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TMI BlogForeign Exchange Management Act, 1999X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... y the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and its regional offices, functioning under the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Department of Commerce, Government of India. Policies and procedures required to be followed for imports into India are announced by the DGFT from time to time. Authorised dealers may, therefore, sell foreign exchange or transfer rupees to non-resident account towards payment for imports into India, from any foreign country, in conformity with the Export-Import Policy in vogue and the Rules framed by the Government of India and the Directions issued by Reserve Bank from time to time under the Act. 3. Authorised dealers should follow normal banking procedures and the provisions of Uniform Customs and Procedures for Documentary Credits (UCPDC), etc., while opening letters of credit for import into India on behalf of their customers. In respect of import of drawings designs, importers may be advised to submit certificate or undertaking regarding compliance with the Research and Development Cess Act, 1986. An undertaking, in the prescribed format, regarding payment of Income Tax or a No Objection Certificate from Income Tax authorities, wherever req ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... on made by him to an authorised dealer under Section 10(5) of the Act or to use it for any other purpose for which acquisition of exchange is permissible under the said Act, or Rules or Regulations framed thereunder. ii. Where foreign exchange acquired has been utilised for import of goods into India the authorised dealer should ensure that importer furnishes an evidence of import to his satisfaction, as laid down in paragraph A.17. iii. In case payment for import is made by way of credit to non-resident account of the overseas exporter or by way of credit to resident account of a non-resident bank, authorised dealer should ensure compliance with sub-paragraph (i) above. iv. The Directions contained in this paragraph are also applicable where payment for imports into India is made through ACU mechanism. A.4 Manner of Rupee Payment Payments for retirement of bills drawn under letters of credit as well as bills received from abroad for collection against imports into India, must be received by authorised dealers, irrespective of amount, by debit to the account of the importer maintained with themselves or by means of a crossed cheque drawn by the importer on his other ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ck inland letters of credit opened by them on behalf of duty free licence holders(including transferees) as required in terms of the relevant provisions of the Export-Import Policy in force. A.9 Import Licences for c.i.f. Value i. Import licences are normally issued for the c.i.f. value of the goods to be imported. Import licences cannot be used to the full amount in cover of f.o.b. cost of the goods leaving insurance and freight to local agent of the supplier, as additional charges to be paid in rupees over the amount specified in the import licence. ii. Importers sometime enter into contracts on f.o.b. terms and agree to the suppliers paying for the freight to be reimbursed to them along with the cost of the goods. Authorised dealers in such cases should, before making the remittance of freight charges, ascertain the actual freight amount paid with reference to the original freight bill or memo issued by the shipping company or the amount stated on the relative bill of lading. A.10 Surrender of Import Licences Exchange Control copy of the import licence submitted by importer for opening of L/C or making remittance when fully utilised, should be retained by aut ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ted not later than six months from the date of shipment. Accordingly, deferred payment arrangements involving payments beyond a period of six months from the date of shipment are treated as external commercial borrowings which require prior approval of the Reserve Bank/Government of India {cf: Regulation 5 (3) of Reserve Bank Notification No. FEMA 3/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000}. There would, however, be no objection to importers withholding amounts not exceeding 15 per cent of the cost of goods towards guarantee of performance, etc. Authorised dealers may make remittances of amounts so withheld, provided the earlier remittance had been made through them. No payment of interest is permissible on such withheld amounts. (ii) Sometimes, settlement of import dues may be delayed due to disputes, financial difficulties, etc. Authorised dealers may make remittances in such cases even if the period of six months has expired, provided - a. authorised dealer is satisfied about the genuineness of the circumstances leading to the delay in payment; and b. no payment of interest is involved for the additional period. However, in cases where the overseas supplier insists on payment of inter ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... e Customs Authorities against payment of penalty, to the extent of c.i.f. value of the goods indicated on the relative Exchange Control copy of the Customs Bill of Entry evidencing imports of goods to India. A.16 Remittances against Replacement Imports (i) In case import of an item does not require licence under the Export -Import Policy in force and there is a need for remittance of foreign exchange for import of replacement goods for a defective item imported earlier, the remittance should be made after ensuring that there is no