Courier Cell Procedure

COURIER CELL, AIR CARGO COMPLEX

Procedures.

The courier clearances are allowed both under manual mode as well as electronic mode. The courier clearances under the manual mode are governed by Courier Imports and Exports (Clearance) Regulations, 1998, and courier clearance under electronic mode are governed by Courier Imports and Exports (Electronic Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2010.

Imports.

Examination of parcels is kept to the minimum and clearance is allowed on the basis of selective scrutiny of documents. The duty, where leviable, is paid by the courier company on behalf of importers/exporters before taking delivery of the parcels.

The facility of imports and exports through courier mode is allowed to only to those courier companies which are registered by the Customs. These courier companies are called “Authorized Couriers”. The courier parcels are normally carried by passenger/cargo aircrafts.

Except for certain excluded categories, all goods are allowed to be imported through the courier mode. The exclusion of certain categories of goods is based upon the fact that these broadly require specific conditions to be fulfilled under any other Act or rule or regulation such as testing of samples etc. on reference to the relevant authorities or experts before their clearance. In these cases, due to additional compliance requirements, the assessment and clearance takes time. These goods, therefore, do not fit into the scheme, which envisages Customs clearance on a fast track basis:

(a) Precious and semi precious cargo;

(b) Animals and plants;

(c) Perishables;

(d) Publications containing maps depicting incorrect boundaries of India;

(e) Precious and semi precious stones, gold or silver in any form;

(f) Goods under Export Promotion Schemes including EOU scheme;

(g) Goods exceeding weight limit of 70 kgs. (individual packages) imported though courier under manual mode. However, under the electronic mode, no such restriction regarding weight has been provided

Clearance of goods under EOU scheme is permitted under the electronic mode.

Exports.

As in the case of imports, all goods are allowed to be exported though courier except for the following excluded categories:

(a) Goods attracting any duty on exports;

(b) Goods exported under export promotion schemes, such as Drawback, DEPB, DEEC, EPCG etc.;

(c) Goods where the value of the consignment is above Rs.25,000/- and transaction in  foreign exchange is involved (the limit of Rs.25,000/- does not apply where the G.R. waiver or specific permission has been obtained from the RBI). 

Import of gems and jewellery including samples thereof by EOUs or SEZ units is allowed through courier. Likewise, export of cut and polished diamond, gems and jewellery under any scheme of FTP from EOUs, SEZs or DTA is allowed through courier subject to the condition that the value of each export consignment under such export does not exceed Rs.20 lakhs.

Categories of Courier Goods.

For facilitating Customs clearance, the goods imported by courier are divided into the following categories:

(a) Documents that include any message, information or data recorded on paper, cards or photographs having no commercial value, and which do not attract any duty or subject to any prohibition/restriction on their import or export;

(b) Samples – any bonafide commercial samples and prototypes of goods supplied free of charge of a value not exceeding Rs.50,000/- for exports and Rs.10,000/- for imports which are not subject to any prohibition or restriction on their import or export and which does not involve transfer of foreign exchange.

(c) Free gifts – any bonafide gifts of articles for personal use of a value not exceeding rupees 25,000/- for a consignment in case of exports and Rs.10,000/- for imports which are not subject to any prohibition or restriction on their import or export and which do not involve transfer of foreign exchange.

(d) Low value dutiable or commercial goods – goods having a declared value of upto Rs.1,00,000/-; and (e) Dutiable or commercial goods – goods having a declared value of more than Rs.1,00,000/-.

Examination Norms.

The following examination norms are provided for import and export of courier consignments:

(a) 100% screening of import/ export consignments (documents and all types of cargo) is required to be done through X-ray or other NII techniques. (b) Physical examination of export documents, gifts, samples and export goods limited up to a maximum of 10% of the total courier consignments or specific intelligence. The consignments so selected will be examined 100%.

(c) Physical examination of import documents, gifts, samples and dutiable goods limited upto a maximum of 10% of the total courier consignments. The consignments so selected will be examined 100%.

(d) Selection of consignments physical examination would be based on the various parameters such as nature of goods, value, weight, status of importer etc.

 [Refer Courier Imports and Exports (Clearance) Regulations, 1988; Courier Imports and Exports (Electronic Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2010; Circulars No.56/95- Cus., dated 30-5-1995; No.85/98-Cus., dated 13-11-1998; No.23/2006-Cus., dated 25-8- 2006; No.31/2007-Cus., dated 29-8-2007; and No.33/2010-Cus., dated 7-9-2010]

The provisions of Regulation 5 of the Courier Imports and Exports (Clearance) Regulation, 1998 permitting operation of on-board couriers which allows personal carriage of courier parcels , to be imported and exported, through Authorized Couriers.  In respect of clearance of such goods through Chennai Airport, procedure as detailed in FACILITATION NOTICE NO.5/2011 DATED 01.08.2011 (AIR CUSTOMS) shall be followed.

Translate »