24x7 Customs clearance facility - CBEC's Customs Manual 2023 - Customs

28. 24x7 Customs clearance facility: 28.1 With effect from 31.12.2014 the facility of 24x7 Customs clearance had been made available for specified import viz. goods covered by facilitated Bills of Entry and specified exports viz. factory stuffed containers and goods exported under free Shipping Bills, at the 18 sea ports and the facility of 24x7 Customs clearance for specified imports viz. goods covered by facilitated Bills of Entry and all exports viz. goods covered by all Shipping Bills had also been made available at the 17 air cargo complexes (ACCs). Lately, it has been decided to extend the facility of 24x7 Customs clearance for specified imports viz. goods covered by facilitated Bills of Entry and specified exports viz. reefer containers with perishable/temperature sensitive export goods sealed in the presence of Customs officials as per Circular no. 13/2018-Cus. Dated 30.05.2018 and goods exported under free Shipping Bills. Presently 24x7 Customs clearance facility is available at 20 sea ports and 17 Air Cargo Complexes. [Refer Circulars No.19/2014- Cus. dated 31-12-2014 , 01/2016 dated 06.01.2016 , 31/2018 dated 05.09.2018 and ] 28.2 Board had advised all the Pr. Chief / Chief Commissioners, having jurisdictions over Inland Container Depots (ICDs) to consider having the ICDs within their jurisdictions designated with extended facility of Customs clearance beyond normal working hours in any of the following ways, namely :- a) The facility of Customs clearance may be made available on a 24x7 basis, similar to the current Board guidelines for Sea Ports and Air Cargos/Airports; b) The facility of Customs clearance may be extended on all seven (7) days of the week (including holidays), with stipulated timings (say from 9 :30 AM to 6 :00 PM); c) The facility of Customs clearance may be extended beyond normal working hours for specified days in a week and with specified timings. The decision to designate an ICD in any manner under para 3(a), 3 (b) or 3(c) above, based on location requirement and resources availability, could be for specified imports viz. goods covered by facilitated Bills of Entry only, or specified exports viz. reefer containers with perishable/ temperature sensitive export goods sealed in the presence of Customs officials only or goods exported under free Shipping Bills only, or for all the three categories mentioned [Refer Circular No. 11/2022-Customs dated 29.07.2022 ]