Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
(Central Board of Excise and Customs)
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Circular No. 26/ 2015- Customs
Dated 23.10.2015
To
All Chief Commissioners of Customs
All Chief Commissioners of Customs and Central Excise
All Commissioners of Customs
All Commissioners of Customs and Central Excise
Sir / Madam,
Subject: Use of digital signature for submission of documents regarding
Attention is invited to Board
Circular No. 10/2015- Customs dated 31.03.2015
which lays guidelines for use of digital signature certificates for submission
through remote EDI filing of customs process documents viz. Bill of Entry,
Shipping Bill , Import General Manifest (IGM), Export General Manifest (EGM) by
importers, exporters, Customs brokers, airlines and their agents, with effect
from 01.04.2015.
2. In terms of Board
Circular No 10/2015Customs, dated 31.03.2015, importers
registered under Accredited Client Programme (ACP) are mandatorily required to
file Bills of Entry with digital signature with effect from 01.05.2015.Wherever
the customs process documents are digitally signed, the Customs will not insist
on the user to physically sign the said documents.
In order to increase coverage of digitally signed documents and subsequent
phasing out of physical /manual submission of documents, Board has decided that
all importers, exporters using services of Customs Brokers for formalities under
Customs Act, 1962, shipping lines and air lines shall file customs documents
under digital signature certificates mandatorily with effect from 01.01.2016.
The importers/ exporters desirous of filing Bill of Entry or Shipping Bill
individually may however have the option of filing declarations/ documents
without using digital signature. Further, wherever the customs process documents
are digitally signed, the Customs will not insist on the user to physically sign
the said documents.
4. All Chief Commissioners of Customs should issue suitable instruction to staff
working under their charges for adherence to these guidelines. Further, wide
publicity may be given to trade and stakeholders for smooth implementation of
aforementioned guidelines.
Difficulty, faced if any, may be brought to the notice of the Board.
Yours faithfully
( A.K. Sapra )
OSD( Customs IV)
F.No. 450/2/2015- Dir( Cus ) ( Pt)
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