES), the authorized persons must ensure that they have uploaded all the necessary supporting documents. A facility has also been provided on ICEGATE to the authorized persons to access and view the documents uploaded by them. 4. In case the authorized person seeks to provide a document after the generation of the Bill of Entry number, he/she may first upload the document on ICEGATE, obtain a unique ID Image Reference number (IRN) for the document and link that document with the corresponding Bill of Entry by submitting an amendment at the Service Center. This procedure will also apply when the authorized person submits a document in response to a query raised by Customs for a Bill of Entry. Assessment Document Verification 5. Once a Bill of Entry has been filed, Customs officers will be able to access the uploaded electronic versions of supporting documents while viewing or assessing the Bill of Entry on the Indian Customs EDI System (hereinafter referred to as ICES ). During assessment, ICES provides for a query to be raised in order to call for additional documents or information. In response to a query, supporting documents can also be uploaded online by following the procedure described above. All documents required for the purposes of assessment would be viewed online. In due course, the facility to view supporting documents will also be extended to officers of the Participating Government Agencies (PGAs). Post Clearance Compliance Verification (PCCV) will be carried out online based on the electronic versions of supporting documents instead of hardcopy dockets of the Bills of Entry. Goods Registration, Examination Clearance 6. After filing of the Bill of Entry, the authorized person (e.g. importer/Customs Broker) may with his self-assessed copy of the Bill of Entry, approach the designated place for goods registration, document verification and clearance. In case goods are to be examined, the officer examining goods may record the results of inspection/examination online on ICES. 7. Some types of supporting documents are required to be presented in original (as specified in the respective notifications) for verification of seal/signature etc., for defacement and for the debit of quantities/value. Trade should present hardcopy at the time of the registration of goods or at a place specified by the Commissioner of Customs. It may however be noted that all supporting documents shall be uploaded digitally, including those documents that must be presented in hardcopy. For supporting documents, where a debit of quantity/value is required to be made on hardcopy, for every subsequent Bill of Entry filed for import, the latest debit sheet shall be uploaded- The authorized person filing the Bill of Entry should pay attention while linking supporting documents with Bills of Entry and should ensure that the correct unique reference numbers (IRNs) are mentioned in the Bills of Entry. Manifest Closure 8. With the submission of supporting documents online, the manifest closure department of the Custom House will not receive hardcopies of dockets. Officers shall rely on the electronic records maintained on ICES to carry out activities in relation to manifest closure. 9. The Bill of Entry (Electronic Integrated Declaration) Regulation, 201 1: was placed on the CBEC website since August 4, 2017 for public feedback. The updated draft Regulations provide for the authorized person to submit digitally signed electronic integrated declarations (Bills of Entry) and supporting documents and dispenses with the need for trade to submit the corresponding hardcopies. The draft Regulations also provide that the authorised person shall retain, for a period of 5 years from the date of acceptance of the Bill of Entry, supporting documents in original, which were used or relied upon by him in submitting the electronic integrated declaration, and shall produce them before Customs or other Government agencies in connection with any action or proceedings under the Customs Act 1962 or any other law for the time being in force 10. Even though, Trade may use this facility on a voluntary basis with effect from 01.02.2018. However, the uploading of supporting documents (e-SANCHIT) would be gradually made mandatory for all transactions. Further, the submission of supporting documents electronically in Appraising Group-V would be mandatory with effect from 15.02.2018. The trade is therefore requested to make adequate preparation to upload documents online and gain the experience on the procedure. 11 All Custom brokers/ importers at Visakhapatnam custom house are requested to use this facility for all their import clearances as it will reduce physical interface between Customs, other regulatory agencies and the trade and enhance the speed of clearance of import cargo. 12. Shri. P. GOPlCHAND, Assistant Commissioner of Customs, is nominated as the nodal officer for e-SANCHIT. In case of any difficulty, the issue may be brought to the notice of the undersigned through the nodal officer. (Dr. D. K. SRlNlVAS) COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS)