Attention is invited to Notification No. 57/2015-20 dated 31.03.2020 and Public Notice No. 67/2015-20 dated 31.03.2020 through which extension in the import validity period and the export obligation period for existing Advance Authorizations (AAs)/DFIA expiring from February to July 20 has been granted.

In this regard, the following procedural formalities may be followed by DGFT RAs and Trade:

A) Automatic Extension of Import Validity period and EO period by 6 months for AAs under HBP Para 4.41(e) and Para 4.42(h) where no revalidation/EO period extension has been granted till date:

i. In all such cases where the facility of first or second extension in the import validity period or the EO extension period has not been availed by the exporter earlier, the revised or the extended import validity/E0 period, as per the relaxations permitted would be updated in the ICEGATE/Customs System automatically based on a defined protocol between the DGFT-NIC/Customs in this regard.

ii Once the bulk updation and transmission of authorisations have been done by NIC Division, NIC would send RA-wise list of such authorisations to individual RAs with an update script to be run on the local server (available in the Downloads section of the local server). All RAs are required to run this script immediately so that any further extensions/re-validations on the authorizations would take into account this change in the local RA sever also.

iii In case of some individual cases, where the revised updated import validity or E0 extension is not available in the ICEGATE, the exporter may approach the DGFT RA with a email/letter request for carrying out an amendment in the AA/DFIA. DGFT RA will accordingly examine the request expeditiously and endorse the extended validity/EO as per the provisions of FTP/HBP and transmit the amendment message electronically to DGFT/ICEGATE server.

B) Extension of Import Validity period and EO period by 6 months for AAs under HBP Para 4.41(e) and Para 4.42(h) where revalidation/EO period extension has been granted till date:

For those AAs where 1st or the 2nd re-validation or EO extension has been granted under the respective paras of HBP, automatic transmission of extended dates is not possible due to system architecture issues. In such cases, the exporters shall make an amendment request through email/letter to the concerned Regional Authority providing the details of the case. RAs, upon receiving such requests from the exporters, shall expeditiously verify the eligibility of the request, and then carry out the amendments for Revalidation / EOP Extension in the local server.

C) Extension of Validity/EO by 6 months for AAs under HBP Para 4.41(e) and Para 42(h) where authorizations are Physical (non-EDI) in nature:

For such authorisations, the procedure to be adopted would be similar to amendment requests as given in para (B) above. The authorizations need to be produced physically at the concerned Regional Authority with a request for extension in EO/re-validation. The concerned RA shall examine the request and endorse the extended validity/EO based on eligibility as per provisions of FTP/HBP.

D) Same procedure, as given in Para A, B & C shall apply for extension of validity of the DFIAs for import.
 

(Vijay Kumar)

Additional Director General of Foreign Trade

(Issued from File No. 01/94/180/348/AM20/PC-4)