double payment for the same import. (ii) Where goods are short-supplied, damaged, short-landed or lost in transit, the procedure laid down below should be followed for payment against replacement goods: a. In cases where no letter of credit has been opened or remittances made, Exchange Control copy of the import licence may be automatically treated as valid for the replacement consignment, provided it is shipped within the validity period of the licence. b. If the Exchange Control copy has already been utilised to cover the opening of a letter of credit against the original goods which have been lost, the original endorsement to the extent ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... uld advise importers to keep Custom authorities informed of the imports made by them under this clause. (iv) In respect of remittances for imports through courier services, authorised dealers should ensure submission of the Exchange Control copy of the Bill of Entry in case of imports valued at Rupees one lakh or more. Where the value of import is less than Rs. one lakh, authorised dealers may obtain from the importer, a copy of the Bill of Entry, in the prescribed form issued by the Customs in the name of registered courier, duly certified by the courier company indicating thereon the particulars of the consignment for which the copy has been issued. (v) Authorised dealers should ensure that in all cases, including cases of advance remittance permitted in terms of paragraph A.11 above, evidence of import is submitted by their importer customer and is duly verified. In respect of imports on D/A. basis, since goods would normally be cleared before the due date of payment, authorised dealers should insist on production of evidence of import at the time of effecting remittance of import bill. Authorised dealers should advise this requirement to their importer customer while deli ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... very year, in form BEF (format enclosed) furnishing details of import transactions, exceeding US$5,000 in respect of which importers have defaulted in submission of an appropriate document evidencing import within 6 months from the date of remittance. The said half yearly statement should be submitted to the Regional Office of the Reserve Bank under whose jurisdiction the authorised dealer is functioning, within 15 days from the end of half year to which the statement relates. Note : A . In cases where at the time of advance remittance purpose of remittance was indicated as import and subsequently the exchange has been used for a purpose for which sale of exchange is permissible, and a document to the satisfaction of authorised dealer has been produced, such cases should not be treated as default and hence be excluded from the BEF statement . B . Authorised dealers may accept Into Bond Bill of Entry as a provisional evidence of import into India . However, they may ensure submission of Exchange Control copy of the Bill of Entry for Home consumption within a reasonable period of time. Wherever Into Bond Bill of Entry has been submitted such cases need not be report ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... er should obtain report on each individual overseas seller from the overseas banker or reputed credit agency. A.21 Postal Imports Remittances against bills received for collection in respect of imports by post parcel may be made by authorised dealers, provided the goods imported are such as are normally despatched by post parcel. In these cases, the relative parcel receipts must be produced as evidence of despatch through the post and an undertaking to submit Postal Appraisal Form or Customs Assessment Certificate as evidence of import within three months from the date of remittance should be furnished by importers. If the parcel has already been received in India Postal Appraisal Form or Customs Assessment Certificate should be produced in support of the remittance application. Where goods to be imported are not of a kind normally imported by post parcel or where authorised dealer is not satisfied about the bonafides of the application, the case should be referred to the Reserve Bank for prior approval with full particulars together with relative parcel receipt/s and Postal Appraisal Form or Customs Assessment Certificate. NOTE: Authorised dealers may make remittances to ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... rt Trade Control policy in force and any other guidelines/directives issued by the Reserve Bank in this regard. A.25 Import of Gold, Silver Jewellery Gold brought by an NRI in accordance with the Export and Import Policy in vogue, is permitted to be sold to residents against payment in rupees. Authorised dealers should credit the amounts so received only to ordinary non-resident rupee (NRO) accounts of the concerned NRI seller. Part B - Merchanting Trade Authorised dealers may take necessary precautions in handling merchant trade transactions or intermediary trade transactions to ensure that (a) goods involved in the transaction are permitted to be imported into India, (b) such transactions do not involve foreign exchange outlay for a period exceeding three months, and (c) all Rules, Regulations and Directions applicable to export out of India are complied with by the export leg and all Rules, Regulations and Directions applicable to import are complied with by the import leg of merchanting trade transactions . Authorised dealers are also required to ensure timely receipt of payment for the export leg of such transactions. Part C- Import of Currency C.1 Im ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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