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Importer Exporter Code Number (IEC)

Definition of IEC Code

IEC Code is unique 10 digit code issued by DGFT – Director General of Foreign
Trade, Ministry of Commerce, and Government of India to Indian Companies.

Full form of IEC Code

Full form of IEC Code is: “Importer Exporter Code”. To import or export in India,
IEC Code is mandatory. No person or entity shall make any Import or Export
without IEC Code Number. 

IEC Code No Notification

Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a Policy Circular No.15 (RE-
2006)/2004-2009 Date: 27th July, 2006) for New System for issuance of Importer-
Exporter Code Number.

Eligibility, Legal Provisions and Conditions for IEC Code Number

Eligibility condition and Legal Provisions are given for IEC Code Number
Application in Foreign Trade (Regulation) Rules, 1993 Ministry of Commerce,
Notification No. GSR 791 (E), dated 30-12-1993.

Application for Grant of IEC Number

An application for grant of IEC number shall be made by the Registered/Head
Office of the applicant and apply to the nearest Regional Authority of Directorate
General Foreign Trade, the Registered office in case of company and Head office
in case of others, falls in the ‘Aayaat Niryaat Form - ANF2A’ and shall be
accompanied by documents prescribed therein. In case of STPI/ EHTP/ BTP units,
the Regional Offices of the DGFT having jurisdiction over the district in which the
Registered/ Head Office of the STPI unit is located shall issue or amend the IECs. 
Only one IEC would be issued against a single PAN number. Any proprietor can
have only one IEC number and in case there are more than one IECs allotted to a
proprietor, the same may be surrendered to the Regional Office for cancellation.
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IEC Code Online Application Form

The application can be download  Form in PDF or Word. This is called "Aayaat
Niryaat Form - ANF2A". Along with IEC Code Number Application Form it is
necessary to submit
Appendix-18B Attested by Applicant's Banker in his letter head with two passport
size photo). 

List of Regional Authorities Of DGFT And The Corresponding

Office of Reserve Bank Of India, Exchange Control Department:-
You can find the list of Foreign Exchange Control Department of the RBI as given
in Appendix-18D.

Validity of IEC Code No

An IEC number allotted to an applicant shall be valid for all its
branches/divisions/units/factories as indicated in the format of IEC given in
Appendix- 18B.

Duplicate Copy of IEC Number

Where an IEC Number is lost or misplaced, the issuing authority may consider
requests for grant of a duplicate copy of IEC number, if accompanied by an
affidavit. 

Surrender of IEC Number

If an IEC holder does not wish to operate the allotted IEC number, he may
surrender the same by informing the issuing authority. On receipt of such
intimation, the issuing authority shall immediately cancel the same and
electronically transmit it to DGFT for onward transmission to the Customs and
Regional Authorities. 

Application Fee for IEC Code Number

Application Fee: Rs 250.00
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Mode of Payment
: In Demand Draft of any Bank or Payment through EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer
by Nominated Bank by DGFT Like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India,
UTI Bank, Punjab National Bank, Central Bank etc) or Application fee can
deposited by TR6 Challan with Duplicate Copy in any branch of Central Bank of
India and TR6 Challan need to be submit along with IEC Code Application.

Specified fee shall be paid for making an application under any provision of the
Policy and Handbook of Procedure Volume-I.. The scale of fee, mode of payment,
procedure for refund of fee and the categories of persons exempted from the
payment of fee are contained in Appendix-21B.

Territorial Jurisdiction of Regional Authorities

Every application, unless otherwise specified, shall be submitted to the Regional
Authority of Directorate General Foreign Trade, as per the territorial jurisdiction of
the Regional authorities indicated in
Policy and Handbook of Procedure Volume-I. 

Filing of Application
Application can be filed online in DGFT website; details of online links are given
below.

Every application for an Import/Export license/ certificate/ Authorization/

permission or any other purpose should be complete in all respects as required
under the relevant provisions of the Policy/Procedures and shall be signed by the
applicant as defined in
paragraph 9.9 of the Policy. An incomplete application is liable to be rejected
giving specific reason for rejection. However in case of manual applications, the
applicant would furnish a soft copy of the application in MS word format. 

