Importing into India: Bill of Entry and Customs Clearance Basics

23 Jun 2026 · 2 min read · 1 views

Bill of Entry ICEGATE DGFT

Importing goods into India requires compliance with customs procedures administered largely through the ICEGATE portal, alongside any product-specific licensing requirements set by the DGFT.

Bill of Entry. The key import declaration filed with customs, specifying the goods, their classification (HSN code), value, and the duties payable, filed either for home consumption (goods cleared immediately) or warehousing (goods stored under bond before clearance).

Assessment and duty payment. Customs assesses the declared value and classification, calculates applicable customs duty and other levies, and clearance proceeds once duties are paid and any required inspections are completed.

Import licensing. While many goods can be freely imported, some categories are restricted, prohibited, or require a specific import licence from the DGFT, so checking the current Foreign Trade Policy classification for a product before shipping is important.

Import finance. Buyers often use trade finance instruments like Letters of Credit or import bill financing to manage payment timing to overseas suppliers while goods are in transit or awaiting clearance.

Frequently Asked Questions

A business generally needs a valid IEC to import commercially. Beyond that, some goods are freely importable while others need a specific licence or are subject to restrictions under the current Foreign Trade Policy.

HSN (Harmonized System of Nomenclature) is the international classification code for goods, and it determines the applicable customs duty rate and any product-specific regulatory requirements — accurate classification is essential to avoid clearance delays or penalties.

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