TAG | parcel to india
The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has prescribed more rigorous processes for imports and exports through couriers. The new requirements follow new regulations to enable electronic filing and processing of Customs declarations by couriers and consequential changes made in the regulations for clearance of courier consignments by filing manual bills of entry/shipping bill.
The couriers have to now furnish a security of Rs 10 lakh for clearance through major international airports of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai and Rs 5 lakh at other airports. Their net worth or financial viability requirement has also been raised to a minimum Rs 25 lakh worth of assets.
After a transition period of six months, the couriers can file declarations before Customs, for clearance of imported or export goods, only through a person who has passed the examination referred to in Regulation 8 or Regulation 19 of the Customs House Agents Licensing Regulations, 2004, and who is duly authorised under Section 146 of the Customs Act, 1962.
The couriers have to verify the antecedents, identity and functioning of their clients in the address by using independent and authentic documents, data and information. This is to guard against offences such as fraud and duty evasion by bogus IEC holders etc. The ‘Know Your Customer’ guidelines applicable for Customs House Agents will equally apply for couriers.
The couriers cannot outsource or sub-let any of the processes in the door-to-door supply chain to any agency without prior permission of the Customs. For consignments of up to Rs 10,000 in value, the couriers have to obtain necessary authorisation from their clients at the time of delivery of the goods, or earlier. For higher value consignments, they have to get the authorisations at the time of import. For consignments beyond Rs 1 lakh, a normal bill of entry will have to be filed.
The couriers have to put in place verifiable and secure work processes on a global basis backed by an elaborate information technology infrastructure for knowledge and information management. They must have their own in-house mechanism to guard against the use of express supply chain by unscrupulous elements.
CBEC has also given some relaxations for couriers. Transhipment of cargo imported through couriers to another Customs station or transfer of cargo from one Customs area to another within the same Customs station will be allowed. In case of breakdown of computer systems or other unforeseen circumstances, they can file a manual bill of entry and seek quick clearance of consignments. The shipments of export-oriented units have been allowed as the necessary module has been developed under the automated electronic system but the data requirements have been enhanced.
For testing any goods imported by couriers, the Customs have been allowed to send samples to any government-approved laboratory and get the reports quickly. Till the Export Manifest Module is developed under the EDI, the existing procedure being followed in respect of courier regulations for manual mode will continue. The examination norms for export cargo through couriers will be the same as for export through other modes. Couriers already having authorisations from Customs can file electronic declarations without the need for fresh appointment or fresh intimation.
The essence of courier service is speed. The latest CBEC instructions strike a fair balance between need for expediency and safeguards to ensure compliance.
Source: TNC Rajagopalan
Sending a Parcel? CHAKKR it, instead of courier it!
Are you a CHAKKR? If not, may be you’ll be one soon; CHAKKR community is making news, as an innovative travel courier sharing service.
Did you have to wait for more than 10 days just to receive a letter, or a gift, sent to you from Asia or any other place far away? Well, Ajith had too, and all the time. He is working and living in Germany, far away from his family and friends, based in India. Every time, when he had to send them something; let it be just a letter; or a greeting card; or some small gifts; he had to plan and courier it well in advance (not to mention about the exorbitant courier fee which is often above 50 EUR for a small letter!).
The flight time between most major German airports and most major airports in India, is just between 8 and 12 hours. There is at least 1 daily flight between those airports. Ajith asked himself : “then, how can the process of transporting an A4 letter between Germany and India take so long ?.”. Well, courier companies work on a different model; and most often, their schedule is not similar to the ones of passenger airlines.
Well, as a normal social individual; he used a “social” solution for sending and receiving things between India and Germany. He seeked help from passengers who are traveling. Most of them were willing to help; and of course, to some, he paid some cash as “tip”. Thanks to all the travelers who helped; Ajith never ever had to wait for more than 1 or 2 days to send and receive things between Germany and India.
To get this “process” organized well for himself and for the whole society, plus to get the society more aware and involved; Ajith, together with his partner Claudius (who is also apparently doing the “same” for several years now as part of his online retail business); decided to launch an online community to bring together all members of the society which think the same way => “lets share our travel space; lets help each other in delivering our parcels…we are fast, cheap and reliable”. With the technology evangelist Patrick also on the boat, the online platform was quickly developed and setup with the most of the modern internet features.
That’s CHAKKR. Members of CHAKKR community are called CHAKKRs. There are thousands and thousands of active CHAKKRs, from almost all continents of the world. The community is growing at a rapid rate. They share, help, give feedbacks to each other and more-over bond together at CHAKKR. Yes, some CHAKKRs also provide the travel courier help for a small money. Local travelers help each other to transport things which they purchase on eBay or other online platforms. International travelers help each other to transport letters, gifts etc. between family, friends etc. Many view CHAKKR as a resource-sharing platform; where by already “moving” resources are used to transport small/big things from A to B. Hence, CHAKKR is often referred as the “The new GREEN courier revolution”.
No surprise that, local and international courier companies are also getting “involved” in the process; becoming themselves CHAKKRs. Since it creates competition; its a win situation for all the courier customers as well; because now they get cheap and fast courier offers directly from the courier companies as well.
As CHAKKR team mentor Prof. Dr. Eric Frere puts in his own words : “internet helped people worldwide to connect themselves. CHAKKR raises this connection to a different level of thinking; we can help ourselves; we can pay ourselves; lets manage ourselves!”.