Profile of Importer/ Exporter

Each Importer/Exporter shall be required to file importer/ exporter profile once
with the Regional Authority in Part 1 of ‘Aayaat Niryaat Form - ANF2A’.
Regional Authority shall enter the information furnished in Part 1 of ‘Aayaat
Niryaat Form ANF-2A’ in their database so as to dispense with the need for asking
the repetitive information. In case of any change in the information given in Part 1
of ‘Aayaat Niryaat Form ANF-2A’, importer/exporter shall intimate the same to
the Regional Authority. 
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Self Addressed Stamped Envelope

The applicant shall furnish a self addressed envelope of 40 x 15 cm with postal
stamp affixed on the envelope as follows for all documents required to be sent by
Speed Post:

a
Within local area Rs. 20.00

b Up to 200 Kms. Rs. 25.00

c Between 200 to 1000 Kms Rs. 30.00
d Beyond 1000 Kms. Rs. 50.00

IEC No: Exempted Categories

The following categories of importers or exporters are exempted from obtaining
Importer - Exporter Code (IEC) number:

1. Importers covered by clause 3 (1) [except sub-clauses (e) and (l)] and
exporters covered by clause 3(2) [except sub-clauses (i) and (k)] of the
Foreign Trade (Exemption from application of Rules in certain cases) Order,
1993.
2. Ministries/Departments of the Central or State Government.
3. Persons importing or exporting goods for personal use not connected
with trade or manufacture or agriculture.
4. Persons importing/exporting goods from/to Nepal provided the CIF
value of a single consignment does not exceed Indian Rs.25, 000.
5. Persons importing/exporting goods from/to Myanmar through Indo-
Myanmar border areas provided the CIF value of a single consignment does
not exceed Indian Rs.25, 000. 

However, the exemption from obtaining Importer-Exporter Code (IEC)

number shall not be applicable for the export of Special Chemicals,
Organisms, Materials, Equipments and Technologies (SCOMET) as listed in
Appendix- 3, Schedule 2 of the ITC (HS) except in the case of exports by
category (ii) above.
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6. The following permanent IEC numbers shall be used by the categories

of importers/ exporters mentioned against them for import/ export purposes..

S.N Code
Categories of Importers / Exporters
o Number

All Ministries / Departments of Central Government and

1 0100000011 agencies
wholly or partially owned by them.

All Ministries / Departments of any State Government and

2 0100000029 agencies
wholly or partially owned by them.

Diplomatic personnel, Counselor officers in India and

3 0100000037 officials of
UNO and its specialized agencies.

Indians returning from / going abroad and claiming benefit

4 0100000045 under
Baggage Rules.

Persons / Institutions / Hospitals importing or exporting

goods for
5 0100000053
personnel use, not connected with trade or manufacture or
agriculture.

6 0100000061 Persons importing / exporting goods from /to Nepal

Persons importing / exporting goods from /to Myanmar

7 0100000070 through
Indo-Myanmar border areas

8 0100000088 Ford Foundation

9 0100000096 Importers importing goods for display or use

in fairs / exhibitions or similar
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events under provisions of ATA carnet This IEC number can

also be used
by
importers importing for exhibitions/fairs as per Para 2.29 of
HBPv1.

Director, National Blood Group Reference Laboratory,

10 0100000100 Bombay or their
authorized offices.

Individuals / Charitable Institution /Registered NGOs

importing
goods,
which have been exempted from Customs duty under
11 0100000126
Notification issued by
Ministry of Finance for bonafide use by victims affected by
natural
calamity.

Persons importing / exporting permissible

goods as notified from time to time, from / to China through
Gunji,
12 0100000134 Namgaya Shipkila and Nat hula ports,
subject to value ceilings of single consignment as given in
Para 2.8(iv)
above.

Non-commercial imports and exports by entities that have

13 0100000169 been
authorized by Reserve Bank of India.

Note: Commercial Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) who has obtained PAN will
however be required to obtain Importer Exporter Code number. The permanent
IEC number as mentioned above shall be used by non-commercial PSUs. 

