A significant update regarding customs procedures for air passengers has been announced by the CBIC, whereby a transition towards electronic processing for specific goods carried personally during international travel is scheduled to start from 1st May 2025.
Electronic Processing Introduced
Effective May 1, 2025, the processing of customs declarations, specifically the Bill of Entry (for imports) and Shipping Bill (for exports), will be handled electronically. This change applies to certain categories of goods being imported or exported through personal carriage by air passengers.
Scope and Applicability
This new electronic procedure is applicable to the following goods when transported via personal carriage:
i) Gems and Jewellery.
ii) Samples and Prototypes of Machinery (initially at select locations)
It is important to note that all such imports and exports remain subject to the prevailing regulations outlined in the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 and the corresponding Handbook of Procedures (HBP), 2023.
Designated Airports
The facility for electronic processing via personal carriage will be made available at specific airports, varying by the type of goods:
1. Gems and Jewellery:
a) Export: Processing will be available at the nine airports specified in Para 4.87 of the HBP, 2023, i.e. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur.
b) Import: Processing will be available at the seven airports specified in Para 4.88 of the HBP, 2023, i.e. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur,
2. Machinery Samples/Prototypes:
Initially, this facility is being introduced at four major airports, i.e. Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai.
Facilitating Trade: The Intended Benefits
The implementation of harmonised procedures coupled with electronic processing is expected to enhance the ease of doing business. This move is particularly aimed at simplifying transactions for the gems and jewellery sector and facilitating the movement of essential samples and prototypes for the high-end manufacturing industry. The shift towards digital processing aligns with broader efforts to modernize trade facilitation. (PIB: 2117386)