Guidelines for Application of IEC Code Number:-

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Mandatory Requirements to apply for IEC Code Number

1. Covering letter
2. Fill Part A, B & D of the application form.
3. Application must be accompanied by documents as per details given
below:
1 Bank Certificate from the bank on Bank letter head as per proforma
(Part B) given in the application.
    a.  In case of Proprietorship firms, please furnish
         i) Date of Birth of individual
        ii) Number of IECs held along with their details 
   b. In case of Companies, please furnish
         i) Extract of Board of Resolution.
       ii) MOA with Form 32 and ROC in case of change in Directors.
  c.  In case of others
        i) Notorised Partnership Deed showing dates of formation.
        ii) No Objection Certificate from other partners/HUF.
3.2 Self certified copy of Permanent Account Number (PAN) issued by
income Tax Authorities.

3.3 Two copies of passport size photographs of the applicant. The

photograph pasted on the banker’s certificate must be attested by the
banker with Seal and Signature of the applicant.

4. The application must be submitted in Duplicate.

5. Each individual page of the application must be signed by the applicant.

6. Self addressed envelope stamped with Rs. 25 (Local Address) & for
others Rs.30/-. These documents may be kept secured in a file cover.

Check List of Documents to apply for IEC Code

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7. Covering Letter on your company's letter head for issue of new IEC Code
Number.
8. Two copies of the application in prescribed format ( Aayaat Niryaat Form
ANF 2A ) must be submitted to your regional Jt.DGFT Office.
9. Each individual page of the application has to be signed by the applicant.
10.Part 1 & Part 4 has to be filled in by all applicants. In case of applications
submitted electronically.
11.No hard copies of Part 1 may be submitted. However in cases where
applications are submitted otherwise, hard copy of Part 1has to be
submitted.
12.Only relevant portions of Part 2 need to be filled in.
13.Rs 250.00 Bank Receipt (in duplicate)/Demand Draft/EFT details
evidencing payment of application fee in terms of Appendix
14. Certificate from the Banker of the applicant firm in the format given
in Appendix 18A.
15.Self certified copy of PAN issuing letter or PAN (Permanent Account
Number) Card issued by Income Tax Authority.
16.Two copies of passport size photographs of the applicant duly attested by
the Banker of the applicant.
17.Self addresses envelope with Rs.25/- postal stamp for delivery of IEC
certificate by registered post or Challan/DD of Rs.100/- for speed post.

How to submit IEC Code application

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Application can be submitted in person/by Authorized Employee of the Company

at the R & I counters in the office Or It can be sent by post/courier.

Processing of IEC Code Application

The application can be submitted at the counter in person at the office or it can be
sent through Post/Courier. An acknowledgement in form of a receipt having File
Number is generated on receipt of application. The file number is used for any
correspondence/query regarding the IEC application submitted to the office. The
application is then sent to IEC section where it is processed. If the application is
found complete in all aspects (as per requirements prescribed) an IEC is generated,
or else a deficiency letter stating the nature of deficiency is prepared and sent to the
applicant. Replies are awaited in cases where deficiency letter is issued and after
due compliance by the applicant the IEC is allotted.

Issue and Dispatch of IEC Code

IEC allotment letter is sent through post at the registered office mentioned by the
applicant in the application. Similarly deficiency letters are sent to applicant by
post.

About IEC Application Status

File No for IEC application

a new option to know the file number has been introduced for all exporter who are
sending their application through Post/Courier. The applicant has to input PAN
number to get the file number.

Status of IEC Application

The applicant can know the status of the IEC application using option “Status of
IEC Application” on the website of CLA.
IEC issued day wise:-IEC’s issued daily can be viewed on the website using option
“IEC issued day wise”
File No for IEC application:-Applicant’s who have sent their application through
post/courier can know their file number using option “File No for IEC application”
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Conclusion:-
 IEC Code is unique 10 digit code issued by DGFT – Director
General of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce, and
Government of India to Indian Companies.
 An IEC number allotted to an applicant shall be valid for all its
branches/divisions/units/factories as indicated in the format of IEC
given in
Appendix- 18B.
 Application can be filed online in DGFT website
 Application can be submitted in person/by Authorized Employee
of the Company at the R & I counters in the office Or It can be sent
by post/courier.
 IEC allotment letter is sent through post at the registered office
mentioned by the applicant in the application. Similarly deficiency
letters are sent to applicant by post.
 The applicant can know the status of the IEC application using
option “Status of IEC Application” on the website of CLA

BIBLIOGRAPHY
INFODRIVE INDIA.COM

DGFT.ORG

IEPORT.COM

WIKIPEDIA